Joe English (loyalist)
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Joe English is a former
Ulster loyalist Ulster loyalism is a strand of Unionism in Ireland, Ulster unionism associated with working class Ulster Protestants in Northern Ireland. Like other unionists, loyalists support the continued existence of Northern Ireland (and formerly all of I ...
activist. English was a leading figure in both the
Ulster Defence Association The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 as an umbrella group for various loyalist groups and undertook an armed campaign of almost 24 years as one of t ...
(UDA) and the
Ulster Democratic Party The Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) was a small Ulster loyalism, loyalist political party in Northern Ireland. It was established in June 1981 as the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), to replace the New Ulst ...
(UDP) and was instrumental in the early stages of the
Northern Ireland peace process The Northern Ireland peace process includes the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, and subsequent political develop ...
. He is a native of the Rathcoole area of
Newtownabbey Newtownabbey ( ) is a large settlement north of Belfast city centre in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course, but it still forms part of the Belfast metropolitan area ...
,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
.Henry McDonald & Jim Cusack, ''UDA - Inside the Heart of Loyalist Terror'', Penguin Ireland, 2004, p. 217 English is a member of the
Apprentice Boys of Derry The Apprentice Boys of Derry is a Protestant fraternal society founded in 1814 and based in the city of Derry, Ireland (now part of Northern Ireland). In 2021 it had over 10,000 members worldwide, with membership open to Protestant men only. T ...
.


Early years

English had been a member of the
Ulster Defence Association The Ulster Defence Association (UDA) is an Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 as an umbrella group for various loyalist groups and undertook an armed campaign of almost 24 years as one of t ...
(UDA) since the early days of
the Troubles The Troubles () were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed t ...
. He first came to prominence in the 1980s when he was involved in writing ''Common Sense'', a UDA policy document that supported a form of power-sharing with Catholics. He was an opponent of Davy Payne, the UDA's North Belfast brigadier and an unpopular figure with many members due to allegations of racketeering and involvement in the death of
John McMichael John McMichael (9 January 1948 – 22 December 1987) was a Northern Irish loyalist who rose to become the most prominent and charismatic figure within the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) as the Deputy Commander and leader of its South Belfa ...
.McDonald & Cusack, ''UDA'', p. 160 He served as acting brigadier in South East Antrim following illness striking existing brigadier Alan Snoddy and in this role voted to retain the leadership of
Andy Tyrie Andrew Tyrie (5 February 1940 – 16 May 2025) was a Northern Irish Ulster loyalist, loyalist paramilitary leader who served as commander of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) during much of its early history. He took the place of Tommy Herr ...
, a motion that was not successful. English served an advisor to the UDA's Inner Council and in 1990 whilst in this position he was arrested as part of the Stevens Inquiries. English was taken in, along with East Belfast brigadier
Billy Elliot ''Billy Elliot'' is a 2000 British coming-of-age Comedy film, comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Daldry and written by Lee Hall (playwright), Lee Hall. Set in County Durham in North East England during the 1984–1985 miners' strike, the fi ...
, for possessing confidential security documents. Whilst on remand English, who was subsequently released without charge, had a confrontation with Danny Morrison who was also on remand over kidnapping charges. Along with Ray Smallwoods, English, as representative of the
Combined Loyalist Military Command The Combined Loyalist Military Command is an umbrella body for Ulster loyalism, loyalist paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland set up in the early 1990s, recalling the earlier Ulster Army Council and Ulster Loyalist Central Co-ordinating Commit ...
, was in regular contact with
Robin Eames Robert Henry Alexander Eames, Baron Eames (born 27 April 1936) is an Anglican bishop and life peer, who served as Primate of All Ireland and Archbishop of Armagh from 1986 to 2006. Early life and education Eames was born in 1936, the son of ...
during the early 1990s and the
Archbishop of Armagh The Archbishop of Armagh is an Episcopal polity, archiepiscopal title which takes its name from the Episcopal see, see city of Armagh in Northern Ireland. Since the Reformation in Ireland, Reformation, there have been parallel apostolic success ...
's pleas for peace impacted on English's thinking.


Brigadier

The structure of the UDA changed following the removal of Andy Tyrie as chairman in March 1988 and leadership became shared between the six regional brigadiers. This became known as the Inner Council. Along with this a number of new brigadiers were appointed and amongst these was English who was given command of the UDA's East Antrim brigade. Despite his high rank English was fairly weak on military matters and garnered a reputation within the UDA for being more politically minded rather than militant.Lister & Jordan, ''Mad Dog'', p. 211 Given his seniority, English chaired the meetings of the Inner Council although at these meetings he often struggled to control West Belfast brigadier
Johnny Adair John Adair (born 27 October 1963), better known as Johnny Adair or Mad Dog Adair, is a Northern Irish loyalist and the former leader of the "C Company", 2nd Battalion Shankill Road, West Belfast Brigade of the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF). Th ...
. Adair disliked English, considering him too political; as a result he dismissed English and the other brigadiers as "old ginnies" and "cardboard cut-outs". For his part, English was said to fear Adair, who had a fearsome reputation for violence, and was careful not to push him too far. English's rivalry with Adair was strong and when Adair's leading hitman Stephen McKeag murdered Marie Teresa Dowds de Mogollon on 30 August 1993 in what was an unpopular killing with the UDA outside the Shankill area. Adair even threatened to shoot English when he suggested that the UDA should not claim the murder. Later in the year English was forced to confront Adair about rumours that he was considering attending an Inner Council meeting armed in order to eliminate the other five brigadiers and assume sole control of the UDA. On the Inner Council English represented the strongest advocate of the proposed ceasefire and as 1994 approached, he was able to get the support of Tom Reid and Gary Matthews, the north and east Belfast brigadiers respectively. In between Adair and English stood Billy McFarland and Alex Kerr, both of whom appeared to sympathise with English's pro-settlement agenda but who also were on good terms with Adair. As well as his advocacy of the
Downing Street Declaration The Downing Street Declaration was a joint declaration issued on 15 December 1993 by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, John Major, and the Irish Taoiseach ( English: Prime Minister), Albert Reynolds, at the British Prime Minister's offi ...
, English had also held dialogue with representatives of the
Workers' Party Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...
.


Ulster Democratic Party

By the time the ceasefire was announced in 1994, English had become a public figure as a member of the
Ulster Democratic Party The Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) was a small Ulster loyalism, loyalist political party in Northern Ireland. It was established in June 1981 as the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party by the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), to replace the New Ulst ...
(UDP) and was one of the party's three representatives at Fernhill House, Glencairn when the CLMC ceasefire was announced on 13 October that same year. Before long he accompanied party colleagues Gary McMichael and
Davy Adams David Adams (born c. 1953) is a Northern Irish loyalist activist and former politician. He was instrumental in bringing about the loyalist ceasefire of 1994 and played a leading role in the early stages of the Northern Ireland peace process. Eme ...
, as well as
Progressive Unionist Party The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) is a minor unionist political party in Northern Ireland. It was formed from the Independent Unionist Group operating in the Shankill area of Belfast, becoming the PUP in 1979. Linked to the Ulster Volunte ...
leaders
Gusty Spence Augustus Andrew Spence (28 June 1933
. '' Billy Hutchinson Billy "Hutchie" Hutchinson (born December 1955) is a Northern Irish Ulster Loyalist politician and activist who served as leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) from 2011 to 2023, now serving as party president. He was a Belfast Cit ...
and
David Ervine David Ervine (21 July 1953 – 8 January 2007) was a Northern Irish Ulster Loyalist and politician who served as leader of the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) from 2002 to 2007 and was also a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for ...
on a tour of the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
that included a speaking engagement at the
National Committee on American Foreign Policy The National Committee on American Foreign Policy (NCAFP) is an American nonprofit, nonpartisan activist organization dedicated to the resolution of conflicts that threaten United States interests. Founded in 1974 by Hans Morgenthau, NCAFP wo ...
. On 17 March 1995 English was one of the UDP delegates to attend a meeting with
US president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed For ...
Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton (né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician and lawyer who was the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, ...
. At the public
Saint Patrick's Day Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick (), is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (), the foremost patron saint of Ireland. Saint Patrick's Day was made an official Chris ...
celebrations that followed the meeting English gained media attention when he cried at a rendition of the traditional Irish ballad '
Danny Boy "Danny Boy" is a folk song with lyrics written by English lawyer Frederic Weatherly in 1910, and set to the traditional Irish melody of " Londonderry Air" in 1913. History In 1910, in Bath, Somerset, England, the English lawyer and lyricist ...
'. English stood for the UDP in East Antrim at the
Northern Ireland Forum The Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue was a body set up in 1996 as part of a process of negotiations that eventually led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The forum was elected, with five members being elected for each List o ...
election of 1996, and was also fourth on the party's "top-up" list, but he was not elected.


Removal from UDA

In common with many of the older members of the UDA, English was vehemently opposed to the drugs trade and when individual brigadiers took up drug dealing he would give their names to contacts he had in the press. However English's anti-drugs stance was eventually to be the cause of his downfall. Amongst those that English had mentioned to journalists was John "Grugg" Gregg; but English's fellow Rathcoole native, who had replaced English as brigadier, discovered that English had given information to the press. As a result, Gregg, who had a reputation as one of the UDA's fiercest members outside the
Shankill Road The Shankill Road () is one of the main roads leading through West Belfast, in Northern Ireland. It runs through the working-class, predominantly loyalist, area known as the Shankill. The road stretches westwards for about from central Belfast ...
, forced English out of the UDA and removed him from the political scene.McDonald & Cusack, ''UDA'', p. 279 He resigned from his role as chairman of the UDP in 1997. English was allowed to continue living in Rathcoole but was considered
persona non grata In diplomacy, a ' (PNG) is a foreign diplomat that is asked by the host country to be recalled to their home country. If the person is not recalled as requested, the host state may refuse to recognize the person concerned as a member of the diplo ...
to the point that in 2001 a recently released UDA prisoner was beaten up on the estate for continuing to treat English as a friend. In December 2000, nine shots were fired through the window of his home, although no one was hurt in the attack. His Doagh Road home was again attacked in July 2001 when three shots were fired through the window. Gregg was killed in February 2003 as part of a loyalist feud and a new leadership took charge of the UDA Southeast Antrim Brigade. His most recent public appearance was in 2009 at the funeral of peace activist Reverend Roy Magee.Final tributes to peacemaker Roy
/ref>


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:English, Joe Year of birth missing (living people) Living people People from Newtownabbey Ulster Defence Association members Ulster Democratic Party politicians