John McKeague
Encyclopedia
John McKeague was a prominent Ulster loyalist
who founded the paramilitary group the Red Hand Commando
in 1972. Authors on the Troubles in Northern Ireland claim that McKeague, a homosexual, was a paedophile who abused young boys during the Kincora Boys' Home scandal and was a long-time agent of the British government. He was shot dead by the INLA
in Belfast in January 1982.
McKeague was a member of the Free Presbyterian Church
, led by Ian Paisley
. He also supported the Ulster Protestant Volunteers
. He later joined "Tara
", an evangelical Protestant
group which called for the outlawing of Roman Catholicism in Northern Ireland
, and called on members to undertake weapons training. He later became the group's deputy leader.
(SDA), with the proclaimed intention to defend the Shankill Road from Catholic rioters. However, its primary role in the Northern Ireland riots of August 1969 was to organise Protestants to attack Catholic areas. In November 1969, McKeague was cleared of a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions.
in the 1970 UK general election, but polled only 0.75% of the vote. He also began producing Loyalist News. His mother, Isabella McKeague, was killed on 8 May 1971 by a loyalist incendiary bomb attack on the shop below her flat in Albertbridge Road, Belfast. In 1971, the SDA merged with like-minded groups to form the Ulster Defence Association
(UDA). Following a dispute, McKeague left and established the Red Hand Commando in the summer of 1972; it soon became an integral part of the Ulster Volunteer Force. Following various attacks by his paramilitary
organisation, in February 1973 he became one of the first loyalist internees and was later imprisoned for three years on an armed robbery charge (a conviction he disputed). He started two hunger strikes in protest against the Special Powers Act
and prison conditions while in jail.
On 3 October 1975, Alice McGuinness, a Catholic civilian, was injured in an IRA bomb attack on McKeague's shop on the Albertbridge Road. She died three days later. McKeague's sister was severely injured in the same bombing.
McKeague became a leading figure in the Ulster Loyalist Central Coordinating Committee, and within it strongly advocated Ulster nationalism
. With John McClure
he contacted Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
and Joe Cahill
of Sinn Féin
and initiated talks in an attempt to find a common platform for an independent Northern Ireland. This collapsed after Conor Cruise O'Brien
discovered and revealed the activity. With the majority of the Loyalist Central Coordinating Committee reluctant to advocate the unpopular policy of an independent Northern Ireland, McKeague helped establish the Ulster Independence Party
, then in 1979 became deputy leader of the Ulster Independence Association.
McKeague was believed by British military intelligence to have been behind the sadistic murder of a ten-year-old boy, Brian McDermott, in East Belfast in September 1973.
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
who founded the paramilitary group the Red Hand Commando
Red Hand Commandos
The Red Hand Commando is a small loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland, which is closely linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force...
in 1972. Authors on the Troubles in Northern Ireland claim that McKeague, a homosexual, was a paedophile who abused young boys during the Kincora Boys' Home scandal and was a long-time agent of the British government. He was shot dead by the INLA
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
in Belfast in January 1982.
McKeague was a member of the Free Presbyterian Church
Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster
The Free Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination founded by the Rev. Ian Paisley in 1951. Most of its members live in Northern Ireland...
, led by Ian Paisley
Ian Paisley
Ian Richard Kyle Paisley, Baron Bannside, PC is a politician and church minister in Northern Ireland. As the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party , he and Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness were elected First Minister and deputy First Minister respectively on 8 May 2007.In addition to co-founding...
. He also supported the Ulster Protestant Volunteers
Ulster Protestant Volunteers
The Ulster Protestant Volunteers were a loyalist and fundamentalist Christian paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. They were active between 1966 and 1969 and closely linked to the Ulster Constitution Defence Committee , established by Ian Paisley in 1966.The UPV launched a bombing campaign to...
. He later joined "Tara
Tara (Northern Ireland)
Tara was a loyalist movement in Northern Ireland that espoused a brand of evangelical Protestantism.The group was first formed in 1966 by William McGrath from an independent Orange lodge that he controlled. It was intended as an outlet for virulent anti-Catholicism...
", an evangelical Protestant
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
group which called for the outlawing of Roman Catholicism in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, and called on members to undertake weapons training. He later became the group's deputy leader.
SDA
In 1969, McKeague founded the Shankill Defence AssociationShankill Defence Association
The Shankill Defence Association was a loyalist vigilante group formed in May 1969 for the defence of the loyalist Shankill Road area of Belfast, Northern Ireland during the communal disturbances that year....
(SDA), with the proclaimed intention to defend the Shankill Road from Catholic rioters. However, its primary role in the Northern Ireland riots of August 1969 was to organise Protestants to attack Catholic areas. In November 1969, McKeague was cleared of a charge of conspiracy to cause explosions.
Politics
McKeague stood as an independent Unionist in Belfast NorthBelfast North (UK Parliament constituency)
Belfast North is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in 1922 when, as part of the establishment of the devolved Stormont Parliament for Northern Ireland, the number of MPs in the Westminster Parliament was drastically cut...
in the 1970 UK general election, but polled only 0.75% of the vote. He also began producing Loyalist News. His mother, Isabella McKeague, was killed on 8 May 1971 by a loyalist incendiary bomb attack on the shop below her flat in Albertbridge Road, Belfast. In 1971, the SDA merged with like-minded groups to form the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
(UDA). Following a dispute, McKeague left and established the Red Hand Commando in the summer of 1972; it soon became an integral part of the Ulster Volunteer Force. Following various attacks by his paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
organisation, in February 1973 he became one of the first loyalist internees and was later imprisoned for three years on an armed robbery charge (a conviction he disputed). He started two hunger strikes in protest against the Special Powers Act
Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act (Northern Ireland) 1922
The Civil Authorities Act 1922, often referred to simply as the Special Powers Act, was an Act passed by the Parliament of Northern Ireland shortly after the establishment of Northern Ireland, and in the context of violent conflict over the issue of the partition of Ireland...
and prison conditions while in jail.
On 3 October 1975, Alice McGuinness, a Catholic civilian, was injured in an IRA bomb attack on McKeague's shop on the Albertbridge Road. She died three days later. McKeague's sister was severely injured in the same bombing.
McKeague became a leading figure in the Ulster Loyalist Central Coordinating Committee, and within it strongly advocated Ulster nationalism
Ulster nationalism
Ulster nationalism is the name given to a school of thought in Northern Irish politics that seeks the independence of Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom without becoming part of the Republic of Ireland, thereby becoming an independent sovereign state separate from England, Scotland and Wales...
. With John McClure
John McClure
John McClure sometimes called "Poker Jack", was a politician and judge in Arkansas during Reconstruction and was part of Powell Clayton's inner circle. A Republican carpetbagger from the North he came to Arkansas as a Lieutenant colonel of a black regiment. He was dismissed from the army for...
he contacted Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh
Ruairí Ó Brádaigh is an Irish republican. He is a former chief of staff of the Irish Republican Army , former president of Sinn Féin and former president of Republican Sinn Féin.-Early life:...
and Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill
Joe Cahill was a prominent Irish republican and former chief of staff of the Provisional Irish Republican Army .- Background :In May 1920, Cahill was born in Divis Street in West Belfast, Ireland, where his parents had been neighbours of the Scottish-born Irish revolutionary James Connolly.Cahill...
of Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and initiated talks in an attempt to find a common platform for an independent Northern Ireland. This collapsed after Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien
Conor Cruise O'Brien often nicknamed "The Cruiser", was an Irish politician, writer, historian and academic. Although his opinion on the role of Britain in Northern Ireland changed over the course of the 1970s and 1980s, he always acknowledge values of, as he saw, the two irreconcilable traditions...
discovered and revealed the activity. With the majority of the Loyalist Central Coordinating Committee reluctant to advocate the unpopular policy of an independent Northern Ireland, McKeague helped establish the Ulster Independence Party
Ulster Independence Party
The Ulster Independence Party was an Ulster nationalist political party.The group was founded in October 1977 by the supporters of a document issued the previous year, Towards an Independent Ulster...
, then in 1979 became deputy leader of the Ulster Independence Association.
McKeague was believed by British military intelligence to have been behind the sadistic murder of a ten-year-old boy, Brian McDermott, in East Belfast in September 1973.