Unionist Voices and the Politics of Remembering the Past in Northern Ireland
Also by Kirk Simpson TRUTH RECOVERY IN NORTHERN IRELAND: Critically Interpreting the Past
Unionist Voices and the Politics of Remembering the Past in Northern Ireland Kirk Simpson RCUK Post Doctoral Fellow, Transitional Justice Institute, University of Ulster, UK
Kirk Simpson 2009 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2009 978-0-230-22414-8 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, Saffron House, 6-10 Kirby Street, London EC1N 8TS. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The author has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. First published 2009 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN Palgrave Macmillan in the UK is an imprint of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan in the US is a division of St Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-30908-5 ISBN 978-0-230-24489-4 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9780230244894 This book is printed on paper suitable for recycling and made from fully managed and sustained forest sources. Logging, pulping and manufacturing processes are expected to conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09
For my Mum, Dulcie, and in loving memory of my Dad, John.
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Contents Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations viii x 1 Thematic Introduction and Background to the Northern Ireland Conflict 1 2 They started it : Unionists, Memory and Subjectivist Constructions of the Political Other 34 3 It was worse in the beginning Recalling the Adjustment to Political Violence 61 4 Untold Stories: Unionist Remembrance of Political Violence and Suffering in Northern Ireland 80 5 Cold Storage : The Disappearance of Unionist Storytelling and the Conflict 97 6 Ready to speak, but will anyone listen? Truth Recovery, Unionists and Social Memory 115 7 Conclusion Mastering the Past in Northern Ireland 139 References 164 Index 174 vii
Acknowledgements Sincere thanks are due to the following for helping me to write this book: My colleagues at the Transitional Justice Institute (TJI) at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland. In particular I would like to thank Professor Colm Campbell for encouraging this research from the beginning; and Catherine Turner, who offered helpful comments and suggestions during discussions about this work. Sincere thanks also to Professor Henry Patterson for all of his advice and support. Dr Phil Clark of the University of Oxford a good friend with a terrific sense of humour, a formidable intellect and boundless energy. John McClure, an Ulsterman abroad, but an excellent friend in every sense whose insights and wit are dispensed in equal measure, and always at much needed moments. Philip Morton a man of few words, but who picks them more wisely and astutely than anyone I know. From boy to man, it has quite simply been an honour to count him as my closest and oldest friend and confidante. Philip still is the best man. The University of Ulster, the Research Councils of the United Kingdom (RCUK) and the British Academy, to whom I offer my most sincere thanks for their support. All of the staff in the Politics section of Palgrave Press. From the beginning Amy-Lankester-Owen in particular has really believed in this project and supported it in every way she could, for which I am extremely grateful. Ryan and Keir, my older brothers, who are always supportive and help to remind me of the importance of our relationship, the experiences we have shared, our past and the strong bond that we formed at such a young age. I am very proud to call them both my brothers. Julia, my sister-in-law and one of my very best friends. It is difficult to put into words how much she means to me. Her advice, patience and consideration are invaluable. She is wise beyond her years and her unconditional love and support is a very rare treasure that I guard carefully. In times of hardship, Julia has a unique ability to raise me up. For that I am forever grateful. She is and always has been an absolute privilege to know. viii
Acknowledgements ix John and Rosemary Black, my parents-in-law, who have taught me much not only about the past in Northern Ireland, but also about how to conduct myself with integrity, honesty and generosity. They have my love, utmost respect and thanks for their support. My parents my mother, Dulcie, and in remembrance of my late father, John for whom I have immeasurable devotion and love. I have learned more from my parents than from anyone else, or anything else. They made endless sacrifices so that my brothers and I had every chance to pursue our ambitions and our goals, and their constant support and belief in me as a person made this book possible. My Mum in particular gave endlessly of her time to offer insightful, wonderfully informed historical and political analysis as well as all the countless other loving things she did for me. I could not ask for a better Mum. My Dad trusted in me completely as a boy and as a young man. In our countless late night conversations he made me feel both completely safe and capable of anything. He made me laugh, relax and always achieve perspective. To me, he was absolutely everything that a good Dad could be, and I loved him more than I can ever possibly explain. I miss him more than words can say, but I know that he would have been proud of this work. I owe my parents everything, and this book is dedicated to them. Janice, my wife. In remembering my own past, I cannot think of a time when Janice was not there by my side, as my girlfriend, my fiancée and my wife, always offering me wise advice and helping me to get me through so much, both good and bad. Janice knows that I can never thank her enough for the constant love and direction she provided me with in times of need. I am totally and continually overwhelmed by her goodness, her kindness, her compassion and her support. Quite simply, I have never met a better person, and never admired someone more than I admire her. More than anyone else, Janice encouraged me to write this book. Despite having written so much, the words to describe how I feel about Janice and how much gratitude I owe her continue to elude me. They are beyond expression. She is my inspiration. I am truly blessed to have met her and to have her as my wife.
List of Abbreviations DUP GAA HTR INLA MLA MP NGO NICRA NIO OIRA PIRA PSNI RUC SDLP TRC UDA UDR UFF UK UTV UUP UVF UWC Democratic Unionist Party Gaelic Athletic Association Healing Through Remembering Irish National Liberation Army Member of Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland Assembly) Member of Parliament (The House of Commons, the lower chamber of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Parliament) Non-Governmental Organisation Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association Northern Ireland Office Official Irish Republican Army Provisional Irish Republican Army Police Service of Northern Ireland Royal Ulster Constabulary Social Democratic and Labour Party Truth and Reconciliation Commission Ulster Defence Association Ulster Defence Regiment Ulster Freedom Fighters United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Ulster Television Ulster Unionist Party Ulster Volunteer Force Ulster Workers Council x