In The News

Funeral of former loyalist paramilitary leader takes place

Funeral of former loyalist paramilitary leader takes place

THE FUNERAL has taken place of the former loyalist paramilitary leader Gusty Spence.

Mr. Spence, who was 78, died on Sunday (September 25).

His Funeral Service was held in St. Michael’s Parish Church in the Shankill Road area of Belfast.

He was laid to rest in Bangor. For full details see below.

In the 1960s he had had helped form the Ulster Volunteer Force, which was responsible for hundreds of murders during the troubles.

Mr. Spence spent 18 years in prison after being convicted of murdering a Catholic man in the Shankill area of Belfast in 1966.

But before his release from jail he had already begun to use his influence among loyalist paramilitaries to urge them to move away from violence.

After his release from jail he continued this work and in 1994 he announced the loyalist paramilitary ceasefires. In 2007 Mr. Spence announced that the UVF and the Red Hand Commando would disband.

View the Passedaway.com Notice for Augustus Spence.

 

View previous In the News items: Body of missing Ballycastle woman is formally identified, Photographer whose work for the Beatles caused controversy passes away, Indian cricket legend Pataudi passes away, Tributes are paid to Dolores Hope the widow of entertainer Bob, Horse racing legend Ginger McCain passes away, Actress Frances Bay passes away, Veteran mountaineer Walter Bonatti passes away, Artist regarded as the father of pop art passes away, Welsh actor who found fame in US TV series passes away, Oscar winning actor Cliff Robertson passes away, Funeral takes place of motorcycle road racer Adrian McFarland, Author of bestselling guide to the prevention of cancer passes away, Tributes are paid to doctor whose work advanced the use of organ transplants, Inventor of the modern shipping container passes away, Leading opera singer dies follow a scooter accident, Tragic motorcycle racer is laid to rest, Tributes are paid to leading songwriter, Founding father of the Special Boat Service passes away, Remains of Australian outlaw Ned Kelly are identified after 130 years, Engineer who rebuilt the wartime computer Colossus passes away, Musician who was the last link to founders of the Blues passes away, Former top snooker referee Len Ganley passes away, Former teaching union chief passes away, Industrialist who embraced green values passes away, Tragic friends are laid to rest, Director and producer of top TV comedy shows passes away, Songwriter described as the poet laureate of rock and roll passes away, TV actor Noel Collins passes away, Grieving mother who launched a national campaign passes away, Statistician whose work helped save millions of lives passes away, Inventor of the robot arm George C Devol passes away, Singer and songwriter Gene McDaniels passes away, Funeral takes place of veteran journalist James Kelly, Broadcaster Robert Robinson passes away, Peacemaker Harri Holkeri passes away, Former TV cook and radio executive passes away, Actor Francesco Quinn passes away, World War II secret agent passes away, Film special effects artist Harry Redmond passes away, Civil rights lawyer who battled segregation passes away, Film star and former sportsman Bubba Smith passes away, Actor Richard Pearson passes away, The writer Stan Barstow passes away, Headstone unveiled to first victim of the Titanic, Slight fall recorded in the death rate in Northern Ireland

 

If you have a relative or a friend who has passed away and feel they should be mentioned in our In the News section, then please email us.