Winston 'Winkie' Irvine, a leading loyalist, is facing charges of possession of guns and ammunition. He has emerged as a key figure in an organization that received close to £1m from the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) just over six months after his arrest [ce130ab2]. The arrest took place in June 2022 during a police surveillance operation investigating a hoax bomb alert. Irvine is the organizer of the Building Cultural Networks (BCN) conference on cultural expression, which clashes with his upcoming court hearing. BCN, formed in January 2023, is part of Action for Community Transformation (ACT), a community organization focused on the 'civilianization' of UVF and Red Hand Commando members. BCN was awarded £878,000 by the IFI to develop a strategic and community-led approach to positive cultural expression in Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist (PUL) areas across Northern Ireland, particularly regarding bonfires. Irvine was charged with possession of firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. The charges will be heard over two days next week, which coincides with the BCN convention. The convention aims to explore and examine the dynamics of individual rights, societal roles, and collective responsibilities in relation to cultural expression in Northern Ireland. Up to a dozen police surveillance officers are expected to give evidence at the court hearing [ce130ab2].
Austin Duffy's novel 'Cross' is set in a fictional border town during the 1994 IRA ceasefire. The story revolves around key characters such as Francie, an elder figure in the terrorist community, and Nailer, a man known for nailing someone to the floor. The narrative explores the cycle of history and the arrival of MOC, a republican politician from Belfast who comes to sell the ceasefire to the foot soldiers. The book portrays a world of corruption and a male-dominated society where men use weapons and women seek expression through words and silence. The novel has a dreamlike oddness, reminiscent of Anna Burns's 'Milkman', with shifts in narrative style that give it a jittery and uncertain feel, reflecting the fragile peace of the story.