Tommy Kirkham facts for kids

Tommy Kirkham is a political figure from Northern Ireland. He was a local councillor and was involved with groups linked to Ulster loyalism. He started his political journey with the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Later, he was connected to the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and the Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG). He was even a deputy mayor of Newtownabbey and served on the Newtownabbey Borough Council as an independent politician.

Tommy Kirkham's Early Political Steps

Tommy Kirkham first got involved in politics in 1989. He was chosen as a councillor for the DUP in the Newtownabbey Borough Council. He represented an area called Antrim Line. However, he lost his seat in the 1993 local elections. This happened after some changes were made to the election areas.

Joining the UPRG

After losing his council seat, Tommy Kirkham became a member of the Ulster Democratic Party. He tried to get elected again in a special election in Rathcoole in 1995 but did not win. In 1996, he also ran for the Northern Ireland Forum in East Antrim but was not successful.

He returned to the council in the 1997 local elections. This time, he represented the Macedon area. In 2001, the Ulster Democratic Party closed down. The UDA leaders decided to restart the UPRG. They chose Tommy Kirkham to be one of the new spokespeople for this group.

He became an important voice for the UPRG. At the same time, he continued to serve on the Newtownabbey Borough Council as an independent. This was because the UPRG was not officially registered as a political party.

Serving as Deputy Mayor

As a council member, Tommy Kirkham was chosen as the deputy mayor of Newtownabbey twice. The first time was in 1999, with help from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP). He became deputy mayor again in 2010, this time with support from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

Some other councillors from the UUP and Alliance Party of Northern Ireland were not happy about this. They said the DUP was stopping them from getting important roles by choosing an independent politician. In 2006, the DUP had thought about supporting Kirkham to become mayor, but they changed their minds. He lost his council seat in the 2011 elections.

Speaking for the UPRG

Tommy Kirkham was one of the three main spokespeople for the UPRG. He was responsible for sharing messages from the UDA. In 2004, he met with the Irish leader, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern. This meeting also included UDA leader Jackie McDonald. Tommy Kirkham called this meeting "historic, productive and friendly."

He also worked to help loyalism move away from racism. He supported a plan that aimed to stop links between some loyalist groups and racist activities. This plan was created after concerns about certain groups and attacks on the Chinese community in Belfast.

During a disagreement within the UDA in 2002, Tommy Kirkham supported his friend John 'Grug' Gregg. Because of this, his home was attacked, but no one was hurt. In February 2003, Tommy Kirkham was chosen to read a statement from the UDA leaders. In this statement, they announced that their ceasefire would continue for an unknown period.

Beyond Conflict and New Directions

Eventually, Tommy Kirkham left the UPRG. He started working with a part of the UDA called the South East Antrim Brigade. This group had become separate from the main UDA leadership.

Tommy Kirkham then became the head of a new group he called "Beyond Conflict." As the leader, he asked the government for money to turn his group into an organization that helps with community development. The government did give money to the UPRG, but not to Kirkham's group.

Further Splits and Changes

In 2007, Tommy Kirkham's separation from the main UPRG and UDA became even bigger. He supported a leader named Andre Shoukri during a disagreement within the UDA. This led to a standoff between Kirkham and the UDA leaders. In March 2007, Tommy Kirkham and his friend Gary Fisher were also removed from the UDA. Kirkham said he would stay in his area. Later that year, his assistant, Jon McDowell, revealed he was a secret agent.

Tommy Kirkham continues to lead "Beyond Conflict." He says his group has taken steps to move away from violence. These steps include stopping paramilitary activities in his area and working with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning. They also work on programs that promote different cultures.

In December 2010, Tommy Kirkham gave evidence in a court case about a murder that happened in Belfast in 1973.

See also

• Ulster Political Research Group
• UDA South East Antrim Brigade
• Ulster Defence Association
• Shoukri brothers