My Life in Loyalism

Product Information

We recognised that if people had this aspiration for a united Ireland, that was quite all right, as long as they weren’t going to use violence to achieve it. In his treatment of the peace process, Billy Hutchinson gives much praise to the late Irish American businessman, Bill Flynn, for his support for Loyalists on their journey. In 1974, at the age of just 19, he was sentenced to life in prison, and it was in the cages of Long Kesh that he first came under the influence of loyalist icon Gusty Spence. In this RTÉ Radio Podcast, you can hear how Billy helped mentor a new celebrant, giving you some extra insight into Humanism and Billy as an experienced celebrant. When Hutchinson learned of this he entered Torrens and convinced the UVF members to put down their weapons, even standing in front of the AK-47 wielder to prevent him approaching Ardoyne.

Educated and matured in prison, his account of the political upheaval and infighting of Northern Ireland's political parties is less dramatic than his youth, however, will resonate with anyone who lived through those difficult times. Billy Hutchinson stands out as a distinguished Humanist Celebrant, accredited by the Humanist Association of Ireland (HAI) and officially recognised as a Registered Solemniser by the HSE. Anything less would not only be a disservice to their constituents, but [also] a grave misstep in the history of our beloved Northern Ireland and its place within the Union.

Understanding your desire for a ceremony that reflects your individuality, I am dedicated to making this vision a reality.

Written with candour and honesty, this is a lively first-hand account of an extraordinary life and reveals previously hidden episodes of both the Northern Ireland Troubles and the high-profile negotiations that led to the Belfast Agreement of 1998. At time of interview in 2011 he was Councillor on Belfast City Council and worked as Co-ordinator for the Mount Vernon Community Development Forum. Neither of us had ever been to a humanist ceremony, but, having heard about them a few years ago, we knew it was the sort of thing we’d both love. Love, loathe, admire or condemn him, there is no escaping Hutchinson's place in the loyalist history of Northern Ireland.Hutchinson tells how, as a teenager, he accompanied his father to see a Catholic colleague who lived in Cupar Street; nowadays, it is adjacent to a peace wall which continues to divide the Protestant Shankill and the Catholic Falls. The UDA Brigadier Johnny Adair was enraged by this development and, seeing Hutchinson being interviewed about the feud on television, phoned one of his deputies Jim Spence, who lived near Hutchinson, and allegedly told him to "go and shoot him right now". If one does not want that form of psychological and moral deformation to occur, one should not start armed struggles at all, especially if other potential remedies had not been exhausted. To be able to try and make sense of NI, the story and experiences of the people of the Shankill Rd and other loyalist communities needs to be heard.