Dessie Noonan

Does anyone want to offer an obit of his anti-fascist activities? Because the papers are just concentrating on him as a gangster.

Same here.

Anti Fascist - Gangster is an odd combination. Like hibee, I'd be interested to know more.

Funnily enough 'gangsters' like any one else sometime have political views and I would rather that they be anti fash than pro fash like Joey Owens. Dessie came from a republican background and was involved in anti fash direct action in Manchester including defending the Manchester marytrs march and the resignation of the BNP organiser from a fledging South Manchester BNP branch. There's no list of single handed activities as it was a 'team effort'. Let us say that the fash in the North West were well aware of his political views and didn't feel able to fully engage in discussion.

By the way, Jack Spot ,who was one of London's leading gang leaders in the 40s, regularly joined anti BUF activities including Cable Street.

never knew he was an anti fascist,

Cheers Chuck. I had read about him in Hann and Tilzey's book but was advised to treat it with caution...

Why the face? Just because he was anti-fascist, doesn't make him a good bloke who didn't deserve to die in the gutter...

I smell a rat! Does anyone else besides me find it just a tad odd that Noonan has been murdered just a few days before the MacIntyre documentary on C5? He's been involved in heavy stuff for years and not much has ever happened until now. That McIntyre is a complete shit head. See Larry O'Hara's Notes From the Borderland - O'Hara proves he's working with the state as a 'Journo-Cop'. I didn't think Dessie was strongly actively involved, but got involved when ever it was some thing serious or of particular interest to him (eg: Manchester Martyrs). He's done nothing about the fash recently has he?

Can anyone clarify one way or the other?

Was it the noonans who took a wannabe BNP organiser for a short ride, after which attempts to set up a branch swiftly stopped? The story I heard placed this in Salford...

From a previous post I understand that there are rules about linking to nazi websites so I've cut and pasted a section of a review of No Retreat by Steve Tilzey written by Peter Rushton, who was booted out of the BNP in 2002 for being a Searchlight mole - again, see O'Hara. This is taken from the Stormfront Britain forum where they're talking about Dessie.

I doubt MacIntyre is anything other than the most prominent of a lazy strain of would-be Roger Cooks.

Some football hooligans follow Chelsea? Some West Africans practice a form of advance fee fraud? Stop the presses, gentlemen

Noonan was probably killed because someone got wind of his "noone would dare touch us" claim and thought there would never be a more oppurtune time for vengeance for some wrong Noonan or his clan did to them.

Pete Rushton currently with the White Nationalist Party. Most of Rushton's review comes from Walsh's book Gang Wars and the Evening news paper. Another of Walsh's book Guvners deals with Mickey Francis whose door security firm were in a short competitive spell with the Noonans.

can't find any mention of them in it - the door security phase is dealt with very briskly, though.

This occured after the book ( Guvners) was published, I think Mickey Francis got some time for it.

it was published in 1997, and goes up to when he was running door crews through loc-19, and the mkm scaffolding company. the last major event is getting set back to strangeways (1995) for doing over some chaps who'd apparently pulled a gun on his bouncers at the canal. he mentions a m.e.n. story that came out whilst he was inside, "...headlined 'the twilight zone', about conflict between different groups on the club doors in manchester" with his name and picture attached, but he doesn't really mention specifically who the other people were.

I think what happened was that Mickey's boys kicked off in a club to show to the owners that the bouncers couldn't handle the job.There was a story going about for a while that there had been a personal incident between the two but you never quite know what is really what.

tends not to be the sort of thing well-indexed books are written about i guess

Very true , actually I had heard before all this that a journalist had approached Dessie with view to a book, but again you never know.

As it happens the programme in question was made with the Noonans cooperation. The idea that this was 'business' related is also nonsense.

There never was a a car ride. The would be BNP organiser was invited in for talks, held at his insistence in a public place. It was a prominent member of AFA, D.C. who brought the BNP organiser to the table. Dessie who had a backround role in the collapse of the BNP in Manchester put in an appearance but did not sit in on the meeting. Neither did Hann for that matter, who on the day, offered to hold someone's coat.

No there isn't.

You obviously don't know the man.

From very early eighties high profile street engagement through to 'canvassing' the BNP when they stood in Newton Heath 2002.

Roughly 20 years.

In my neck of the woods there were anti-fascists I was active with who had served prison sentences for a variety of reasons, including robbery and violence (not in the same league as Dessie). Some are now dead sadly. They hated with a passion all bullies, which is one reason they were not prepared to tolerate fascists operating in working class communities. I was proud to stand alongside them.

Welcome to the boards Demu.

I'm interested that someone should join up and start posting on this subject.

It seems you're putting yourself forward as a friend of/associate of/person in the know about Dessie.

I wonder how you see the family so far as their role in the community, were they a suitable alternative to the police and regular services or is there something better out there.
Edited to add: Just seen you joined almost a year ago. Obviously a subject close to your heart to make you start posting now.

I suggest you watch the programme tomorrow night and draw your own conclusions on the social services provided by the Noonans.

Donal Mackintre on BBC tonight made reference to Dessie Noonan's reputation for physical force confrontation against the NF and BNP with Anti Fascist Action prior to achieving notoriety in gangsterland.

I have commented only to clarify the erroneous guesswork of others who have seen fit to comment following Dessie's untimely death.

I hardly think the TV is the place to learn anything about such a matter.

Having watched the brief clips on tonights news I'm nor sure I can stomach an hour and a half of laughing about murders and bragging about personal armies either, but I'll tape it and see.

Your not much of a fan of 'The Sopranos' presumably?

Good guess. I did try once, couldn't get into it.

It looks like the program might not get aired this evening, apparently the police are seeking an injunction as they reckon there are statements which might influence a prosecution.

I don't mean to be rude lad but who the fuck are you, and what's with the cryptic "You are wrong, I'm right but I won't tell you exactly what there is to know" attitude?

What is it you want to know?