Talk:Robert McConnell (loyalist)

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A fact from Robert McConnell (loyalist) appeared on Wikipedia's Main Page in the Did you know column on 2 March 2011 (check views). The text of the entry was as follows:

Did you know... that Ulster loyalist Robert McConnell was implicated in several sectarian attacks and killings in Northern Ireland, but was never charged or convicted?

A record of the entry may be seen at Wikipedia:Recent additions/2011/March.

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Birthplace[edit]

Would anybody happen to know McConnell's birthplace? He appears to have spent most of his life at Newtownhamilton, but I haven't been able to locate a source that gives it as his place of birth.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 15:10, 2 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

UVF[edit]

Do you have an authoritive source that states he was UVF? All I can see are various allegations that assert that he was. Kernel Saunters (talk) 09:41, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I have since added three. I could always say in the article that he was an alleged member of the UVF. What do you think?--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 11:11, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I removed one link as it is just a blog. The other two are a published book and a newspaper article.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 11:17, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I've added 'suspected' as this matches 'Lost Lives'. I think we need to distinguish clearly between allegations and established facts. Lost Lives is useful for this as it was written in a neutral way. I've seen the book before and it is not a good source - the newspaper article is an opinion peice from Susan McKay. I would stick to mainstream neutral sources Kernel Saunters (talk) 11:22, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Yes, you were right to add suspected seeing as Lost Lives uses this term, and it sounds more NPOV. I also added alleged when his membership in the UVF is alluded to elsewhere in the article. Remember it was not so unusual for UDR soldiers to hold joint membership with the UVF. The Miami Showband killers are a perfect example of this as Harris Boyle, Crozier, the two Somervilles, and McDowell were all serving UDR/UVF members. Although, I have pointed out in the article that McConnell was never mentioned in connection to the Miami Showband attack.--Jeanne Boleyn (talk) 11:29, 21 March 2011 (UTC)[reply]