Kevin McGrady
Encyclopedia
Kevin McGrady is a former Provisional IRA
member who became an informer in 1982 following his conversion to Born again Christianity. As a result of evidence provided by McGrady, seven people were convicted at the supergrass
trial presided over by Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Robert Lowry
.
Markets area of the city. He trained as a butcher after he left school, and joined the IRA's 4th Battalion of the Belfast Brigade in 1975 at the age of 19, due to his identification with the Republican
cause and distrust of the majority Protestant community. McGrady claimed to have participated in his first operation in July 1975, and had gone on the run in October of that same year. McGrady was held in custody from December 1975 to June 1976. for assaulting a police officer during an interrogation. Following his release, McGrady moved to London where he spent 18 months, and then moved to Amsterdam
, Holland where he obtained work in a hotel. It was in Amsterdam in March 1978 that he underwent a religious conversion and became a born-again Christian. He joined Youth With a Mission
, an American-based Christian organisation, and became actively involved in their projects.
about his previous IRA activities. Following McClung's advice, McGrady returned to Northern Ireland and on 12 January 1982, he entered Musgrave Street Police station and made his confession to the police, admitting to IRA-related offences. He was arrested and sent to Crumlin Road Prison. Between 14 January and 24 May 1982 during many lengthy interviews with the police, he made ten written statements relating to the crimes he had committed in 1975. On 26 June 1982, he pleaded guilty to 27 counts including the murders in 1975 of three Protestants Ernest Dowds, William Stephenson, and Andrew Craig, and four attempted murders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, but would end up serving six years. Ernest Dowds and Andrew Craig were both members of the Ulster Defence Association
, which was the largest Loyalist
paramilitary group in Northern Ireland.
McGrady had another reason for returning to Belfast which was to secure the release of his brother, Sean who was in prison for his part in the murder in October 1975 of Ernest Dowds. Kevin had insisted that it was he who had perpetrated the killing, and that Sean had played no part in the crime; however when Sean McGrady appealed his murder conviction, he was unsuccessful, despite Kevin's evidence.
In exchange for the shortening of his sentence, McGrady was persuaded by the police to become an informer and provide names of fellow IRA members.
The supergrass
trial in which McGrady was the star witness, was the third such trial in Northern Ireland. It began on 5 May 1983 with ten defendants and 45 indictments including a conspiracy to murder the former Chief Constable of the RUC, Sir James Flanagan. It was presided over by Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Robert Lowry. The trial when it ended on 26 October 1983, secured the conviction of seven out of the ten defendants named by McGrady, despite McGrady's numerous inconsistencies and mistakes as well as Lord Lowry's description of McGrady's evidence as having been "bizarre, incredible and contradictory". One of those convicted solely on the basis of McGrady's testimomy was Sinn Féin
's former national organiser Jim Gibney who spent six years in prison for possession with intent, wounding, and IRA membership.
Other notable supergrass trials of that period were those of IRA informer Christopher Black and Loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force informer Joseph Bennett. Black's testimony secured the conviction of 35 defendants, and Bennett's evidence secured the conviction of 14 senior members out of the 16 defendants accused of UVF-related crimes.
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
member who became an informer in 1982 following his conversion to Born again Christianity. As a result of evidence provided by McGrady, seven people were convicted at the supergrass
Supergrass (informer)
Supergrass is a slang term for an informer, which originated in London. Informers had been referred to as "grasses" since the late-1930s, and the "super" prefix was coined by journalists in the early 1970s to describe those informers from the city's underworld who testified against former...
trial presided over by Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Robert Lowry
Robert Lowry, Baron Lowry
Sir Robert Lynd Erskine Lowry, Baron Lowry PC , often known as Robbie Lowry, was a Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary...
.
IRA member
Kevin McGrady was born into a Roman Catholic family in Belfast in 1956, one of seven children. He grew up in the staunch nationalistIrish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
Markets area of the city. He trained as a butcher after he left school, and joined the IRA's 4th Battalion of the Belfast Brigade in 1975 at the age of 19, due to his identification with the Republican
Irish Republicanism
Irish republicanism is an ideology based on the belief that all of Ireland should be an independent republic.In 1801, under the Act of Union, the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Ireland merged to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
cause and distrust of the majority Protestant community. McGrady claimed to have participated in his first operation in July 1975, and had gone on the run in October of that same year. McGrady was held in custody from December 1975 to June 1976. for assaulting a police officer during an interrogation. Following his release, McGrady moved to London where he spent 18 months, and then moved to Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Holland where he obtained work in a hotel. It was in Amsterdam in March 1978 that he underwent a religious conversion and became a born-again Christian. He joined Youth With a Mission
Youth With A Mission
Youth With A Mission is an international, inter-denominational, non-profit Christian missionary organization...
, an American-based Christian organisation, and became actively involved in their projects.
Supergrass
McGrady came under the influence of Floyd McClung, a leading member of the religious organisation who persuaded McGrady that in order to make progress within the organisation, he had to "repent of his past sins" by returning to Belfast and confessing to the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
about his previous IRA activities. Following McClung's advice, McGrady returned to Northern Ireland and on 12 January 1982, he entered Musgrave Street Police station and made his confession to the police, admitting to IRA-related offences. He was arrested and sent to Crumlin Road Prison. Between 14 January and 24 May 1982 during many lengthy interviews with the police, he made ten written statements relating to the crimes he had committed in 1975. On 26 June 1982, he pleaded guilty to 27 counts including the murders in 1975 of three Protestants Ernest Dowds, William Stephenson, and Andrew Craig, and four attempted murders. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, but would end up serving six years. Ernest Dowds and Andrew Craig were both members of 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"...
, which was the largest Loyalist
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...
paramilitary group in Northern Ireland.
McGrady had another reason for returning to Belfast which was to secure the release of his brother, Sean who was in prison for his part in the murder in October 1975 of Ernest Dowds. Kevin had insisted that it was he who had perpetrated the killing, and that Sean had played no part in the crime; however when Sean McGrady appealed his murder conviction, he was unsuccessful, despite Kevin's evidence.
In exchange for the shortening of his sentence, McGrady was persuaded by the police to become an informer and provide names of fellow IRA members.
The supergrass
Supergrass (informer)
Supergrass is a slang term for an informer, which originated in London. Informers had been referred to as "grasses" since the late-1930s, and the "super" prefix was coined by journalists in the early 1970s to describe those informers from the city's underworld who testified against former...
trial in which McGrady was the star witness, was the third such trial in Northern Ireland. It began on 5 May 1983 with ten defendants and 45 indictments including a conspiracy to murder the former Chief Constable of the RUC, Sir James Flanagan. It was presided over by Northern Ireland's Lord Chief Justice Robert Lowry. The trial when it ended on 26 October 1983, secured the conviction of seven out of the ten defendants named by McGrady, despite McGrady's numerous inconsistencies and mistakes as well as Lord Lowry's description of McGrady's evidence as having been "bizarre, incredible and contradictory". One of those convicted solely on the basis of McGrady's testimomy was 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...
's former national organiser Jim Gibney who spent six years in prison for possession with intent, wounding, and IRA membership.
Other notable supergrass trials of that period were those of IRA informer Christopher Black and Loyalist Ulster Volunteer Force informer Joseph Bennett. Black's testimony secured the conviction of 35 defendants, and Bennett's evidence secured the conviction of 14 senior members out of the 16 defendants accused of UVF-related crimes.