Johnny Adair (27 October 1963-) was a leader of the Ulster Defense Association during The Troubles. In 2003, he was exiled from Northern Ireland after a power struggle within the UDA.
Biography[]
Johnny Adair was born in Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland on 27 October 1963 to a Protestant Ulster Scots family. His father was friends with several Irish republicans, but Adair would join the anti-Irish Ulster Defense Association during The Troubles and participate in attacks against Catholics. He created an anti-Catholic skinhead gang, and the gang beat up anti-racists at concerts by The Specials and The English Beat and was, in turn, attacked at a UB40 concert. In 1993, he became a brigadier of the UDA, and his unit killed 40 people from 1993 to 1995. Adair was targeted by the Provisional IRA in the failed Shankill Road bombing of 23 October 1993, and Adair survived numerous more assassination attempts while ordering the Greysteel massacre in retaliation. He was imprisoned by the British government numerous times, and he was exiled from Northern Ireland in 2003 after a power struggle with the UDA leadership.