22 January 1998 Edition
Editor's desk
A new film has ``distressed'' the surviving members of the Shankill Butchers, according to Saturday's Guardian. The film contains ``a grave slur'' against them, according to Rev Roy Magee, the man famously described as having ``brokered'' the loyalist ceasefires.
What, you could be forgiven for thinking, could possibly cast a slur on men who cut up and sadistically tortured their victims before killing them. You would think it would be difficult to insult such sectarian psychopaths.
What has upset them is that Resurrection Man, a film based on the book of the same name by writer Eoin McNamee, who is from Kilkeel, Co Down, hints that they were repressed homosexuals.
The homophobic reaction certainly has caught fire within loyalism, which says something about the value systems of loyalist killers.
And, ominously, Roy Magee told the Guardian, ``I'll be speaking to the leadership of the UVF about this. I'm meeting them soon and I know they'll be concerned.''
It would be interesting to know what he will speak to them about. And why?
The film opens in Britain at the end of January.
Still on the subject of the UVF, Loyalists in Glasgow decided two weeks ago to commemorate `Big Bill' Campbell, the UVF killer who died last year. His nephew, Jason Campbell, recently made the headlines when the PUP requested his transfer from a Scottish jail to Long Kesh as a ``confidence building measure''. They were forced to backtrack in the face of outrage in Scotland that the killer of a young Celtic supporter in an unprovoked attack could be considered political.
Anyway, how do you think Jason's Uncle Bill was commemorated? With a band parade? A solemn ceremony at his graveside? Maybe a quiet function? No, his mates decided to firebomb the pub in Glasgow which Big Bill bombed 19 years ago.
The novel `commemoration' caused no injuries, unlike Big Bill's attacks. Twenty years ago his particular death squad had a reputation for extreme sectarianism allied with solid stupidity. They once stored gelignite in a cooker in an Apprentice Boys Hall. One night, at a function, some pies were put in the oven to be warmed up. The gelignite exploded and the hall was blown up.
Another film soon to be released is John Boorman's bio-pic of Dublin criminal Martin Cahill, otherwise known as The General, who was executed by the IRA just before the August 1994 cessation. Rumours are that it glorifies the life of the sick sadist who colluded with loyalists against republicans.
An unusual and - some would say - weird sense of taste unites Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern. In recent media interviews they both happened to be asked what was their favourite piece of music. And both answered A Whiter Shade of Pale, by Procul Harum.
What, you could be forgiven for thinking, could possibly cast a slur on men who cut up and sadistically tortured their victims before killing them. You would think it would be difficult to insult such sectarian psychopaths.
What has upset them is that Resurrection Man, a film based on the book of the same name by writer Eoin McNamee, who is from Kilkeel, Co Down, hints that they were repressed homosexuals.
The homophobic reaction certainly has caught fire within loyalism, which says something about the value systems of loyalist killers.
And, ominously, Roy Magee told the Guardian, ``I'll be speaking to the leadership of the UVF about this. I'm meeting them soon and I know they'll be concerned.''
It would be interesting to know what he will speak to them about. And why?
The film opens in Britain at the end of January.
Still on the subject of the UVF, Loyalists in Glasgow decided two weeks ago to commemorate `Big Bill' Campbell, the UVF killer who died last year. His nephew, Jason Campbell, recently made the headlines when the PUP requested his transfer from a Scottish jail to Long Kesh as a ``confidence building measure''. They were forced to backtrack in the face of outrage in Scotland that the killer of a young Celtic supporter in an unprovoked attack could be considered political.
Anyway, how do you think Jason's Uncle Bill was commemorated? With a band parade? A solemn ceremony at his graveside? Maybe a quiet function? No, his mates decided to firebomb the pub in Glasgow which Big Bill bombed 19 years ago.
The novel `commemoration' caused no injuries, unlike Big Bill's attacks. Twenty years ago his particular death squad had a reputation for extreme sectarianism allied with solid stupidity. They once stored gelignite in a cooker in an Apprentice Boys Hall. One night, at a function, some pies were put in the oven to be warmed up. The gelignite exploded and the hall was blown up.
Another film soon to be released is John Boorman's bio-pic of Dublin criminal Martin Cahill, otherwise known as The General, who was executed by the IRA just before the August 1994 cessation. Rumours are that it glorifies the life of the sick sadist who colluded with loyalists against republicans.
An unusual and - some would say - weird sense of taste unites Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness and Fianna Fáil leader Bertie Ahern. In recent media interviews they both happened to be asked what was their favourite piece of music. And both answered A Whiter Shade of Pale, by Procul Harum.