Red Hand Commando

Red Hand Commando (RHC)
LeadersRonnie "Flint" McCullough,
Jim McDonald,
John McKeague,
Winston Churchill Rea,
William "Plum" Smith,
"Brigade Staff"
Dates of operation1970 – 2007/2009 (declared ceasefire in October 1994, ended armed campaign in May 2007, disarmed by 2009)
Group(s)RHC Youth (youth wing)
Progressive Unionist Party (political representation)
HeadquartersBelfast
Active regionsNorthern Ireland
Republic of Ireland
IdeologyBritish unionism
Ulster loyalism
Anti-Catholicism
Anti-Irish sentiment
SizeSmall
Allies Ulster Volunteer Force
Opponents Irish republicans
Irish nationalists

The Red Hand Commando[1] (RHC) is a small secretive Ulster loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland that is closely linked to the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF). Its aim was to combat Irish republicanism – particularly the Irish Republican Army (IRA) – and to maintain Northern Ireland's status as part of the United Kingdom.[2] The Red Hand Commando carried out shootings and bombings, primarily targeting Catholic civilians.[3][4] As well as allowing other loyalist groupings to claim attacks in their name, the organisation has also allegedly used the cover names "Red Branch Knights" and "Loyalist Retaliation and Defence Group".[5] It is named after the Red Hand of Ulster, and is unique among loyalist paramilitaries for its use of an Irish language motto, Lámh Dearg Abú, meaning 'red hand to victory'.[6][7][8]

Writing in early 1973, Martin Dillon characterized the Red Hand Commando thus: "the composition of this group was highly selective, and it was very secret in its operations. Its membership was composed in the main of Protestant youths – the Tartans who roamed the streets at night looking for trouble. These youths longed for action, and McKeague let them have it."[citation needed]

The Red Hand Commando was the only major loyalist paramilitary group in Northern Ireland not to have its ranks heavily penetrated by a so-called supergrass or informant during the early 1980s; this was attributed to the group's secrecy (described as an "enigma") and opaque structure.[9] However an alleged senior member of the organisation from East Belfast was charged with membership in 1983 after boasting to UVF man (and later supergrass) John Gibson that he was second-in-command in the area.[10]

The RHC is a Proscribed Organisation in the United Kingdom under the Terrorism Act 2000.[11] The Red Hand Commando made a failed application in September 2017 to be removed from the list of proscribed organisations in the UK.[12]

  1. ^ "Red Hand Commando (RHC), Cain: Abstracts of Organisations". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 6 December 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  2. ^ Mulvenna, Gareth (2016). Tartan Gangs and Paramilitaries: The Loyalist Backlash. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-1-78138-325-4.
  3. ^ The Milwaukee Journal, 13 August 1974
  4. ^ "CAIN Index of Deaths". Cain.ulst.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 24 March 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  5. ^ Sunday Life, 7 May 1995
  6. ^ Mulvenna, Gareth. Tartan Gangs and Paramilitaries: The Loyalist Backlash. Oxford University Press, 2016. p.215. Quote: "Ronnie McCullough adopted the motto 'Lamh Dearg Abu' for the RHC – an Irish phrase which means 'Red hand to victory'".
  7. ^ De Brun, Fionntan. Belfast and the Irish language. Four Courts Press, 2006. p.157. Quote: "UVF members learned the Irish language while in jail and the RHC adopted the Irish motto 'Lamh Dearg Abu' ('red hand for ever')".
  8. ^ "Red Hand Commando flags with Irish language slogan flown" Archived 23 July 2018 at the Wayback Machine. The Irish News. 23 July 2018.
  9. ^ Fortnight Magazine, Issue 200, p. 9-10. Fortnight Publications, 1984.
  10. ^ Belfast Telegraph, 15 October 1983
  11. ^ "Proscribed Organisations". Terrorism Act 2000 (c. 11, sched. 2). UK Public General Acts. 20 July 2000. Archived from the original on 21 January 2013.
  12. ^ "Loyalist Red Hand Commando applies to be legalised". BBC News. 12 September 2017. Archived from the original on 15 September 2017. Retrieved 12 September 2017.