The Shankill Butchers

Media:	Paperback
Author:	Martin Dillon
Publisher:	Routledge
Release date:	March, 1999
Our price:	$18.95

The Shankill Butchers

Average rating: Stars

A great read

I enjoyed this book immensely. That out of the way, this book is very well written on a very interesting topic (gruesome, but still interesting.) The author clearly distinguishes between recorded facts and conclusions drawn. The evidences backing his conclusions are thorough and well researched.

The author also gives only a cursory background into the "political" strife and tribulations of the area and the time. This helps one gain insight on the claimed reasons for the actions recorded in this book. Just enough info, not an overload of who did snubbed who in 1253 A.D. (I know, I know, this is just an exageration).

Not politically or religiously driven, but focusing of the topic named on the cover, this book is an excellent read. The only problem is that you come away knowing what one human will do to another...

The Shankill Butchers - Martin Dillon

Response to Mr. Perry

This is a well written book that tells the story of loyalist murderers in the north of Ireland. Mr. Perry obviously has loyalist sympathies and can't seem to leave his biased opinions of Ireland's freedom fighters out of any of his book reviews. The IRA, INLA, etc. were protecting their communities from protestant invasion in the first place. The British army was sent in to protect Irish Catholic neighborhoods from being destroyed by protestants (of course that turned out to work against the Catholics too). How easily you forget to include the UVF, RHC, UDA, UFF, PAF, LVF and their intimidation and terror tactics (including beatings, burning houses, maiming, murders supported by selling cocaine and heroine). You criticise books because you say the authors demonise one side and support the other- well what do you think you are doing in your so called book reviews? You basically blame the IRA for the attrocities committed by the shankill butchers! Give me a break! You are just typical of any loyalist and have no way of comprehending the Irish Catholic experience in Ulster. In another one of your reviews you say that the Catholics aren't the only ones who have it hard in Ulster and you use the Shankill in West Belfast as your support. Well I agree that the prods in the Shankill aren't living in luxury, but you cannot say that the prods throughout Ulster have had suffered as much discrimination and abuse as the Catholics have. Try and prove that one. I have no problem with admitting my bias and I will not even try to hide it. Regardless, Ulster will be united with the other Irish provinces one day and things will be all good. 26 + 6 = 1 Do yourself a favour and check out the BBC Northern Ireland website on almost any day and you will see examples of how great your beloved loyalist gangsters and thugs are.
People should read this book and see for themselves that the butchers were extreme examples of hate and not even the IRA is an excuse to slaughter innocent civilians. Well worth the read. Erin go bragh!

Martin Dillon - The Shankill Butchers

Indictment of the times

A sad and disturbing book that gives an insight into the period of "civil conflict" misnamed "the Troubles".
Murphy and his accomplices committed awful crimes against innocent Roman Catholics,quite stomach churning.
I think this book has to be read with a view of the situation that was going on in Northern Ireland at the time.
These Shankill Butchers felt that they were reacting to the murderous activities of the IRA who were shooting/bombing/maiming/torturing policemen,soldiers.
As during this period the IRA and its allies the INLA were murdering people everyday.

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