A Dangerous Pursuit

List of Figures

Picture 1Front Cover: Demonstration protest for peace, Belfast 1995

Picture 2May Blood and the Women’s movement take part in mass protests

Picture 3Right to Life demonstration: Belfast 1992

Picture 4Norman Willis (British TUC) speaks at the Right to live and work demonstration 1992

Picture 5Protest against sectarian intimidation outside the offices of Sunday World

Picture 6Noreen Moore, Counteract Secretary

Picture 7Kevin McNamara at Counteract Conference

Picture 8The Counteract video, The Inside Stories

Picture 9Billy Robinson, Terry Carlin and Michael Ancram

Picture 10Billy’s fight for fairer play in the workplace

Picture 11Mo Mowlam at Counteract Youth Conference, Queen’s University Belfast

Picture 12Joe Doherty, Dermot Ahern, Joe Hinds and Billy Robinson

Picture 13Counteract and Making a difference in Keeping the Peace

Picture 14Mo Mowlam’s approval. Irish News 19 November 1998

Picture 15Mo Mowlam, Joe Hinds and Billy Robinson with the ubiquitous Counteract cuppa

Picture 16Jane Elliott, PA, Pascal and Olaf

Picture 17Joe Hinds, Stephen Nolan, Joe Law, Sara Hunter, Joe Burke, Billy Robinson, Billy McCreight, Paul Oakes and Stephen Bloomer

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to many people for help during the writing of this history. Indeed, the book itself is an acknowledgement of Counteract and a wide variety of people who worked for and supported the anti-sectarian unit. My thanks to those who gave me interviews in 2000–02 and who answered my phone calls and emails in 2020 and responded with information. However, I must first acknowledge the late Noreen Moore, secretary in Counteract. She gathered reports, minutes and information from the earliest days up to 2000 with constant patience and good cheer – no small task given Counteract was not strong on recording its work.

I began a final draft during the months of Covid-19 lockdown, when people could not meet and life was suspended in a virtual hub. Despite those difficulties, Kevin Cooper provided details about the few remaining people I needed to contact – some of whom had died or were too ill to contribute to this book. He waded through decades of photographs for this book, and shared his stories, experience and knowledge – all of which were invaluable. Imelda Cooper volunteered to proof-read drafts and encouraged me, as I tried to translate some rather turgid records into a readable text. Both she and Kevin spared no effort.

Billy Robinson’s brother Gerard was a central person because, as nominal head of family after Billy’s death, his approval was essential. He was open, trusting and generous in sharing photographs, records and many stories that would otherwise have been lost. It was important to get a well-rounded and verified picture of events. Jim Quinn’s input was significant – as he had been the first ‘leader’ of Counteract. As with most people he had more to say than I had found on record and took the trouble to put this on (virtual) paper.

Pascal McCulla was a crucial source of information about the latter years. He came from the Northern Ireland Civil Service Department of Finance and Personnel with the expertise in organisational change to Counteract that Counteract needed to develop a framework for change. He ←ix | x→was pivotal in developing the move from ‘fire-fighting’ to ‘fire-proofing’ that Counteract wanted. He read relevant drafts and provided detailed information – and amendments – on the Equity, Diversity and Interdependence Framework. He also shared photographs.

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