UDA South East Antrim Brigade
Encyclopedia
The UDA South East Antrim Brigade was one of the six paramilitaries of the Ulster Defence Association
(UDA). It operated in County Antrim
, mainly in Newtownabbey
, Larne
and Antrim
. The Guardian
has identified it as "one of the most dangerous factions". The Irish News
described the brigade as 'powerful' and at one time being 'the most bloody and murderous gang operating within the paramilitary organisation'.
, who was responsible for the attempted assassination of Sinn Féin
president Gerry Adams
in 1984, in which Adams was wounded. Members of Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair's
C-Company group shot and killed Gregg
in 2003 during an internal UDA feud.
The brigadiers of the South East Antrim Brigade sided with the Shoukri brothers when they were expelled from the UDA in June 2006, and the South East Antrim Brigadier Gary Fisher, divorced his UDA brigade from the mainstream organisation.
In 2007, the UDA's inner council expelled the Brigadier in the South East Antrim area and his political adviser after a long-running stand-off between the mainstream UDA and the South East Antrim Brigade. The council released a statement expelling two figures within it, believed to be senior UDA figures Gary Fisher and Tommy Kirkham, once a member of the Ulster Political Research Group
(UPRG), although they were not explicitly named. This came within a few days of a £1m allocation to a conflict transformation project in loyalist areas. The Belfast Telegraph
called the move "a familiar loyalist pattern of events."
In 2009, the Brigade claimed to have decommissioned a substantial quantity of guns and explosives in a single day in the presence of the chairman of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
however the brigade representatives refused to give any details about how many weapons were destroyed or give any indication of the amount of commercial explosives destroyed during the day-long exercise. On 8 February 2010, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
announced that the Brigade had completed decommissioning). The process was confirmed as complete by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and came in the last 24 hours of the commission's existence. The decommissioning was completed at the same time as that of the republican Irish National Liberation Army
(INLA) and Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA).
carried out by a member of the brigade (John Gregg).
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). It operated in County Antrim
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
, mainly in Newtownabbey
Newtownabbey
Newtownabbey is a large town north of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Sometimes considered to be a suburb of Belfast, it is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course...
, Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
and Antrim
Antrim, County Antrim
Antrim is a town in County Antrim in the northeast of Northern Ireland, on the banks of the Six Mile Water, half a mile north-east of Lough Neagh. It had a population of 20,001 people in the 2001 Census. The town is the administrative centre of Antrim Borough Council...
. The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
has identified it as "one of the most dangerous factions". The Irish News
The Irish News
The Irish News is a compact-sized daily newspaper based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is perceived as being broadly Irish nationalist in outlook...
described the brigade as 'powerful' and at one time being 'the most bloody and murderous gang operating within the paramilitary organisation'.
Development
During the height of the brigade's activity it was led by John 'Grug' GreggJohn Gregg (UDA)
John Gregg was a senior member of the UDA/UFF loyalist organisation in Northern Ireland. From the 1990s until his shooting death by rival associates, he served as brigadier of its South East Antrim Brigade...
, who was responsible for the attempted assassination 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...
president Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
in 1984, in which Adams was wounded. Members of Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair's
Johnny Adair
Jonathan Adair, better known as Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair is the former leader of the "C Company", 2nd Battalion Shankill Road, West Belfast Brigade of the "Ulster Freedom Fighters" . This was a cover name used by the Ulster Defence Association , an Ulster loyalist paramilitary organisation...
C-Company group shot and killed Gregg
John Gregg (UDA)
John Gregg was a senior member of the UDA/UFF loyalist organisation in Northern Ireland. From the 1990s until his shooting death by rival associates, he served as brigadier of its South East Antrim Brigade...
in 2003 during an internal UDA feud.
The brigadiers of the South East Antrim Brigade sided with the Shoukri brothers when they were expelled from the UDA in June 2006, and the South East Antrim Brigadier Gary Fisher, divorced his UDA brigade from the mainstream organisation.
In 2007, the UDA's inner council expelled the Brigadier in the South East Antrim area and his political adviser after a long-running stand-off between the mainstream UDA and the South East Antrim Brigade. The council released a statement expelling two figures within it, believed to be senior UDA figures Gary Fisher and Tommy Kirkham, once a member of the Ulster Political Research Group
Ulster Political Research Group
The Ulster Political Research Group is an advisory body connected to the Ulster Defence Association , providing advice to them on political matters...
(UPRG), although they were not explicitly named. This came within a few days of a £1m allocation to a conflict transformation project in loyalist areas. The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph
The Belfast Telegraph is a daily evening newspaper published in Belfast, Northern Ireland by Independent News & Media.It was first published as the Belfast Evening Telegraph on 1 September 1870 by brothers William and George Baird...
called the move "a familiar loyalist pattern of events."
In 2009, the Brigade claimed to have decommissioned a substantial quantity of guns and explosives in a single day in the presence of the chairman of the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning was established to oversee the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons in Northern Ireland, as part of the peace process.-Legislation and organisation:...
however the brigade representatives refused to give any details about how many weapons were destroyed or give any indication of the amount of commercial explosives destroyed during the day-long exercise. On 8 February 2010, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
announced that the Brigade had completed decommissioning). The process was confirmed as complete by the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and came in the last 24 hours of the commission's existence. The decommissioning was completed at the same time as that of the republican Irish National Liberation Army
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....
(INLA) and Official Irish Republican Army (OIRA).
Song
A song about the South East Antrim Brigade of the UDA, named South East Antrim Brigade by loyalist singer Rab C, refers to the attempted assassination of Gerry AdamsGerry Adams
Gerry Adams is an Irish republican politician and Teachta Dála for the constituency of Louth. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Westminster Member of Parliament for Belfast West. He is the president of Sinn Féin, the second largest political party in Northern...
carried out by a member of the brigade (John Gregg).
Brigadiers
- 1979: Alan Snoddy
- 1988: Joe EnglishJoe English (loyalist)Joe English is a former Ulster loyalist activist. English was a leading figure in both the Ulster Defence Association and the Ulster Democratic Party and was instrumental in the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process. He is a native of the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey, Northern...
- 1990s: John GreggJohn Gregg (UDA)John Gregg was a senior member of the UDA/UFF loyalist organisation in Northern Ireland. From the 1990s until his shooting death by rival associates, he served as brigadier of its South East Antrim Brigade...
- 2003: Gary Fisher
See also
- Ulster Defence AssociationUlster Defence AssociationThe 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"...
- Ulster Political Research GroupUlster Political Research GroupThe Ulster Political Research Group is an advisory body connected to the Ulster Defence Association , providing advice to them on political matters...