Jimmy Boyle (artist) Jimmy Boyle (artist) James Boyle (born 17 May 1944) is a Scottish gangster and convicted murderer who became a sculptor and novelist after his release from prison. In 1967, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of another gangland figure, William "Babs" Rooney, but released after 14 years. He has always denied killing Rooney but has acknowledged having been a violent and sometimes ruthless moneylender from the Gorbals, one of the roughest areas of Glasgow. During his incarceration in the special unit of Barlinnie Prison, he turned to art and wrote an autobiography, "A Sense of Freedom" (1977),
Miracle in the Gorbals Miracle in the Gorbals Miracle in the Gorbals (1944) is a one-act ballet choreographed by Robert Helpmann to a story by Michael Benthall, with music by Arthur Bliss. The setting is the 1940s slums in the Gorbals area of Glasgow. It became a staple of the Royal Ballet, performed each season from 1944 to 1950 and receiving a revival in 1958. The idea for the scenario for "Miracle in the Gorbals" came to Michael Benthall while he was working on a gun site in Glasgow. He worked on a detailed story and the characters, discussing the action with dancer and