Henry McDonald: one of the first punks in Belfast who never lost mentality

In the mid eighties Henry was the front man of a punk band who were making waves on the Belfast music scene.

Described following his death by Northern Ireland musician David Holmes as “one of the first punks in Belfast”, Henry, who was influenced by The Clash and Joy Division, formed Flea Circus with long time collaborator Joe Rooney on guitar, Mark Campbell on bass and Michael Douglas on drums.

In an interview with Spit Records Henry said: “Ghoulish fact – the night we played in The Abercorn, June 1987, we backed up Manchester band Fallover 24.

"I think we got a very good review from one of the UK music mags. But that night was disrupted because towards the end of night as my sister came in to tell me that my uncle had been shot dead.”

Discussing Flea Circus’s songs Henry said: “Our songs were at times political, for example ‘In the Garden’, which was about old friends of mine who were being killed or killing others in the INLA feud of 1987. The Garden was Milltown Cemetery, the Eden references ironic.

"Other tunes were about love and drugs such as ‘Safe On Her Side’ which was about taking refuge in the arms of a woman after dropping an acid tab. And being grateful for the sanctuary.

“‘Cry Mother’ was written after Thatcher won a third term in ‘87 and reflected the general despair over that outcome.”

A session was recorded for BBC Radio Ulster which received favourable reviews before the band split in the summer of 1987 as Henry moved to Berlin and Joe bought a round the world ticket.

Henry started out in journalism at the Irish News, before becoming Ireland correspondent for The Guardian and The Observer for more than 23 years. For the past year he was the News Letter’s political editor.

Garry Jackson, one of Henry’s friends in the punk music scene said: “I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Henry McDonald. We first met and gelled over our love of all things punk rock about 42 years ago. Let’s say that we were both from different parts of town, so we did our bit for an Alternative Ulster.”

One of Henry’s last tweets came on the 44th anniversary of Stiff Little Fingers album ‘Inflammable Material’.

He wrote: “44 years today and it still packs an almighty punk punch against sectarianism, bigotry and boredom. Bought it in Caroline Music at the end of the school week. An unforgettable LP among only a few that changed my life.”

Fellow writer Steve Moore said: “Henry was a partisan music man and football fan but a sceptic when he came to politics on both sides of the water.

"My last conversations with him were around Brexit – which the punk mentality of his youth and his ancestral Republicanism approved of – and surviving cancer. God knows how he survived so long at the Observer. Let’s hope he knew how much he was revered these past few days.”