James Connolly he was later forced to withdraw his attendance at the event. The reason for the withdrawal was attributed to an angry backlash from senior UDA leaders angry at the Sinn Féin mayor of Belfast Niall Ó Donnghaile's decision to remove photos of the Royal Family from his office. Criticising young loyalists in November 2011, he suggested they were too interested in drinking alcohol and using drugs than caring about their future. In a further verbal attack, he lambasted some loyalist band members for attacking each other when drunk and when there are no Catholics in the vicinity. To some surprise McDonald in 2012 labelled The Twelfth as "the worst day of my year". He cited the excess consumption of alcohol by followers and supporters of the parades in Belfast causing violence on occasions. He also noted that if the parades had an outward route only without having a return route the potential for disorder would be decreased. The comments were condemned by other loyalists and were said to have driven a further wedge between the wider UDA and its North Antrim and Londonderry Brigade, which had been the source of some dissident activity. McDonald is the most senior UDA brigadier, and author Jon Moran credits him with restoring order to the organisation due to his prominent role in bringing about the downfall of Johnny Adair. He and the South Belfast Brigade have long taken a hard-line stance against drugs and drug-dealing in south Belfast. He confirmed this is an interview with Ian S. Wood: "We do take as hard a line as we can in South Belfast". References External links http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00135/jackie_135302t.jpg Jackie McDonald https://www.theguardian.com/Northern_Ireland/Story/0,2763,888432,00.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/3420391.stm https://web.archive.org/web/20070301184425/http://www.fortnight.org/grant429.html https://web.archive.org/web/20070927200737/http://www.socialistdemocracy.org/RecentArticles/RecentLoyalismAndBritishPolicy.html https://web.archive.org/web/20090810210803/http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/2009/The-continuing-shame-of-post-conflict-Northern-Ireland.php Ulster Defence Association members Paramilitaries from Belfast Loyalists imprisoned during the Northern Ireland conflict Living people 1947 births