Page "Billy Wright (loyalist)" Paragraph 6

At the age of 15, Wright, whilst attending Markethill High School, took a part-time job as a farm labourer where he came into contact with a number of staunchly unionist and loyalist farmers who served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary ( RUC ) Reserve or the Ulster Defence Regiment ( UDR ).

The sanguineous religious / political conflict known as " The Troubles " had been raging across Northern Ireland for over five years by this stage, and many young men such as Wright would be swept up in the maelstrom of violence as the Provisional IRA ramped up its bombing campaign and sectarian killings continued to escalate.

During this time Wright's opinions moved towards loyalism and soon he got into trouble for writing the initials " UVF " on a local primary school wall.

When he refused to clean off the vandalism, Wright was transferred from the area and sent to live with an aunt in Portadown.