Billy McCurrie

On Thursday 15^th March 2012, the Rev. Billy McCurrie came in to speak to Year 11 GCSE RS pupils about forgiveness and violence.

Billy McCurrie was 12 years old when his father was killed by an IRA sniper.  Consumer with anger, Billy joined the Ulster Volunteer Force and was ordered, at the age of 16, to kill a member of the IRA.  He and another man obeyed the order (though the man who died turned out not to be a member of the IRA).  Billy spent several years in the Maze Prison and it was in that oppressive and unlikely setting that he says he met God and was transformed into a new person.  Today, Billy works as a pastor in Ormskirk and shared his story of violence, transformation and reconciliation with us.

The pupil feedback was fantastic and one comment said: Billy was a very interesting man who had an extraordinary story.  It was fascinating to hear how someone who was once so completely un-religious turned to God in jail and is still following him years later, as a Baptist Minister.  It was great to talk to him and ask questions about his past which he answered opening and truthfully, giving us a good insight into life as a terrorist.  I thoroughly enjoyed him coming and talking to us, he was a lovely, inspiring man who I would definitely talk to again.