I was sent this piece by my friend Eddie Kinner. He wrote it last week and it speaks to the class frictions within unionism and loyalism both historically and contemporarily. The writing forms part of ongoing biographical work by Eddie and is something I would encourage more former loyalist activists to engage in to ensure that historians like myself have the lived experience accounts to mould future works about the conflict.
An Educational Experience
During my time with the Progressive Unionist Party, I attended an event in the Guild Hall in Derry/Londonderry as a PUP representative. Present at this event was Gary McMichael representing the UDP and Willie Ross representing the UUP. I have no recollection of the DUP having any representation at the event. They probably turned down an invitation to send a representative as boycotting such events was the order of the day for them during this period.
From what I remember, the event was held for Unionist representatives to present their perspectives and experiences to a group of teenage nationalists from Derry/Londonderry. I could be wrong, and the group could have been a mix of teenagers from Derry/Londonderry.
All three of us gave our pro union positions emphasising our differences. It became obvious to me that the teenagers were bored with our contributions and appeared to lack any enthusiastic interest.
At that point I chose to put an emphasis on the importance of education, explain how I had left school with no qualifications whatsoever but managed to obtain a degree in Mathematics and Computing with the OU in Long Kesh.
Gary McMichael tuned into my change in the discussion and endorsed my contribution by agreeing with the importance of education.
The shock of Willie Ross’s response was the thing that livened the whole discussion and exposed the real different attitudes within Unionism.
Willie Ross was opposed to the working classes, socially disadvantaged engaging in third level academic education. He cited the student demonstrations of the 1960’s in the USA and Paris as justification for preventing the further education of the disadvantaged stating that they were only being equipped to challenge the status quo and destroying the established institutions.
This was the mentality of the people who have been governing us for years. The teenagers in the room were blatantly shocked with Willie Ross’s mentality and attitude as was Gary McMichael and me.
It is an experience and attitude that I watch out for and have observed with many other established Unionist political representatives.
It is those established unionists that have prevented the development within the disadvantaged unionist communities.
It is also worth remembering David Ervine quoting Tony Blair stating that they would facilitate the politicisation of republicans and the police could deal with the loyalists.
Dr Gareth Mulvenna 