
‘Winkie' Irvine under threat of violent attack from loyalist faction in jail
Jailed loyalist leader Winston 'Winkie' Irvine is under threat from a violent attack behind bars, sources have told the Sunday World.
And we can exclusively reveal that paramilitary prisoners currently housed near Irvine in HMP Maghaberry are planning to 'give him a message he won't forget'.
The threat is believed to have been issued by associates of ousted UVF men from east Belfast who blame Irvine for their expulsion from the paramilitary organisation.
'Winkie will need to watch his step every inch of the way while he's in jail. The men from the east have fingered him for waging a campaign to discredit Stephen Matthews,' said a well-placed east Belfast loyalist source.
Last night the Sunday World made the PSNI aware of the alleged threat against 49-year-old Irvine from Ballysillan Road, who is currently serving out a two-and-a-half-year sentence after he was caught with a bag of guns and ammunition in his car.
Earlier this week police released dramatic film footage of Irvine's arrest in June 2022, alongside his co-accused, 54-year-old Robin Workman of Shore Road, Larne, who was later jailed for five years – half of which will be served on licence.
Winston 'Winkie' Irvine in police custody
Police bodycam shows the moment Winkie Irvine is arrested
The East Belfast faction of the UVF was expelled by the terror group's Shankill Road leadership on Remembrance Sunday 2023.
A masked UVF volunteer read out a statement in front of 1,000 UVF-linked loyalists who had earlier that morning paraded in honour of the war dead.
A similar statement was read out at other UVF-controlled venues, including one off the Newtownards Road in east Belfast.
Source claim veteran loyalist Stephen Matthews was replaced by a new leader installed with the blessing of the Shankill leadership controlled by veteran UVF men John 'Bunter' Graham and 'Harmless Harry' Stockman. Matthews has previously denied being involved in both criminality and paramilitarism.
And moves were also made to take complete control of UVF arms dumps in the east of the city.
Stephen Matthews
Matthews was made aware in no uncertain terms that he wasn't under any physical threat as long as he 'steered well clear' of UVF military hardware, according to sources.
It is claimed he was further warned that any attempt to push back against the Shankill Road ruling, would be met with an immediate and violent reaction.
For a number of years, Matthews was alleged to have run a criminal gang which it was claimed used the UVF name as cover for a range of activities, including drug dealing and extortion.
Traditionally known as the UVF 4th Battalion, its east Belfast territory ran from the Albert Bridge near the city centre to Newtownards. And its heartland was by far the largest area of loyalist paramilitary influence and control in the whole of Northern Ireland.
And the lucrative cash return in the area was huge.
But as time passed, sources claim Matthews became estranged from the UVF's Shankill Road centre, although he continued to consolidate his support in the east.
But since his expulsion 18 months ago, Matthews didn't disappear quietly as some predicted. Instead, he steadily rebuilt an even more solid support base. In recent times, Matthews has overseen a move away from drug dealing and criminality toward community-based activism, sources claim.
And we were also told that during a meeting with his top men, one of 'Mackers' distant relatives – who held the rank of Provost Marshal – made a jokey remark about drug dealing, saying: 'No more drugs? That's why I joined the UVF.'
Matthews is alleged to have slapped his relative around the head. And he was later busted down the ranks and is now driving a taxi for a living.
'That showed Mackers meant business with regards to cleaning up the image,' said our source.
Only last Saturday, Mackers was spotted handing out chilled bottles of mineral water to thirsty returning bandsmen and 12th of July Orange marchers, near St Matthews Catholic Church on the Newtownards Road.
Matthews was inundated by well-wishers who showed their support by slapping him on the back and asking him for souvenir 'selfies'.
'Good on you, big man,' a member of the East Belfast Regimental Band shouted as he passed by on the final hurdle of the 12th parade, which was seen as a spectacular success. 'Mackers is more popular now than he was before he was ousted,' one of his supporters told us.
Whilst accepting the reality of their position outside the mainstream UVF, Mackers' men have refused to fully surrender their loyalist connection and they are now branding themselves the UVF Regiment of East Belfast.
This effectively sees two UVF-proclaimed groups vying for loyalist support in the East Belfast Brigade area.
But all available evidence also shows the Matthews faction is currently enjoying a resurgence of influence in working-class loyalist areas east of the River Lagan.
And many of Mackers' men are thoroughly convinced Winkie Irvine was responsible for a relentless smear campaign against their east Belfast boss.
Video footage of Winkie being arrested
Winkie's final throw of the dice came in June last year while he was still out on bail awaiting trial for a range of arms offences.
Irvine arranged for a psychological show of strength aimed at emphasising Mackers' demise.
The Woodvale UVF boss was one of hundreds of loyalists – wearing white shirts and black ties – who lined the entire length of the Newtownards Road.
Mackers stayed away, opting to observe proceedings from the nearby safety of the Constitution Club.
And he later used the moment to rebuild his support in the heartland of loyalism in east Belfast.
'Some people thought it would be the death knell of Stephen Matthews. Instead it was the beginning of his fight back and a year later he done it,' said our source. 'The blame for what happened has been laid at Winkies' door.'
Another loyalist source with an insight into Matthews' thinking insisted he didn't know the identity of those tried to discredit him, but he doesn't blame Irvine.
Last night, a spokesman said: 'Mr Matthews has no issue with Winston Irvine. And he doesn't wish to see any division within loyalism.'
Winston 'Winkie' Irvine in police custody
News in 90 Seconds - July 22nd

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Sunday World
4 hours ago
- Sunday World
Hooligan ‘supporters' of Derry and Bohs had pre-arranged ‘fight' to coincide with game
The Sunday World understands the disturbances, which included a firework being thrown onto Derry's pitch, were planned in advance. Violent scenes unfolded outside the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium before and after the League of Ireland fixture against Dublin side Bohemians Videos circulating online show people, some of them with their faces covered, fighting in the street. Videos circulating online show people, some of them with their faces covered, fighting in the street. Videos circulating online show people, some of them with their faces covered, fighting in the street. Rival hooligan gangs clashed in an organised fight in Derry on Friday night. Two people were injured after rival fans clashed with sticks, bats and iron bars outside the Brandywell as Derry City took on fellow League of Ireland side Bohemians. The Sunday World understands the disturbances, which included a firework being thrown onto Derry's 5G pitch, were planned in advance. A group of self-styled 'Ultras' attached to Derry were denied entry to the ground on Friday but had an arranged 'rumble' with a similar mob attached to the Bohs. It is also understood the majority of those involved on the Derry side were aged between eight and 18, say witnesses who attended the match. Videos circulating online show people, some of them with their faces covered, fighting in the street. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 27th Sources also claim the rioters had been guarding the Meenan Square bonfire which has drawn criticism for bearing sectarian and anti-Israel images. 'The riot was arranged,' a source told the Sunday World. 'These idiots are just spoiling for a fight but they have to take on, so when the Bohs come to town there's an opportunity for a dust-up.' He said the Ultras are routinely refused access to the Brandywell. 'There's never any trouble at the Brandywell, these people aren't football fans,' one witness said. Social media posts linking to the trouble to dissident groups have been discounted, but a war of words has broken out between Bohs fans and those from Derry. Violent scenes unfolded outside the Ryan McBride Brandywell. Bohs Ultras have taunted their counterparts, claiming they were beaten on their own patch. A statement posted online by the Derry IRSP claimed a mob of '100 drugged-up Bohs fans'' set about invading the Bogside armed with hatchets and knives. 'We commend the resilience of the Bogside, for 50 years they have fought off invasion from the Crown forces so it was obvious a mob of jumped-up junkies wouldn't have had a chance.' Videos circulating online show people, some of them with their faces covered, fighting in the street on Friday. SDLP MLA Mark H Durkan was at the game and said he was left frightened by what he had witnessed. And Sinn Féin MLA Padraig Delargy said 'so-called football supporters from Dublin' attacked local people. The PSNI said disorder was focused in the Lecky Road and Lone Moor Road areas. Videos circulating online show people, some of them with their faces covered, fighting in the street. 'Shortly after 7pm on Friday evening, police were made aware of two large groups of rival football supporters in the area attacking each other near the Lecky Road flyover with sticks, bats and iron bars and causing damage to buildings and cars parked in the area. 'A teenage boy and a man aged in his 20s sustained injuries as a result of this incident and were taken to hospital for treatment. 'Further disorder then occurred in the vicinity of the Brandywell stadium during and after a football match which was taking place. 'There were people gathered with sticks, golf clubs and fireworks. 'They were roaming the perimeter prior to the match ending, and they were masked-up as well,' he said. 'So while I have pointed the finger, accurately I believe, at the people who came on the bus for starting the bother, the stuff afterwards was retaliatory.' The match was also briefly suspended after a flare was thrown from outside the ground onto the pitch. Mr Delargy, an MLA for Foyle, also condemned the trouble. He said many people in the area had felt frightened. 'The sight of masked youths armed with an array of weapons and fighting in the streets before turning on the PSNI was terrifying for local residents, including children, who witnessed this appalling violence,' he said. 'In what seems to have been a pre-arranged attack connected to a football match at the Brandywell, the violence erupted when so-called football supporters from Dublin attacked local youths as well as cars and property belonging to residents. 'That is disgraceful and the violence that took place on our streets needs to be condemned. 'It threatened the safety and wellbeing of local residents and stands in stark contrast to the fantastic work that is going on in the area through the Féile and the redevelopment of Meenan Square.' The match finished in a 1-1 draw. Afolabi Akinyemi's first goal for the Candystripes broke the deadlock, before Ross Tierney levelled things for Bohemians. Superintendent William Calderwood said: 'We believe that the disorder we witnessed on Friday evening was pre-arranged and we will be reviewing all available footage to identify those involved. 'I would ask anyone with information or footage which could assist us with our enquiries to contact officers at Strand Road on 101, quoting reference number 1637 25/07/25. 'A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at


Sunday World
8 hours ago
- Sunday World
Dad of boy hurt by Clare hurling star shows pictures of wounds sustained in incident
Family of youngster injured by the former All-Stae believe a 'dangerous precedent' set by not-guilty verdict Photographs show the extent of the boy's injuries following the dispute at the disused hotel Photographs show the extent of the boy's injuries following the dispute at the disused hotel Niall Gilligan faced charges after causing injuries to a 12-year-old boy at a disused hotel he owns The family of a 12-year-old boy who was hit with a stick and kicked by All-Ireland winning hurler Niall Gilligan have released shocking images of the youngster's injuries – days after the former All Star was acquitted of assault. The boy's father yesterday told the Sunday World his son (now 14) had told him 'I want people to see my injuries' because he feels he has been unfairly vilified as a result of the outcome of the case. The images, which were shown in court, show how the boy suffered bruising to his right shoulder, a fractured bone in his left hand, a 2cm wound to his right forearm and a 2cm wound to his left shin – as a result of the blows and kicks he sustained. The incident occurred after Gilligan found him trespassing at a property he owned. The boy's father said yesterday he believes the jury's decision to find Gilligan not guilty, after being shown these images during the trial, sets a dangerous precedent in what can now be considered 'proportionate force' in cases where self-defence is used. Niall Gilligan faced charges after causing injuries to a 12-year-old boy at a disused hotel he owns 'We feel the verdict was the wrong one,' the boy's father said. 'This was very much a legal decision where a deep understanding of the law was required and I don't know if that should be left up to 12 random people. 'This man was accused, he admitted being there and he admitted applying the force that caused these injuries and yet he walked free. 'And, ultimately, I think that sets a dangerous precedent for what self-defence can be, especially when it involves a minor. 'This wasn't his home house; it was a premises that had been derelict for about a decade. 'For me, that's what stung here, that 12 people made a legal decision after seeing these pictures of my son's injuries, that this was a justified use of force. Today's News in 90 Seconds - July 27th 'Just because stitches can be removed in a week, doesn't mean these weren't serious injuries. 'The broken bone in his hand healed in a month, but it doesn't mean it's not a broken bone. 'And we're not talking about the psychological damage — we're talking about the physical injuries. 'It leaves a bitter taste in our mouth.' Mr Gilligan, a former Clare hurler, stood trial before Ennis Circuit Court charged with assault causing harm to the boy at the Jamaica Inn Hostel in Sixmilebridge, which he owned, on October 5, 2023. The ex-sportsman, who is a farmer and auctioneer, was also charged with producing a wooden stick capable of inflicting serious injury during the course of a dispute. Both charges were denied by the 48-year-old, who claimed he had acted in self-defence. It was the prosecution's case that two boys had exited the building and were outside when Mr Gilligan encountered them while checking on the property that night. In his evidence, the boy claimed Mr Gilligan hit him 'full force' with the stick and that there were repeated blows. The boy said he tried to defend himself by putting up his hand and that his wrist ended up as 'big as a sliotar'. He said he could not feel anything because he was 'just terrified'. 'He was so tall and I was so small. It just scared me,' he said. Photographs show the extent of the boy's injuries following the dispute at the disused hotel . . . The boy admitted during cross-examination that it had been his third time going into the Jamaica Inn Hostel, and that he had stolen keys to the property and let off fire extinguishers there with a friend. A majority verdict acquitting Mr Gilligan was returned after five hours of deliberations. Speaking yesterday, the boy's father said the impact this incident has had on his son and his family are immeasurable. 'We can only protect him to the best of our ability,' he said. 'We sent him for counselling and we'll probably have to send him for counselling again. 'He's going to run into this guy again at some stage and I don't know how he will react. 'He's a 14-year-old boy now and he's seen the comments, he's reading what being said in the articles, and he's seen the smears against him. 'The building had been abandoned and was a popular place for teenagers to go and yet every bit of damage that was ever done there is being blamed on him. 'My son and his friend admitted what they did, they entered the premises a few times and messed with fire extinguishers and hid keys they found so they could get back in. 'But their fear now is this will follow them for the rest of their lives. 'So for us, and for my son, the pictures show the extent of what happened here. 'And we've promised him we'll get his word out there. 'At the start he didn't want the photos out there but after reading the comments he came to me and said: 'I want people to see the injuries … these people need to see the injuries.' 'That's a 14-year-old boy saying that. 'He's willing to do this to clear his name. He's the victim here and yet feels he's being made out to be some kind of a criminal.' Contacted by the Sunday World yesterday, Mr Gilligan said he was busy and not in a position to discuss the case but might do so at a later stage. The court heard how in a prepared statement to gardaí, Mr Gilligan said he came into contact with the boy in a corridor inside the building, not outside, and that he acted in a reasonable manner to protect his property from destruction by fire and further damage. He claimed the boy and others had broken into the building and caused extensive damage, including lighting a fire, releasing fire extinguishers, breaking windows and writing graffiti. 'I acted in a reasonable manner to protect myself from injury and assault from a person or persons unknown to me'. The statement went on to say Mr Gilligan heard footsteps behind him and did not know 'who or what' was coming at him. He said he felt he was going to be attacked and, to protect himself, 'drew out with the stick on two occasions and then kicked out twice'. Mr Gilligan's counsel argued the former hurling star did not know he was dealing with a child and was in the dark and believed he was under siege. He was 'at the end of his tether' due to the vandalism of a vacant property he was trying to sell. The force used was reasonable in the circumstances as Mr Gilligan believed them to be, it was argued. Judge Francis Comerford told jurors they had to decide if the incident was an assault or not an assault due to lawful excuse. They were told lawful use of force could not be considered as a defence if the first encounter with the boy was outside the building rather than in the corridor. The judge said that if it was in the corridor, jurors would then have to consider whether the force used was reasonable and necessary in the circumstances as Mr Gilligan saw them.


Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Gareth O'Callaghan: 50 years after Miami Showband killings, the scars of The Troubles still remain
Maybe everybody feels this way about the long hazy days of their teenage summers, but the summers in the mid-1970s were unforgettable. Long sunny days were hitched to an endless soundtrack of classic songs and pop stars whose posters adorned every teenager's bedroom in the country. The year 1975 was particularly memorable, but not just for the weather. I remember where I was on the morning of July 31 that year. Sitting in the back of the family car, I listened in shock as news of the ambush and execution of three members of the Miami Showband broke on RTÉ. I was 14, and what I was listening to was unthinkable. Fifty years later, as the anniversary approaches next Thursday, it still is. Having left the Castle Ballroom in Banbridge, Co Down, shortly after 2am, after an unexpected treat of Irish stew prepared by the venue's staff, the minibus carrying five of the band — Fran O'Toole, Des 'Lee' McAlea, Tony Geraghty, Brian McCoy, and Stephen Travers — was stopped in the townland of Buskhill, eight miles from Newry, at a military checkpoint. They were ordered out of the van and questioned. Unknown to the band, the armed men dressed in British Army uniforms were members of the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Seconds later, a bomb that was being placed under the driver's seat by two of the loyalist killers, Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville, exploded prematurely, killing both. Three of the Miami— Fran, Tony, and Brian — were gunned down as they tried to make their escape across a field they had been blown into by the force of the explosion, and then shot dead while lying on their backs pleading for their lives to be spared. Stephen was shot and seriously wounded. Des escaped uninjured. Why would anyone target a group of musicians who were entertaining young people from both sides of the North's political divide? Music, after all, is meant to bridge all kinds of divides. After all, the Miami's song 'Clap Your Hands, Stomp Your Feet' meant the same to a Protestant teenager as it did to a Catholic. It's impossible to describe the hateful intent that hung in the air that night on the North's A1, as some of the most dangerous killers of 'The Troubles' lay in wait for their targets. It wasn't the terrorists' intention to shoot them. The plan was to allow them to continue on their journey, while, unknown to any of them, transporting a massive bomb set on a short timer — most likely to detonate while the van was travelling through Newry. Clearly, the UVF's plan was to manipulate the enormous love shown to the band by its thousands of fans both north and south. If the bomb had exploded, then the innocent musicians would forever have been remembered as republican terrorists transporting an explosive device north of the border. Fifty years later, the world would still be none the wiser about the bogus checkpoint that night, or the UVF's involvement. Although three innocent men lost their lives, the original plan was foiled. Nor would there have been a 2011 report by the PSNI's Historical Enquiries Team pointing to collusion between the RUC and loyalist paramilitaries in relation to the killings. According to Martin Dillon, in his book The Dirty War, at least five serving Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers were present at the checkpoint. It's impossible to describe the hateful intent that hung in the air that night on the North's A1, as some of the most dangerous killers of 'The Troubles' lay in wait for their targets. The memorial plaque to Miami Showband members Tony Geraghty, Fran O'Toole and Brian McCoy outside the former National Ballroom on Parnell Square in Dublin. Picture: Billy Higgins Is the North a better place 50 years later? It depends on who you ask. South Armagh, with its lush green countryside, is a pleasure to drive through on a sunny July morning; but memories of the Glenanne gang, and its secret alliance of soldiers, police, and UVF members, who murdered innocent Catholics and nationalists in the 1970s, don't disappear with time. Take a stroll along the predominantly loyalist Shankill Road in West Belfast, and it doesn't take long to be reminded of Lenny Murphy, who headed up the Shankill Butchers, who, during the 1970s, brought a new level of paramilitary savagery to a city already on its knees as a result of cold-blooded sectarian killings. There are reminders everywhere that all six counties paid dearly for the hatred of others — often neighbours and work colleagues. Murder could knock on anyone's door, depending on your religion and your allegiances in the community, on where you went to church, or took a pint. Who you worked for often determined whether you became a hitman's target. No one felt safe, and if they did, they were only fooling themselves. The Cork Examiner's front-page report on the Miami showband massacre on August 1, 1975 On the surface, Northern Ireland is different to what it was 50 years ago. Despite Belfast's brutal past, it has become a booming tourist destination. Just like Derry, its bloody history is a curiosity for visitors. But there are those who will tell you it's a history that's not over — just dormant. It wouldn't take a lot to stir the pot. A friend who has lived in Banbridge all his life once told me, 'No one should opine on the history of Northern Ireland unless they lived here during The Troubles', but we've known each other long enough so I doubt he'll mind. It's a place of anomalies and contradictions. It's a part of the United Kingdom, but it shares the same island as a separate sovereign country. One of those anomalies is violence — a reminder that political and civic decisions are forever mindful of orange and green. There are still places where to openly display your Irish pride could get you mistaken for a closet Provo, and vice versa if your loyalty is to the Crown Jewels; but it will no longer cost you your job or your life if you openly support a united Ireland. However, all that happened will never go away. How do you discuss the past with someone whose father walked into a pub carrying a gun and murdered a bunch of his neighbours who were enjoying a football match? What if you're the son of one of them? Despite the peace deal in 1998, many of Northern Ireland's Catholics and Protestants continue to live mostly separate lives. More than 90% of children attend schools segregated by religion. The loyalist bonfire in Moygashel, Co Tyrone, featuring a model migrant boat with life-sized mannequins in life jackets. Picture: Eamonn Farrell / There's a direct link between deprivation and political violence, which the peace agreement failed to address. Add to that the recent violence caused by ethnic discrimination. Seeing news footage of a bonfire topped with mannequins in a boat — representing migrants — in the Tyrone village of Moygashel recently reminded me of the hate that drove the killings of the Miami. For many people, nothing has changed. Moygashel native Wesley Somerville, who blew himself up with his own bomb that night 50 years ago, was honoured in recent weeks when loyalists hung a banner bearing his image from a lamppost in the same village. Let's hope the late Seamus Mallon was right when he said: 'Violence interrupts but does not determine history'. A 45-minute drive south-east of Moygashel brings you back to Banbridge, where three white ribbons still hang from branches close to where the Miami massacre took place, a constant reminder of precarious peace. Read More Two children and woman killed in shooting in Co Fermanagh while man remains in hospital