University of Huddersfield academic Prof Jim McAuley launches new book about Northern Ireland’s paramilitaries

AN ACADEMIC in Huddersfield has interviewed dozens of former prisoners for his new book.

Prof Jim McAuley spoke to former loyalist and republican paramilitaries in Northern Ireland for the book Abandoning Historical Conflict? which was launched in Belfast yesterday.

The University of Huddersfield academic said: “The really interesting thing is that none of them would say they have given up on their fundamental political positions. But what they are agreed on is that the time for violent transformation is over.”

Prof McAuley and his co-authors Dr Catherine McGlynn, of the University of Huddersfield, Prof Jonathan Tonge of the University of Liverpool and Dr Peter Shirlow, of Queen’s University, Belfast spoke to 150 former prisoners while researching the book.