Anthony McIntyre ⚑ Sometimes it happens being geographically outside the loop. 

Gerard McGuigan

People we know die and it it is a year before we find out. Such was the case with the former republican prisoner and erstwhile Sinn Fein councillor, Gerard McGuigan.

I met him for the first time in Ardoyne in November 1975. Just out of prison a mere day, I found myself in what locals called "the district." The week before, the Provisional IRA in Belfast had initiated a homicidal feud against the Officials, more about claiming cock of the walk status and settling up on old enmities; a black stain that resembled nothing remotely progressive. Tensions were high and it was considered best for me not to go straight to my family home in Twinbrook from prison or back to my old stomping ground of the Lower Ormeau Road, where it was felt I might be vulnerable. My cousin, aunt and mother drove me straight from the Co Derry jail to a house in Lenadoon, arranged by the IRA prison leadership prior to my release.

The following day after a night's drinking in the PD club I had the honour of meeting Joe McDonnell for a short time in his home before being sent onto the Short Strand, then to the New Lodge and finally Ardoyne and the delights of the Star Club that evening.

The person who took on the responsibility of getting me places to stay over the next week was Gerard McGuigan. His brother Michael had been released from internment the same day as I left Magilligan, and he was in our company in the Star. Throughout the week I would get my dinner in his family home in Jamaica Street, served up by his mother Mary. It was there that I met the late redoubtable Janis Quinn, the beginning of a warm friendship. She visited me in jail and I visited her in hospital as she battled the cancer that would finally take her. When I met Gerard he had not long been released from his second spell of internment.

Prior to that encounter I had known of the McGuigans of Ardoyne. They were a household name within republicanism, the mother Mary being one of the icons of republican resistance. We looked upon her much in the same way as we did Maire Drumm. Mary was active in everything associated with republicanism from Cumann na Mban to the PDF. She had seen the inside of a prison as it seemed had the entire family before the conflict came to a conclusion. Such was their commitment that a sister, Celine, was arrested one Christmas Day and subsequently jailed in Armagh Prison after an attack on the British Army. Francie McGuigan, one of the hooded men, was the first republican to escape from Long Kesh.

A few years after meeting Gerard, I found myself on the same blanket wing as his brother Fergal, where we remained for years. Harassment and imprisonment clung to the family like a hump on its back.

Gerard was a knowledgeable guy as well as being friendly. He struck me as a schoolteacher type such was his level of erudition. He later went on to become a community and political activist. Along with Bobby Lavery, who died last week, he was elected to Belfast City Council in 1985, which was not named the Dome Of Delight by Mairtin O'Muilleoir because it was a delightful place to be in.

Elected again in 1989, Gerard like many other Sinn Fein councillors faced the wrath of armed loyalism, his home being bombed or shot up on more than one occasion.

On my release from prison for a second time I would see Gerard from time to time in Connolly House. We were not at the same meetings but our separate meetings coincided so we would chat. He once did a bet with me for a tenner which neither of us had any intention of collecting. It was on whether some step would be made in the peace process. I said it would and he differed. While I no longer remember what it was - there were so many of them - I recall after it came to pass winding him up that he owed me money.

Other than that my only exchanges with him were on Twitter where he was always polite despite being fully aware of my long standing conflict with his party of choice.

Charming, courteous, civil, my abiding memory of an Ardoyne stalwart. 

⏩ Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

Gerard McGuigan

Anthony McIntyre ⚑ Sometimes it happens being geographically outside the loop. 

Gerard McGuigan

People we know die and it it is a year before we find out. Such was the case with the former republican prisoner and erstwhile Sinn Fein councillor, Gerard McGuigan.

I met him for the first time in Ardoyne in November 1975. Just out of prison a mere day, I found myself in what locals called "the district." The week before, the Provisional IRA in Belfast had initiated a homicidal feud against the Officials, more about claiming cock of the walk status and settling up on old enmities; a black stain that resembled nothing remotely progressive. Tensions were high and it was considered best for me not to go straight to my family home in Twinbrook from prison or back to my old stomping ground of the Lower Ormeau Road, where it was felt I might be vulnerable. My cousin, aunt and mother drove me straight from the Co Derry jail to a house in Lenadoon, arranged by the IRA prison leadership prior to my release.

The following day after a night's drinking in the PD club I had the honour of meeting Joe McDonnell for a short time in his home before being sent onto the Short Strand, then to the New Lodge and finally Ardoyne and the delights of the Star Club that evening.

The person who took on the responsibility of getting me places to stay over the next week was Gerard McGuigan. His brother Michael had been released from internment the same day as I left Magilligan, and he was in our company in the Star. Throughout the week I would get my dinner in his family home in Jamaica Street, served up by his mother Mary. It was there that I met the late redoubtable Janis Quinn, the beginning of a warm friendship. She visited me in jail and I visited her in hospital as she battled the cancer that would finally take her. When I met Gerard he had not long been released from his second spell of internment.

Prior to that encounter I had known of the McGuigans of Ardoyne. They were a household name within republicanism, the mother Mary being one of the icons of republican resistance. We looked upon her much in the same way as we did Maire Drumm. Mary was active in everything associated with republicanism from Cumann na Mban to the PDF. She had seen the inside of a prison as it seemed had the entire family before the conflict came to a conclusion. Such was their commitment that a sister, Celine, was arrested one Christmas Day and subsequently jailed in Armagh Prison after an attack on the British Army. Francie McGuigan, one of the hooded men, was the first republican to escape from Long Kesh.

A few years after meeting Gerard, I found myself on the same blanket wing as his brother Fergal, where we remained for years. Harassment and imprisonment clung to the family like a hump on its back.

Gerard was a knowledgeable guy as well as being friendly. He struck me as a schoolteacher type such was his level of erudition. He later went on to become a community and political activist. Along with Bobby Lavery, who died last week, he was elected to Belfast City Council in 1985, which was not named the Dome Of Delight by Mairtin O'Muilleoir because it was a delightful place to be in.

Elected again in 1989, Gerard like many other Sinn Fein councillors faced the wrath of armed loyalism, his home being bombed or shot up on more than one occasion.

On my release from prison for a second time I would see Gerard from time to time in Connolly House. We were not at the same meetings but our separate meetings coincided so we would chat. He once did a bet with me for a tenner which neither of us had any intention of collecting. It was on whether some step would be made in the peace process. I said it would and he differed. While I no longer remember what it was - there were so many of them - I recall after it came to pass winding him up that he owed me money.

Other than that my only exchanges with him were on Twitter where he was always polite despite being fully aware of my long standing conflict with his party of choice.

Charming, courteous, civil, my abiding memory of an Ardoyne stalwart. 

⏩ Follow on Twitter @AnthonyMcIntyre.

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