Sam McAughtry
Encyclopedia
Sam McAughtry is a writer and broadcaster who was born in Belfast
in 1923, lived in the loyalist
Tiger's Bay area and was educated at St Barnabas'. [Date of birth given as 1921 on fly-leaf and also on page one of text of "McAughtry's War" (Blackstaff Press, 1985)].
He left school at 14 and served in the Royal Air Force
. On leaving the armed forces he worked as a labourer, then civil servant, before becoming a full-time writer.
He was a trade union
and Northern Ireland Labour Party
member, he stood unsuccessfully for elections on a non-sectarian socialist platform. He was founding chairman of the Peace Train Organisation
which protested against the bombing of the Dublin-Belfast railway line
.
McAughtry has made many contributions to radio and television programmes, giving his memories of life in Belfast as well as political analysis during the troubles.He was also a regular columnist in The Irish Times.
Sam McAughtry was a member of the Irish Senate as a nominee of the Taoiseach
, as before nominees from Northern Ireland
were appointed to the Seanad, such as Gordon Wilson
, Sam Kyle
, Seamus Mallon
and Brid Rodgers
.
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in 1923, lived in the loyalist
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
Tiger's Bay area and was educated at St Barnabas'. [Date of birth given as 1921 on fly-leaf and also on page one of text of "McAughtry's War" (Blackstaff Press, 1985)].
He left school at 14 and served in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. On leaving the armed forces he worked as a labourer, then civil servant, before becoming a full-time writer.
He was a trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and Northern Ireland Labour Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party
The Northern Ireland Labour Party was an Irish political party which operated from 1924 until 1987.In 1913 the British Labour Party resolved to give the recently formed Irish Labour Party exclusive organising rights in Ireland...
member, he stood unsuccessfully for elections on a non-sectarian socialist platform. He was founding chairman of the Peace Train Organisation
Peace Train Organisation
The Peace Train Organisation was a campaign group set up in 1989 in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in response to the repeated bombing of the Dublin to Belfast railway line by the Provisional IRA....
which protested against the bombing of the Dublin-Belfast railway line
Dublin-Belfast railway line
The Dublin-Belfast main line is a major railway route in Ireland that connects Dublin Connolly station in the Republic of Ireland and Belfast Central station in Northern Ireland.-History:The railway line was built by three separate companies...
.
McAughtry has made many contributions to radio and television programmes, giving his memories of life in Belfast as well as political analysis during the troubles.He was also a regular columnist in The Irish Times.
Sam McAughtry was a member of the Irish Senate as a nominee of the Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
, as before nominees from Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
were appointed to the Seanad, such as Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson (peace campaigner)
Gordon Wilson was a draper in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. During The Troubles Wilson was injured and his daughter Marie was killed in the Enniskillen Remembrance Day Bombing on 8 November 1987....
, Sam Kyle
Sam Kyle
Sam Kyle was an Irish trade unionist and politician.Born into a Protestant family in Belfast, Kyle joined the Independent Labour Party. He became an active trade unionist, and at the 1918 UK general election, he stood in Belfast Shankill for the Belfast Labour Representation Committee...
, Seamus Mallon
Seamus Mallon
Seamus Frederick Mallon born 17 August 1936, in Markethill, County Armagh, is an Irish politician and former Deputy Leader of the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party in Northern Ireland...
and Brid Rodgers
Bríd Rodgers
Bríd Rodgers , born Bríd Stratford Bríd Rodgers (Irish: Bríd Mhic Ruairí), born Bríd Stratford Bríd Rodgers (Irish: Bríd Mhic Ruairí), born Bríd Stratford (born 20 February 1935, in Gweedore [Gaoth Dobhair], County Donegal, Ireland, is a former Irish nationalist politician....
.
Works
- The Sinking of The Kenbane Head (1977), an autobiography
- Play It Again Sam (1978)
- Blind Spot (1979)
- Sam McAughtry's Belfast (1981), a collection of sketches
- McAughtry's War (1985), autobiography and autobiographical fiction
- Hillman Street High Roller (1994), autobiography and autobiographical fiction
- Down in the Free State (1987), a travel book
- Belfast Stories (1993)
- Touch and Go (1993), a novel
- On the outside looking in, A Memoir (2003)