The Shankill Butchers: The Real Story of Cold-Blooded Mass Murder

by Martin Dillon

During the 1970s a group of Protestant paramilitaries embarked on a spree of indiscriminate murder which left thirty Northern Irish Catholics dead. Their leader was Lenny Murphy, a fanatical Unionist whose Catholic-sounding surname led to his persecution as a child for which he took revenge on all Catholics.

Not for the squeamish, The Shankill Butchers is a horrifyingly detailed account of one of the most brutal series of murders in British legal history--a phenomenon whose real nature has been obscured by the political and violent context from which it sprang.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, True Crime, Ireland, Irish Literature, Crime, Politics

316 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 1989

About the author

Martin Dillon has won international acclaim for his unique, investigative works on the Ireland conflict. Dr. Conor Cruise O’Brien, the renowned historian and scholar, described him as “our Virgil to that inferno.” The Irish Times hailed him as one of the most creative writers of our time and the Guardian compared him to John Le Carrie and Len Deighton. Martin Dillon’s trilogy, The Shankill Butchers, The Dirty War & God and the Gun, sold over a quarter of a million copies in the British Isles. His twelve non-fiction works are considered definitive accounts of the conflict. He began his distinguished career as a newspaper reporter and later became a programme editor with the BBC and a writer/producer with its award winning Timewatch. Throughout his BBC career he campaigned against its flawed interpretations of what constituted balance. He has been a terrorism expert for news outlets in Europe and North America. His play The Squad was one of the first about The Troubles and was produced on BBC radio and television by the late Ronald Mason, the esteemed Head of BBC Radio Three Drama. Dillon’s books include The Enemy Within, an account of the IRA’s terror campaigns in Britain, starting at the outbreak of World War II. Stone Cold was a portrait of a natural born killer and in The Trigger Men he delved into the lives of the most notorious assassins. Dillon exposed the IRA’s secret burials, the use of State-sponsored assassins and the phenomenon of sadistic torture by paramilitaries. He helped prepare the way for peace in Ireland by bringing together Nobel Prize winner, John Hume, and Gerry Adams, the IRA’s political leader. His help and advice were sought by the Margaret Thatcher and John Major governments. As a journalist and writer his life has been intertwined with the history of the Irish Troubles and its darkest days. He is often described as one of the most important voices of the conflict.
His latest book is his the memoir, Crossing the Line- My Life on the Edge.
According to Irish Times, the memoir “details a life that’s involved many incredible moments: witnessing the horrors of the Troubles; encounters with major political figures and paramilitaries; rubbing shoulders with Irish literary greats; a successful broadcasting career, but one where he butted heads with BBC management; and having to leave Northern Ireland because of death threats.
Henry McDonald; author, journalist and Ireland correspondent for The Guardian says the memoir is replete with such colourful stories involving the politicians, terrorists, artists and writers he met while covering the conflict in Northern Ireland”.
Readers of this book, and of Dillon’s other works, will agree that “He has that unique knack of combining forensic historical fact-based research with the art of thriller-like writing. His books have accurately chartered the terror and the horror of recent Northern Irish history but always in a tone of compassion for the innocent victims caught up in conflict. Works like his 'The Shankill Butchers' and 'The Dirty War' stand the test of time and will be essential reading for generations to come for those trying to make sense out of the madness that was 'The Troubles'.
Author and journalist, Hugh Jordan, had this to say about Martin Dillon in 2017:
Martin Dillon is a renowned world expert on terrorism. He has written and spoken extensively on this modern day phenomenon, which continues to hit the headlines on a daily basis.

As a journalist, he came well-equipped to cope with the subject. Born in Belfast – the citadel of Ulster unionism at the heart of the divided society that is Northern Ireland - Martin Dillon understood from an early age, the causes of political conflict which if left unaddressed manifests itself in violence.

And as young reporter he stood out among his peers, because he quickly identified the line where politics ended and terrorism began.

Martin’s professional life began on a leading Irish newspaper in 1968.

Reviews

[Johann (jobis89) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Difficult read but well-handled!

[Kirk Morrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another unflinching and balanced view of The Troubles, this is a book that demands to be read even though the topic is deeply disturbing and there are few happy resolutions. The Shankill Butchers ultimately were a pack of sadists and psychopaths rationalizing their horrific acttions under thinly-veiled political justifications. At times I needed to put this book down for awhile because of the level of the brutality described. However, harrowing though it is, Dillon's work shines a light on man's inhumanity to his fellow man. Although the Shankill killings were one notably macabre aspect to the overall Troubles- the reader can see how intolerance in a community can breed ammoral killers like The Butchers.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very precise and candid account of the Shankill Butchers in particular their leader Lenny Murphy and how they used and abused the situation in Northern Ireland during the 70's and 80's to thief, terrorise and murder innocent civilians who had nothing to do with the overall problems in the country. Dillon describes the depravity of their crimes and puts them into the wider context of the time and the impact these had on both communities, Protestant and Catholic alike. This should serve as a clear warning as to how low people will go and how they will use any excuse to get there. I have scant sympathy for the likes of Murphy and his cohorts and believe that he got exactly what he deserved

[Bill H · Rating 4 out of 5]

I up-rated this not because it's great literature but because it was decent and courageous reporting, and an eye-opening account of a small but horrifying slice of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Of course we've all heard plenty about that situation for decades, but I've never really read up on it in any detail. Here is a close look at how a group of psychopaths can operate freely under cover of cultural (and literal) warfare. It's a horrifying account, and revealing one -- not only for what it shows about this particular political and cultural milieu, but about humanity in general: that the sheep are so often at the mercy of the wolves that they harbor in their own flock.

And no, they didn't "used to be sweet little boys," most of them.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenally done.

I really appreciated the author subdued style of including psychology into the facts. It added much needed depth and wasn't over-analyzed to make me feel as though he was justifying Murphy or Moore or McAllister or any of the other sixteen men. I also appreciated that psychology introduced was taken from real psychologists who have worked with Dillon or with the Butchers, meaning these are accurate (as accurate as possible) and not just assumptions by someone who wants to write a book.

Please read this updated version, printed in 1989, as it contains a PostScript not included in the original. The PostScript held, what I believe, to be important notices and changes in judiciary law and life in Belfast. I believe in the PostScript, Dillon is freer to speak than in the book and his words about his direct dealings with victims is very important to your understanding of what happened with these Butchers.

Warning: I have ties with this story and if you are someone who has ties - this will be painful. You are warned that nothing is held back in this story and every detail is brought to life; be prepared.

[Liam Binfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

A poorly written account of a thoroughly interesting subject. Three stars only due to the gripping story.

The structure is jumbled and meandering as though Dillon has poured his thoughts onto paper as they pop into his head.

He is willing to completely discard or accept as gospel certain witness statements and interrogations depending if they fit his narrative.

In the conclusion he states it is not his place to ‘indulge in fantasy and speculation’. Yet his account is rife with speculation.

There are also annoying talk of people who cannot be named due to legal reasons. They are called Mr A right up to Mr M. This is not the authors fault but it did my head in.

I would still recommend to anyone interested in the troubles or indeed psychopathic killers. It is just a much more difficult read than it should have been.

[Giorgia Gnech · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am so glad to be done with this lol

The book is a gruesome report of the shankill butchers gang of serial killers, set during the Irish troubles. I appreciate the effort to tackle such a heavy and lesser known event, especially since the author wrote this very close in time to the events themselves.
I did however find the book extremely long and repetitive and I found it hard to keep my interest for too long, many depositions felt repetitive, and the three main points were coming back over and over throughout the book. Also, I am not Irish so I cannot really have a sense of things, but the unconditional trust for the police seemed a bit much.
Interesting and educational, even if very graphic, it is a good read to know more about this piece of Irish history.

[Abbi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a harrowing account of prejudice and murder in 1970s Northern Ireland, focusing on a group of men who used political unrest and sectarian strife as convenient excuses for their bloodlust. Dillon is meticulous and thorough in piecing together the (at times complicated) story of Lenny Murphy and his gang, who committed some of the most brutal and senseless murders of the era. I appreciated the way the author dissected the statements made by the killers and pointed to language that they would have been taught to adopt from the terrorist groups to which they belonged. At times it felt a little drawn out, but it never quite lost my attention. A difficult read, but captivating and necessary.

[Noah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the most heinous shit I’ve ever read. The empire is evil to its core

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where do I begin? I really wanted to like this book and I was getting into it at certain points. The biggest issue with this book is that it fails to really capture the moment and especially the Brown Bear members and Lenny Murphy. We barely learn anything about them. As another review said "it's poorly written." Ya, the writing didn't really grab me a lot of the time. A lot of the book was also just murder, murder, murder, murder. "well, what did you want?" "What did you expect?" Multiple things, a better insight into the community of Shankill and Ireland. A better insight into Lenny Murphy and his men. Now, it isn't really the author's fault, but I was wanting and expecting more.

Another aspect that is totally missing from the book; the conflict between catholic and protestant. As a foreigner, it makes no sense to me and the book never explains it. I mean, I understand the history. Guy Fawkes and all of that, BUT 1960's, 1970's Ireland?

I really wanted to love this book and at one point I did think it was gonna bet a strong 4/5, but it just never gets there. It fails to really capture the Brown bear gang, it fails to really paint a picture of Lenny Murphy, and just seemed to be more interested in the murders. I was actually bored with the book and reading, hoping I'd get to the end soon. Several parts of the book, the author literally cites 2-3 murder confessions about the same murder; which adds nothing. It's just tedious. His point is "they were trained how to downplay the crime." but it's just tedious. In the ending monologue of the first edition of the book in 1989, it goes through this boring "explaining of the law" of how some of the members would eventually get out.

Also, no pictures. This is made worse, because the author talks about the invisible lines in the community, it also talks about how the Brown bears were able to commit their crimes....a map of the area would of really helped.

So ya, a real disappointment...but I did enjoy it at times, really enjoyed it at times.
I just wish it had more about the culture of Ireland, the community, more insight into Lenny and the Brown bears. What were they doing when they aren't killing? Why did they hate catholics so much? Just a lot of stuff that I felt could of and should of been expanded upon and would of made me enjoy the book far more. The old "Show not tell." It talks about how Lenny liked to party at the local disco, okay....TELL ME ABOUT IT?! What was the pub at the Brown Bear, etc like? IRA attacks are mentioned but barely expanded upon, if at all. A bombing by the Brown bears "some 10 year old died." A lot of TELLING not showing.

Also, maybe it's because I am a foreigner, but some of the writing is dry, boring, and badly written.

Still, it had it's moments and I do feel like I have some new understanding of the situation.

[The Reading Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very disturbing account of how far bigotry can go, especially if one is a bigoted psychopath.

This short review is in memory of the victims:

2 October 1975 Marie McGrattan (47)
2 October 1975 Frances Donnelly (35)
2 October 1975 Gerard Grogan (18)
2 October 1975 Thomas Osborne (18)
25 November 1975 Francis Crossen (34)
30 November 1975 Noel Shaw (19)
10 January 1976 Edward McQuaid (25)
6 February 1976 Thomas Quinn (55)
9 February 1976 Archibald Hanna (51)
9 February 1976 Raymond Carlisle (27) P
23 February 1976 Francis Rice (24)
2 August 1976 Cornelius Neeson (49)
30 October 1976 Stephen McCann (20)
20 December 1976 Thomas Easton (22)
31 January 1977 James Moorehead (30)
3 February 1977 Joseph Morrisey (52)
30 March 1977 Francis Cassidy (43)
10 April 1977 Kevin McMenamin (7)
17 July 1982 Norman Maxwell (33)
29 August 1982 James Galway (33)
5 September 1982 Brian Smyth (30)
24 October 1982 Joseph Donegan (48)

10 May 1977 Gerard McLaverty has survived his injuries.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book doesn't make for pleasant reading. The events which are described in it make the blood run cold and are disturbing in the extreme at places. Having said that though, it's an extremely well written book which is knowledgeable and which remained very balanced when it comes to the conflict. Giving that it was written while the conflict was still ongoing, it also feels like an extremely brave topic to tackle.

We can't go back to these days - those inclined to violence amongst us can never be handed the opportunity to hide behind a conflict again!

[Moravian1297 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author doesn't seem to grasp that the violence of the oppressor is vastly different from any violence perpetrated by the oppressed.
He also refuses point blank to countenance collusion between "the security forces" and loyalist paramilitaries. Which we now know to have been endemically widespread to the point of being actual policy.
Putting these glaring errors along side the horrific detail of Lenny Murphy's crimes makes this an even more uncomfortable read than it should have been.

[Clare · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a compelling, excellently researched book! Very interesting but also quite gruesome and disturbing, I had quite a few nightmares after reading this! Would definitely recommend but not for the faint of heart!

[Jnix · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an interesting read and I really wanted to enjoy it more than I did, but the author’s bias and perhaps unintentional ignorance in some chapters really rubbed me the wrong way. The victim blaming and seemingly endless praise for the police left a sour taste in my mouth.

[Gill Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, emotional and very gripping. Gives a brilliant insight into the troubles . Definitely worth a read but can be upsetting in places

[Saoirse McGuinness · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should be required reading for anyone living in NI as a reminder of the harm that sectarianism has caused and can cause. It took me an entire month to read this book because I had to keep putting it down for a breather. The gruesome nature of the butcher killings read like a fictional horror story cooked up by a madman, but are unfortunately very true.

I think Martin Dillon dealt with this very well for the most part: clear, detailed accounts of the killings, but fell short (in my eyes) in really discussing police involvement or lack of action. I don't believe he was critical enough of the obvious hints missed by the C division, or critical enough of the lack of communication between diff divisions: "Police documentation of the testing of the taxis has since been destroyed and I have no reason to doubt their assertion that Moore's was examined"... really, you have NO reason to believe this a possibility? that the RUC could be biased and chose not to examine a UVF member's taxi and then cover it up by destroying the evidence?🤨

Martin Dillon tries far too hard to paint Nesbitt as the hero, and I think it takes away from what should be the point of this novel - which is not to congratulate anyone, or to make anyone a hero here (Speaking of Nesbitt and the C Division, he says "the thanks of the whole community should be accorded to them"). Riiiight, just after 20+ people were murdered while the RUC got no closer to finding the culprits... people should be thankful...

Don't want my criticisms to take away from the importance of this book, but as with anything written about NI & the Troubles, always expect bias (the same bias that's probs in my review). Hope they all rot :) !

[A W · Rating 4 out of 5]

First published in 1989 Martin Dillon's book brings to light one of the most shocking incidents in Northern Ireland 's 'troubles'.

In an exemplary work of journalism, he explores the fatal attraction between directionless young men and terrorist causes. Lenny Murphy, who led the gang earning the name 'the master butcher ' in the process was a school dropout from a troubled home, affiliation to loyalist terror groups brought him a status he could never otherwise attained.

Ideology, Dillon shows, came a poor second to glorying in violence for its own sake and assuaging egos that had been bruised by unhappy childhoods. That such behavior was, even at arms-length, accepted as part of the 'struggle’ by the UVF leadership shows the moral vacuum that exists behind terrorist rhetoric.

The Shankill Butchers mostly lived lives that were nasty, British and frequently shortened by violence of savagery not unlike that they were used to doling out. Their memory is fading fast in a Northern Ireland keen to put the darker parts of its recent past behind it, the tensions that drove the troubles are still bubbling away out of sight.

This book is a rightly shocking testimony to what can happen if their causes are not addressed.

[Stephen Hancock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eye-opening

I regret not reading this years ago. Having lived and worked in Ireland: north and south, they are a wonderful people. Kindly, gracious, proud of their heritage(s) and, as one singer (Michael Card) recorded, they are ‘a people who speak like a song.’ His song ‘Pray for the greening of Belfast’ says:

Pray for the greening of Belfast
That what is now barren
Might bloom and be fair
God loves the city of Belfast
For so many children who love Him live there
So many children who love Him live there.


Recent violence in Northern Ireland is a painful reminder that centuries of hurt are not easily healed. Pray God, those monstrous deeds described in this book, never return. For sure, evil begets evil and this book describes that evil in detail. Not for the faint-hearted. A brave undertaking by a good writer. It is well researched but sadly, due to its date of authorship, lacking in reference. However, the book stands as a reminder to the evil hatred that what was and if education or re-education fails ................

[Shannon shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was given to me as a Christmas gift due to my extreme love for all things true crime related and currently living down the road from some of areas mentioned in the book shook me into a reality that I didn’t really fully understand.

A disturbing and detailed account of one of the most brutal Loyalist gangs during the Troubles. Growing up in Donegal, I was quite sheltered from the full extent of what was happening across the border—the tension, the violence, and the constant threat on both sides of the wall. Reading this book truly opened my eyes. As a Catholic, I found parts of it incredibly troubling—not just because of the graphic brutality, but because that deep-rooted hatred, while less visible now, still lingers in some parts of Northern Ireland

This book, albeit not the typical gift , has stayed in my memory well after and definitely a book I couldn’t put down! It hit all the things I would want in a true crime book.Absolutely brutal but in a good way (if that’s possible) and definitely one to read for all true crime fanatics like myself!

[Bobby24 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible book. I wrote a review on the book Murder Machine about the American mafia in which i suggested "criminals" like them were rare, little understanding that they were actually living and dying in my own country, the UK. I have read many books on NI and i thought i knew the story, no, this is the most violent book i have ever read.

It is truly amazing the lawlessness that occurred in Northern Ireland from 69 to 99. It makes all other criminal and probable all other terrorist books look positively Tame. If this happened in America films would be made, but here especially NI its just to sad to painful, very unglamorous and probable a little embarrassing..

The book is very well written it is to the highest standards of a British Author of whom write the Best non fiction books in the world. There are only facts and intelligent hypothesize involved, unlike American authors who have a tendency to write books with a Hollywood film script in mind.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a child of the 1970s and 1980s. I was lucky enough that the awful carnage in Ireland was just noise on the evening news to me. This book brought home to me how living the reality of it was horrific, capricious, and menacing. By walking home at night, going to work, or just by crossing paths with the wrong people, anyone was a target. Anyone could have been killed. How a normal life was possible in this situation beggars belief. I don't like to think I've been desensitized to the violence that lurks underneath the surface of 'society', but I guess I was. Only with the hindsight of adulthood can I see how awful it must have been. Particularly when the spectre of terrorism is so dark and long-reaching today, to remember how close to home it was - and how casually it seemed to be treated - back then is quite horrific.

[ParisianIrish · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are rating the book and story as told by the author and not the despicable actions of this group of these thugs. The author delves into this subject of the murderous and perhaps psychopathic gang of thugs, whose soul intent is kill, torture, maim people based on what side their political leanings where. The author does a great job tracking the history of a gang which went solo in their sectarian war on Catholics, tracing the origins up to the death and imprisonment of most of their members. This book is not for the faint hearted, as the pain and suffering inflicted on their victims is described in gory detail by the author, but a must read if you have the stomach for this horror show and bloody episode in Irish history.

[Kerry Cahill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harrowing read.

Growing up, I heard a lot about the troubles in N.Ireland, however, I was too young to comprehend the extent of the atrocities. This book is brutally honest, whilst respecting, and honouring the victims. It is not an easy read by any means, yet it gives an incite into the minds of these animals; showing how inhuman these people were. Terrorism in all forms is deplorable, it solves absolutely nothing. It leaves behind a trail of carnage, and countless innocent victims.

[vida b · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic and straightforwardly told story of a set of serial murders many of us have probably never heard of. The author does a good job to contextualize the murders in the backdrop of the Troubles and speculate on how a society so used to violence helped create Lenny Murphy and his gang. The author also takes care to humanize the victims and give their families a voice. While often very disturbing, as the author doesn't sugar-coat the violent acts, it's a satisfying and thought-provoking read.

[Kieran McAndrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a region not unknown for brutal slayings, the Shankill Butchers brought terror to the streets of Belfast.

Led by Lennie Murphy, they lacked sanction from official terrorist organisations. Nevertheless, they killed at least twenty three people and took an unprecedented effort from the police to bring to justice.

Dillon's reportage lays the sordid tale out clearly and objectively, bringing a dark page of Northern Ireland's history into the light.

[Liam Cairns · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing yet meticulously researched exploration of one of the most brutal spate of serial murders in the history of the British Isles, Dillon's journalistic eye for detail will unsettle as much as it will grip. The setting, cultural context and language used (Ulster English) might alienate some readers but fans of history and true crime owe it to themselves to pick up a copy. Still the only in-depth chronicle of the most prolific serial killers in UK criminal history before Harold Shipman.

[Iñaki Tofiño · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well researched and well written but, to be honest, quite pointless unless you are REALLY interested in contemporary Ulster history. Basically, a bunch of good for nothing low lives who would not fit anywhere but blossomed in the violent climate of Northern Ireland and committed plenty of murders with the excuse of religious war.

[Trae Mitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting, but gruesome, read about the sectarian violence that menaced Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Unlike many books that focus on the terrorist atrocities of the IRA, Dillon gives insight into the equally horrifying campaign of a particular group of UVF murderers. Certainly, not for the weak of stomach.

[Lee Rolls · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, even handed and written for the right reasons.

A book I did not want to read due to the subject matter. I have read previous books by Martin Dillon which have been excellent. Dillon humanises the story rather than presenting it in sectarian terms. He educates against widely held stereotypes and encourages us to treat people as individuals.