Gary McMichael
| Gary McMichael | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1969 (age 47–48) Lisburn, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | British |
| Years active | 1987–2005 |
| Known for | Loyalist politician |
| Notable work | An Ulster Voice (1999) |
| Title | Leader of the Ulster Democratic Party |
| Term | 1994–2001 |
| Predecessor | Ray Smallwoods |
| Successor | Position abolished |
| Political party | Ulster Democratic Party |
| Parent(s) |
John McMichael Phyllis McMichael |
Gary McMichael (born 1969) is a Northern Irish former politician, who served as leader of the now defunct Ulster Democratic Party (UDP). McMichael led the UDP during the early stages of the peace process and was instrumental in delivering the loyalist ceasefire of 1994. He is the eldest son of former Ulster Defence Association (UDA) leader John McMichael by his first wife, Phyllis.
McMichael left school in his native Lisburn in 1985 to start a job with the civil service, although he subsequently also worked as a youth worker and an insurance salesman.
He became involved in local protests against the Anglo-Irish Agreement soon after it was signed. McMichael joined the Lisburn Club, the local branch of the pan-unionist Ulster Clubs movement that his father had helped to establish, and for a while served as chairman of this branch. John McMichael was killed on 22 December 1987 and Gary McMichael was informed by police when his name was read out over the public address system at the Ulster Hall in Belfast, where he was attending a concert.
In 1988 McMichael became involved with the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party (as the UDP was then known). He served as election co-ordinator for the group and helped to ensure the election of Ken Kerr to Derry City Council in 1989. He was the UDP candidate in the 1990 Upper Bann by-election, when he finished eighth with 600 votes in a contest won by David Trimble. Although he regularly gave political advice to the UDA's controlling Inner Council, he was never a member of the paramilitary organisation, concentrating solely on the political wing.
McMichael became a close ally of Ray Smallwoods, serving his political apprenticeship under the UDP chairman. Smallwoods was killed in 1994 and McMichael succeeded him as UDP leader. Although McMichael roundly condemned the killing of Smallwoods he later conceded that the shooting of Smallwoods, as well as that of Joe Bratty and Raymie Elder soon afterwards, convinced him that a Provisional IRA ceasefire was near as all three had been long-standing targets for the republican group.
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