Sammy Duddy
Sammy Duddy | |
---|---|
Born | Samuel Andrew Duddy 25 August 1945 Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Died | 17 October 2007 (aged 62) Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, Northern Ireland |
Nationality | British |
Occupation | Letterpress printer |
Known for | Ulster Defence Association (UDA) member Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) member |
Spouse | Roberta |
Children | 4 |
Andrew Samuel Duddy (25 August 1945 – 17 October 2007), known as Sammy, was a Northern Irish loyalist, having joined the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) shortly after its formation in 1971. He later became a leading member of the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG), which provided political advice to that organisation.
Early years
Duddy was born in
He attended a local secondary modern school where he displayed a talent for writing, and would often compose valentines for his classmates in return for Dinky cars or pens.[1] At the age of 15, Duddy was apprenticed to a letterpress printer. His father held the same occupation.[1]
Role in loyalism
Duddy was initially known in Belfast for his drag queen act, performing in the city's clubs and pubs as "Samantha". His costume consisted of a long, black wig, fishnet tights, prosthetic breasts and heavy make-up.[2] He once performed for British troops on tour.[3]
At the outbreak of the violent religious and political conflict known as "the
Known as a "court jester" by his associates,
Duddy, who was known as a literate and well-spoken individual from his involvement in the Westland housing association, was in the early 1970s employed by then UDA leader Andy Tyrie to work as part of his staff at the UDA headquarters at 254A Shankill Road.[8] He rose to prominence within the organisation in the late 1970s and early 1980s when he served as the UDA's public relations officer along with Hester Dunn. At that time the UDA was legal, and would remain so until 1992. Duddy went on to serve as the editor of UDA magazine Ulster for a time and in 1983 published a book of his poetry entitled Concrete Whirlpools of the Mind which received praise for its sensitive treatment of the problems for young working-class men drawn into violence.[2] To avoid any possible implication in the Kincora Boys' Home scandal, Duddy ended the drag act in 1981 under orders from Tyrie, who also told him to grow a moustache and drop his voice.[3]
He was briefly a suspect in the UDA killing of Catholic lawyer,
Duddy retired from active loyalism in the 1990s, but was recalled by the UPRG to help rebuild their image after the collapse of the
Death
He died at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast on 17 October 2007, aged 62, after suffering a massive heart attack.[10] Frankie Gallagher, a spokesman for the UPRG, stated, following Duddy's death: "He came out of retirement to pursue a peaceful path for his community and in pursuit of that he has given his life. It's a massive, massive loss for his community."[9]
A Sammy Duddy Memorial Flute Band was established in his memory in February 2012.[11] His name was also given to the Sammy Duddy Conflict Transformation Centre, the headquarters of the North Belfast UPRG on York Road.[12]
References
- ^ a b c d Wood, Ian S. (2006). Crimes of loyalty: a history of the UDA. Edinburgh University Press. p.3
- ^ a b c H. McDonald & J. Cusack, UDA – Inside the Heart of Loyalist Terror, Dublin, Penguin Ireland, 2004, pp. 366–367
- ^ a b c d e f "Sammy Duddy". The Telegraph. 23 October 2007.
- ^ a b Taylor, Peter (1999): Loyalists. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. p.84
- ^ Colin Crawford, Inside the UDA – Volunteers and Violence, Pluto Ireland, 2003, p. 58
- ^ Taylor, pp.134–135
- ^ Wood, p.41
- ^ Crawford, Inside the UDA, pp. 60–61
- ^ a b "Death of Leading Loyalist Duddy". BBC. 17 October 2007. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ a b McHardy, Anne (21 October 2007). "Sammy Duddy: UDA Leader Involved in Northern Ireland's Quest for Peace". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ "Sammy Duddy Memorial Flute Band". Facebook. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ "Homepage". NORTH BELFAST ULSTER POLITICAL RESEARCH GROUP. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
External links
- Sammy Duddy – BBC Panorama
- The End of an IRA – BBC
- Obituary – Telegraph
- Obituary – The Independent
- Obituary – The Guardian
- Obituary – Ireland.com