|
Issue No.6 Autumn 2001
Gusty Spence
By Rory Garland
Blackstaff Press
Reviewed by Billy Mitchell
I must admit that I have approached this
biography of Gusty Spence with more than a little bias. Both the biographer, Roy
Garland, and the subject of the book are long-standing friends of mine. My first
impression is one of satisfaction regarding the general accuracy of both the
facts and the interpretation of the facts. My second impression is one of
disappointment that even at 311 pages the book is so short. Several chapters
could, and perhaps should, be developed as books in their own right. There is so
much that has been left unsaid and unrecorded, and I know that the material
exists and hopefully Roy Garland will address this in the near future.
The structure of the book follows the personal
and political journey of the former UVF leader from his humble beginnings in the
Hammer district of the Shankill Road through his army years, political activism,
and prison experiences to his current position as the revered mentor of
progressive loyalism. The book is really a series of personal reflections in
Spencešs own words with narrative linkages supplied by the biographer. Some
reflections are drawn from the vast amount of written material that Gusty and
other members of the Spence family have accumulated over the years, others are
extracts from notes taken by Roy Garland during his many long hours of informal
discussion and interviews with Mr. Spence.
Those who have come to know the real Gusty Spence
will not be surprised at what they will read and they will not be surprised to
learn that his influence has reached far beyond the ranks of the UVF/RHC/PUP.
For those who know of him only through the mythology of loyalist folklore or the
tabloids, this book provides an opportunity for them to get to know and
understand the man behind the myth. This is made easy by the fact that Roy
Garland acts more as a facilitator than a biographer, allowing readers to listen
to Gusty Spence in his own words and interpreting for themselves what he has to
say. I recommend the book and trust that there is at least a second volume in
the offing.
|