Willie Frazer facts for kids

William Frederick Frazer (born July 8, 1960 – died June 28, 2019) was a person from Northern Ireland. He was known for being an activist and helping people who were affected by violence during a time of conflict in Northern Ireland.

He started and led a group called Families Acting for Innocent Relatives (FAIR). This group worked to support victims of violence. Willie Frazer also helped lead other campaigns, like Love Ulster and the Belfast City Hall flag protests.

Early Life and Family

The village of Whitecross, where Frazer grew up

William Frazer grew up in a village called Whitecross, County Armagh, in Northern Ireland. He was one of nine children. His parents were Bertie and Margaret.

He was a former member of the Territorial Army, which is a part-time army group in the United Kingdom. He also belonged to the Free Presbyterian Church of Ulster. When he was young, he went to a local Catholic school and played Gaelic football. He said his early life was "truly cross-community," meaning he got along with people from different backgrounds.

His father, Bertie, was a part-time member of the British Army's Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR). He was killed in 1975 during the conflict. Before this, their family home had been attacked. Over the next ten years, other members of Frazer's family who were involved with the police or army were also killed.

After his father's death, Frazer's family moved to the village of Markethill. After school, he worked as a plasterer. Then, he joined the British Army for nine years. Later, he worked for a trucking company and even started his own.

During a time of disagreement known as the Drumcree conflict, Frazer supported the Portadown Orange Order. This group wanted to march down a road, but local residents did not want them to.

FAIR and Activism

FAIR, the group Frazer started in 1998, aimed to help people who were victims of violence in South Armagh. Some people criticized the group because it mainly focused on victims of one side of the conflict.

In 2006, Frazer helped organize a parade in Dublin called Love Ulster. This parade had to be stopped because of rioting. In 2007, he protested outside a meeting of the Sinn Féin political party in Dublin. He was upset about the idea of negotiating with former paramilitary groups.

In 2012, Frazer announced he was stepping down from his role as director of FAIR.

Political Efforts

Willie Frazer also tried to get elected in County Armagh several times. He ran in different elections but was never elected. He ran as a candidate for the Ulster Independence Movement and also as an independent candidate.

His best election result was in 2006, when he received 1,427 votes in a local council election. He ran against a Sinn Féin candidate and had support from other unionist parties.

In the 2010 United Kingdom general election, Frazer ran for a seat in the UK Parliament. He received 656 votes. The seat was won by Conor Murphy of Sinn Féin.

In 2013, Frazer said he supported bringing back direct rule in Northern Ireland. This meant the government in London would directly govern Northern Ireland again.

In April 2013, Frazer helped start a new political party called the Protestant Coalition.

Later Life and Death

Willie Frazer passed away from cancer on June 28, 2019. Leaders from political parties like the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) and the DUP shared their condolences after his death.