91Èȱ¬

Ian Paisley was renowned for denouncing anything he believed inconsistent with God’s plan. In the late 70s, the gay rights movement felt Paisley’s wrath during their fight to decriminalise consensual gay sex in Northern Ireland. His protest to 'Save Ulster from Sodomy' failed, but it grounded his position as the representative of so-called traditional values.

The DUP, Paisley’s political party, espoused these same values, combined with a hardline unionist stance. This attracted new young talent, the most ambitious being young estate agent Peter Robinson. Robinson’s election in 1979 was vindication for Paisley: he was no longer a one-man band, but the leader of a movement.

Amidst the bloodiest years of the Troubles, Paisley became a Unionist figurehead, attracting the largest crowds Northern Ireland had ever seen for his impassioned ‘Never, Never, Never’ speech. Emboldened, he provided political cover to a new paramilitary-styled group, Ulster Resistance.

Ian Paisley’s hope was that some of his five children would play a part in his dynasty. Daughter Rhonda was involved in the church and was an elected councillor, while twin sons, Kyle and Ian Jr, showed promise in the worlds of preaching and politics. With wife Eileen as his constant guide, the future was looking bright for the House of Paisley.

But the 90s witnessed a shift in the political landscape, heralded by both the IRA and Loyalist paramilitary ceasefires. Paisley loudly denounced the 1998 peace talks but found himself out of step with a NI majority, who seemed weary of violence. Ian Paisley and the DUP were struggling for significance in the world of more progressive politics. The man who had moved from the outside to the forefront of Unionism found himself cut adrift.