Ulster Defence Association Alan McCullough (loyalist)

mccullough s father william bucky commemorated on mural in hopewell crescent, lower shankill road

alan mccullough born in belfast, northern ireland loyalist ulster protestant family, youngest of 6 children. had 4 sisters , brother, kenny. brought in denmark street in lower shankill road area. father william bucky mccullough prominent uda member gunned down irish national liberation army (inla) outside home on 16 october 1981 when mccullough 3 months old. believed many inside uda had been set uda fundraiser , racketeer jim craig.

mccullough s family background led him join uda @ age. age mccullough had idolised johnny adair. , become trusted ally of brigadier. had been 1 of number of members of ulster young militants whom adair had promoted ranks of c company around 2002, of whom looked adair father figure , loyal him personally. mccullough, had joined uym aged sixteen, wore graven image of late father on gold chain around neck , spoke of wanting rise ranks in uda kill republicans in revenge father s death.

mccullough had annoyed adair when in 2002 , adair s son jonathan mad pup adair had followed young customer drug-dealing flats used c company , attacked , mugged him. boy, had been wearing catholic school uniform @ time, told mother complained john white in turn assured done it. adair insisted drugs flat, c company s main source of income, should kept free sectarianism , money should welcomed regardless of source. result adair, in prison @ time, sent out word provost marshal (as organisation called member charged maintaining internal order , discipline) tommy potts punish mccullough , son , result potts , squad administered punishment beatings both mccullough , mad pup .

despite mccullough s transgression adair still held him in high esteem , after release prison appointed mccullough commander of c company, role adair himself had held before becoming west belfast brigadier. mccullough had replaced adair s old friend mo courtney in role, after 2 had become estranged on adair s treatment of mutual friend winkie dodds. courtney result forced off shankill, allowing mccullough opportunity assume command of c company. time mccullough ranked lieutenant within uda. was, however, become embroiled in internal uda feud.

john gregg shooting

adair s foremost rival john gregg, head of uda s south east antrim brigade shot dead in taxi along rab carson after men had returned belfast watching rangers f.c. football match in glasgow on 1 february 2003. killing took place in old sailortown district of belfast near docks. gregg s 18-year-old son stuart in taxi escaped injury. mccullough had allegedly orchestrated gregg s shooting on adair s behalf. according henry mcdonald , jim cusack, mccullough, under orders imprisoned adair, had paid 2 young brothers members of c company £100 carrying out killing. anonymous friend of mccullough s stated involved in number of shootings , have done adair asked him . gregg considered loyalist hero , such enjoyed popularity within uda circles on account of attempted assassination of sinn féin president gerry adams in 1984; murder adair faction infuriated uda leadership.

the day of gregg s funeral, carloads of angry uda units led south belfast brigadier jackie mcdonald arrived @ adair s boundary way home in lower shankill expel entire adair team northern ireland; adair s wife, gina, staunch ally john white , 20 supporters forced flee scotland , england. mccullough among quit northern ireland. , girlfriend went lancashire found life group (whom press nicknamed bolton wanderers after football club of same name due habit of moving between homes of combat 18 members in , around bolton) tiresome. mccullough s girlfriend returned home baby son , left sleeping on camp bed in gina adair s house, sharing room fellow former c company youngsters mad pup adair , wayne , benjy dowie.

by april feeling homesick , asked mo courtney, adair s successor west belfast brigadier, permission return belfast. mccullough s mother barbara allegedly begged courtney allow son come home. courtney had become bitter enemy of adair despite previous close friendship. suggested ingratiate himself courtney , new c company leadership mccullough launched shooting attack on gina adair s house in bolton. mccullough promised provide courtney gina s address in exchange safety. returned belfast month, having given courtney whereabouts of drugs haul had been buried members of adair s c company in shankill.