Sam McAughtry

Sam McAughtry is a writer and broadcaster who was born in Belfast in 1923, lived in the Loyalist Tigers Bay area and was educated at St Barnabas'.

He left school at 14 and served in the RAF. On leaving the armed forces he worked as a labourer, then civil servant, before becoming a full time writer.

He was a Trade Union and Northern Ireland Labour Party member, he stood unsuccessfully for elections on a non-sectarian socialist platform. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/98nb.htm 1998 Assembly Election Results Belfast North (ARK)] ] He was founding chairman of the Peace Train Organisation which protested against the bombing of the Dublin-Belfast railway line.

McAughtry has made many contributions to radio and television programmes, giving his memories of life in Belfast as well as political analysis during the troubles.

Sam McAughtry was a member of the Irish Senate as a nominee of the Taoiseach, as before nominees from Northern Ireland were appointed to the Seanad, such as Gordon Wilson, Sam Kyle, Seamus Mallon and Brid Rodgers.

Works

*The Sinking of The Kenbane Head (1977), an autobiography
*Play It Again Sam (1978)
*Blind Spot (1979)
*Sam McAughtry's Belfast (1981), a collection of sketches
*McAughtry's War (1985), autobiography and autobiographical fiction
*Hillman Street High Roller (1994), autobiography and autobiographical fiction
*Down in the Free State (1987), a travel book
*Belfast Stories (1993)
*Touch and Go (1993), a novel
*On the outside looking in, A Memoir (2003)

References