Gary McMichael
Encyclopedia
Gary McMichael is the son of former Ulster Defence Association
leader John McMichael
and was the leader of the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party
during the peace process
.
McMichael became involved with the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party at an early age and, following his father’s death in 1987, became a close ally of Ray Smallwoods
, serving his political apprenticeship under the UDP chairman. Following the murder of Smallwoods in 1994, McMichael, by then seen as Smallwoods’ deputy, was the obvious choice to succeed to the leadership and continue his father’s stated aim of building a strong political arm to the UDA.
As leader of the UDP, McMichael became attached to the Combined Loyalist Military Command
, and played a leading role in convincing the CLMC to call a ceasefire in October 1994. McMichael became a high profile figure due to his involvement in the peace process and he led the UDP into the Forum in 1996 from which the Belfast Agreement
emerged. McMichael became an enthusiastic advocate of the Agreement, although his views were not always shared by the UDA membership as a whole and the party failed to win any seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly
(McMichael himself stood in Lagan Valley
and failed to capture one of the six seats by a narrow margin).
Although still a local councillor McMichael's influence began to wane after the failure of 1998 and with the movement of Johnny Adair
towards the Loyalist Volunteer Force
and the resulting loyalist feud
, he became an increasingly peripheral figure along with the UDP as a whole. He entered virtual political retirement, concentrating instead on writing a column for Ireland on Sunday
and publishing his autobiography, An Ulster Voice, in 1999. He did emerge briefly for negotiations with David Ervine
aimed at ending the feuds, although these came to nothing. He was appointed to the Civic Forum for Northern Ireland
, but McMichael's career in politics was effectively ended by the collapse of the UDP in 2001. He did not join the Ulster Political Research Group
, declined to defend his seat on Lisburn City Council
in 2005, and is no longer involved in Northern Irish politics.
In 1998 McMichael started a Lisburn based Community Organisation, ASCERT - Action on Substances through Community Education and Related Training, aimed at addressing the drug and alcohol issues in the local communities. Working with communities across the Eastern Health Board area ASCERT built a strong reputation as a leader in the delivery of drug and alcohol training programmes. On retiring from politics Gary McMichael became the full time Director of ASCERT and has nurtured the organisation into the forefront of drug and alcohol training, education, support and youth treatment work in Northern Ireland today.
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"...
leader John McMichael
John McMichael
John "Big John" McMichael was a leading Northern Irish loyalist who rose to become the most prominent figure within the Ulster Defence Association as the Deputy Commander and leader of its South Belfast Brigade. He was also commander of the organisation's cover name, the "Ulster Freedom Fighters"...
and was the leader of the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party
Ulster Democratic Party
The Ulster Democratic Party was a small loyalist political party in Northern Ireland. It was established in June 1981 as the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party by the Ulster Defence Association to replace their New Ulster Political Research Group...
during the peace process
Northern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
.
McMichael became involved with the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party at an early age and, following his father’s death in 1987, became a close ally of Ray Smallwoods
Ray Smallwoods
Raymond "Ray" Smallwoods was a Northern Ireland politician and sometime leader of the Ulster Democratic Party. A leading member of John McMichael's south Belfast Brigade of the Ulster Defence Association , Smallwoods later served as a leading adviser to the UDA's Inner Council...
, serving his political apprenticeship under the UDP chairman. Following the murder of Smallwoods in 1994, McMichael, by then seen as Smallwoods’ deputy, was the obvious choice to succeed to the leadership and continue his father’s stated aim of building a strong political arm to the UDA.
As leader of the UDP, McMichael became attached to the Combined Loyalist Military Command
Combined Loyalist Military Command
The Combined Loyalist Military Command was an umbrella body for loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland set up in the early 1990s, recalling the earlier Ulster Army Council and Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Committee....
, and played a leading role in convincing the CLMC to call a ceasefire in October 1994. McMichael became a high profile figure due to his involvement in the peace process and he led the UDP into the Forum in 1996 from which the Belfast Agreement
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
emerged. McMichael became an enthusiastic advocate of the Agreement, although his views were not always shared by the UDA membership as a whole and the party failed to win any seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
(McMichael himself stood in Lagan Valley
Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Lagan Valley is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.- Boundaries :The seat was created in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of South Antrim and North Down. In their original...
and failed to capture one of the six seats by a narrow margin).
Although still a local councillor McMichael's influence began to wane after the failure of 1998 and with the movement of Johnny Adair
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...
towards the Loyalist Volunteer Force
Loyalist Volunteer Force
The Loyalist Volunteer Force is a loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed by Billy Wright in 1996 when he and the Portadown unit of the Ulster Volunteer Force's Mid-Ulster Brigade was stood down by the UVF leadership. He had been the commander of the Mid-Ulster Brigade. The...
and the resulting loyalist feud
Loyalist feud
A loyalist feud refers to any of the sporadic feuds which have erupted almost routinely between Northern Ireland's various loyalist paramilitary groups since they were founded shortly before and after the religious/political conflict known as The Troubles broke out in the late 1960s...
, he became an increasingly peripheral figure along with the UDP as a whole. He entered virtual political retirement, concentrating instead on writing a column for Ireland on Sunday
Ireland on Sunday
Ireland on Sunday was a Sunday newspaper in the Republic of Ireland, published by Associated Newspapers Ireland Limited, a subsidiary of the Daily Mail and General Trust plc...
and publishing his autobiography, An Ulster Voice, in 1999. He did emerge briefly for negotiations with David Ervine
David Ervine
David Ervine was a Northern Irish politician and the leader of the Progressive Unionist Party .-Biography:...
aimed at ending the feuds, although these came to nothing. He was appointed to the Civic Forum for Northern Ireland
Civic Forum for Northern Ireland
The Civic Forum for Northern Ireland is a consultative body in Northern Ireland consisting of members of various civil bodies. It has no legislative or governmental powers.The Forum was set up in October 2000. It was initially chaired by Chris Gibson...
, but McMichael's career in politics was effectively ended by the collapse of the UDP in 2001. He did not join 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...
, declined to defend his seat on Lisburn City Council
Lisburn City Council
Lisburn City Council is a district council covering an area partly in County Antrim and partly in County Down in Northern Ireland. The council is the second largest in the Belfast Metropolitan Area. Council headquarters are in the city of Lisburn, upon which was conferred city status in May 2002 as...
in 2005, and is no longer involved in Northern Irish politics.
In 1998 McMichael started a Lisburn based Community Organisation, ASCERT - Action on Substances through Community Education and Related Training, aimed at addressing the drug and alcohol issues in the local communities. Working with communities across the Eastern Health Board area ASCERT built a strong reputation as a leader in the delivery of drug and alcohol training programmes. On retiring from politics Gary McMichael became the full time Director of ASCERT and has nurtured the organisation into the forefront of drug and alcohol training, education, support and youth treatment work in Northern Ireland today.