As repeatedly trailed, I’m turning my attention to David Gordon’s chronicling of the demise of the Paisley family: The Fall of the House of Paisley.
The book was completed and published prior to Junior’s election as an MP – but the version I read had an extra chapter detailing the downfall of the Robinsons. However it was published too early to document the (wonderful) defeat in the general election of Peter Robinson – in East Belfast – by Naomi Long. The returning officer’s announcement of Robinson’s defeat was a moment to be cherished in the wee small hours on election night.
Gordon, however, meticulously documents other choice moments in revisionist DUP politicking and moralising over the last decades. He shines a very bright light on the bizarre definitions that both Paisley Senior and Junior have developed – in the absence of any real-world experience of doing anything other than sectarian politics, Ulster-style.
For example the Paisley definition of ‘entrepreneur’ seems to that of ‘property developer’. Instead of warning against the excesses and greed that were evident as Northern Ireland’s property market went wild – the Paisleys seemed to prefer rubbing shoulders with property developers like Seymour Sweeney whose ambitions knew no bounds. They seemed to believe that building shops and retail premises and pubs was what Northern Ireland’s economy really needed. In short, forget the need for skills development, innovation, or entire root-and-branch restructuring of our public sector dependent economy.
Property developers were seen by the Paisleys as in some way representative of the new Northern Ireland. They had the attributes of alchemist about them. And the Paisleys turned a blind eye to the fact that many of the most successful property developers (cum DUP supporters) often dabbled in the booze business.
From the pulpit Paisley Senior warned of the perils of the devil’s vomit. However, Junior appeared to want nothing to stand in the way of his favourite property developer’s grandest plans – even if they did revolve around the opening of licensed premises in the unlikeliest of places on Ulster’s North Coast.
The Sweeney shenanigans are detailed at length in Gordon’s book. When laid back to back they seem all the more remarkable. Moreover, I must admit, I hadn’t fully appreciated at the time just to what extent Sweeney was involved in the palatial Ballymena constituency office debacle – where public money was squandered to provide ludicrously over-the-top premises to the entire Paisley ego-machine.
Gordon also does a great job examining the dramatic conversion of Paisley Snr from the fire and brimstone, Papist-loathing ranter, to Chuckle Brother. Gordon admits that he can offer no satisfactory explanation as to why the conversion took place. Perhaps it was an attempt by the ‘big man’ to secure a place in heaven. And perhaps that explanation is a correct one – given Paisley Senior’s continued references to a biblical rationale for his public chuckling with Martin McGuinness. In effect, he was smiling and chuckling in the face of his critics – all of whom, he claimed, were doing the devil’s work.
This book does a great job in articulating how family Paisley has manipulated public opinion, and even the word of the Lord, to suit itself. The book also shows Northern Ireland as little more than a Banana Republic without bananas. Gordon chronicles just how stunted and ridiculous Northern Ireland’s politics and politicians have become in the sectarian back-water that they have helped create.
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