Latest news with #Shebeen
ITV News
6 days ago
- ITV News
Bayardo bomber Féile tribute before 50th anniversary 'cruel and crass,' says victims' group
The family of a woman who was killed in an IRA bomb has called it "absolutely disgusting" that the leader of the attack was celebrated at this year's Féile an Phobail. Linda Boyle was 17 when she died from her injuries a week after the Bayardo pub bombing in August 1975. Five people were killed and more than 60 injured in the west Belfast tragedy. Wednesday, 13 August marked the atrocity's 50th anniversary. Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane received a life sentence for his role in the attack, he died earlier this year following a short illness. The band Shebeen paid tribute to him during their performance at the Falls Park event on Sunday. Linda's family said she had so much to experience in life "but others determined that her rights mattered for nothing". 'We looked up to her and remember her as a stylish young woman who was caring and friendly and who had a real zest for life. "She would now be of retirement age and would be at a point where she should be relaxing and exploring a further chapter of life, Linda's storybook was ended before she got beyond her first chapter. 'But for the years we had her, she brought blessings to our family and to the community at large, she might have just been a girl, part of the statistics to others but to our family she was extraordinary, she was so special to us and her murder destroyed so much in our family. Her murdered extinguished so much joy, never to be fully replaced'. Commenting on the tribute to Brendan McFarlane at this year's Féile an Phobail, the family added: 'We can barely find the words to express how we feel about what happened. It's absolutely disgusting, especially as the 50th Anniversary was only a few days away and those engaged in that sick tribute knew that. 'Why do some within this society continue to stoke the fires, why do they want to continue to hurt the innocent? Haven't they had their pound of flesh already? 'It's so depressing that these things happen, and it's not an isolated incident, almost weekly we see instances of glorification of terrorism and what's done about it? Brief outrage and then people go back to their own lives and priorities but what of the innocent victims of terrorism? Where do we go?" A terrorism victims advocacy group has also criticised the tribute to McFarlane. Kenny Donaldson from the South East Fermanagh Foundation added: 'For this to be done just days ahead of the milestone 50th Anniversary of the Bayardo pub bombing is particularly cruel and crass. "Those involved will have been very aware of what they were doing and that makes this all the more shameful. "The Bayardo attack was a brutal, sectarian motivated attack which resulted in the murder of five people, and which left a trail of destruction behind it.
Irish Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Victim's family condemns ‘disgusting' Féile na Phobail tribute to Brendan ‘Bik' McFarlane
The family of a young woman murdered during the Troubles has called the tribute paid to her killer at Féile an Phobail as 'absolutely disgusting'. An image of Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane appeared on the screen during a show by Scottish band Shebeen at the closing night of Féile an Phobail in Belfast on Sunday night. Féile an Phobail , which bills itself as Ireland's biggest community arts festival, is partially funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs ' Reconciliation Fund, which gave €157,704 in 2022. Linda Boyle (17) was killed during a machine gun and bomb attack on the Bayardo Bar on the Shankill Road in August 1975 McFarlane, who died earlier this year, was convicted and sentenced for the Bayardo Bar massacre which occurred 50 years ago on August 13th, 1975. READ MORE Then aged 23, he and two others, Peter Christopher Skeet Hamilton (22) and Séamus Joseph Clarke (19) carried out a bomb and gun attack on the pub they suspected of being used by UVF members. A tribute to Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane on the screen at the Falls Park tonight as Shebeen sing Marcella, the song Bik wrote in memory of his friend and comrade Bobby Sands. — Féile an Phobail (@FeileBelfast) Two civilians were machine-gunned to death outside the pub while three more died in the subsequent explosion which injured dozens of people. Among those killed in the Bayardo Bar massacre was 17-year-old Linda Boyle. In a statement marking the 50th anniversary, Ms Boyle's family said what happened on Sunday night – which was shared on the Féile an Phobail social media channel – was a 'sick tribute'. They added: 'We can barely find the words to express how we feel about what happened. It's so depressing that these things happen, and it's not an isolated incident, almost weekly we see instances of glorification of terrorism and what's done about it? 'We rejoice in how Linda lived and the values she represented, and no one will ever take that away from us.' They stated that Linda was a 'stylish young woman who was caring and friendly and who had a real zest for life. 'She would now be of retirement age and would be at a point where she should be relaxing and exploring a further chapter of life, Linda's storybook was ended before she got beyond her first chapter.' The South East Fermanagh Foundation, which supports victims of the Troubles, said the events of Sunday night were part of a 'concerted campaign on the part of Irish republicans to infiltrate the genre of traditional Irish music, to integrate what was once fringe rebel music into the mainstream'. McFarlane was officer commanding in the H Blocks during the hunger strikes of 1981. According to David Beresford, the author of the 1987 book Ten Men Dead, McFarlane's crimes were such that it would have been a 'one-man public relations disaster' had he gone on hunger strike too. McFarlane escaped from the Maze Prison in September 1983. He was later charged in connection with the kidnapping of businessman Don Tidey , a case that went on for nearly a decade. Mr Tidey was kidnapped in November 1983. He was kept in a hideout in Derrada Wood outside Ballinamore in Co Leitrim until December 16th of that year when it was discovered by a search party involving gardaí and army personnel. Pte Patrick Kelly and recruit Garda Gary Sheehan were shot dead by the IRA gang when they came across the hideout 23 days after Tidey's abduction. The gang also shot and seriously wounded Det Sgt Donie Kelleher before fleeing. McFarlane was named by gardaí as a suspect in the aftermath of the events of Derrada Wood even before forensic evidence confirmed that his fingerprints were found in the hideout. A garda at the scene later identified McFarlane as one of the gunmen who shot directly at him during the escape. McFarlane allegedly confessed to the kidnapping and murders at Dundalk Garda station after being arrested in 1998. After a lengthy trial process, the confession was deemed as inadmissible and the case collapsed.
BBC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Féile an Phobail: Family of IRA victim call Féile tribute 'sick'
The family of Linda Boyle, who was killed in a bomb in west Belfast in 1975, have said they are "absolutely disgusted" by the "sick" tribute to former senior IRA member Brendan McFarlane at this year's Féile an Phobail event. McFarlane was jailed for the gun and bomb attack on the Bayardo Bar on Belfast's Shankill Road, which killed five people, including Ms Boyle, and injured 60 Boyle was 17-years-old when she died from the injuries she sustained in the attack. The tribute to McFarlane took place during a performance by the band Shebeen during the Féile an Phobail festival in Falls Park on Sunday. On Tuesday, speaking ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Bayardo pub bombing, the family of Linda Boyle issued a statement which said: "Wednesday will be a particularly difficult day although there have been few easy days since the Provisional IRA stole away our beautiful Linda and the others that fateful day." It went on to say how Linda would now be of retirement age and should be "relaxing and exploring a further chapter of life". "Linda's storybook was ended before she got beyond her first chapter," it added. 'Cruel and crass' It's understood that during the event on Sunday, the band Shebeen performed a song called 'Marcella', written by McFarlane in memory of hunger striker Bobby Sands. A picture of McFarlane was then projected onto the stage screen behind the band to a crowd of thousands. Linda Boyle's family described the tribute as "absolutely disgusting, especially as the 50th anniversary was only a few days away". "Why do some within this society continue to stoke the fires, why do they want to continue to hurt the innocent?" they added. Kenny Donaldson from the South East Fermanagh Foundation, a terrorism victims advocacy group, said that for this tribute to come just days before the anniversary of the bombing is "particularly cruel and crass". He said it was "shameful" and those involved "will have been very aware of what they were doing". Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane died in February. He was the leader of IRA prisoners in the Maze during the 1981 hunger strike, where he was serving five life sentences for also led a mass escape of 38 inmates from the prison near Lisburn in prison officer died of a heart attack after being stabbed and six other officers were stabbed or shot during the was later caught in Amsterdam and extradited to Northern Ireland along with fellow escapee, Sinn Féin's Gerry Kelly. Féile an Phobail have been contacted for a response.
Belfast Telegraph
7 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Family of IRA victim ‘disgusted' at Feile tribute to Bik McFarlane – days before 50th anniversary of Bayardo pub bombing
The family of a woman killed in the Bayardo pub bombing have said it is 'depressing' and 'disgusting' that the leader of the attack was lauded at a Feile an Phobail event. The band Shebeen played a song written by Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane in memory of hunger striker Bobby Sands during the Falls Park gig on Sunday night. McFarlane, who died earlier this year following a short illness, was sentenced to life in prison in 1976 for his role in the attack on the Bayardo on Aberdeen Street, in the Shankill area. The west Belfast bombing and shooting - which took place on August 13, 1975 - killed five people and injured more than 60 others. Linda Boyle was 17 at the time and died as a result of her injuries one week after the attack. Speaking ahead of the bombing's 50th anniversary on Wednesday, Ms Boyle's family said they 'can barely find the words' to express their feelings about the Feile tribute to McFarlane. He was the IRA's Officer Commanding in the Maze Prison during the 1981 hunger strikes also and escaped in a 1983 breakout, remaining on the run until his recapture in 1986. He was released in 1997. During Shebeen's Sunday night performance, his image was projected on a large screen before a crowd of 12,000. 'It's absolutely disgusting, especially as the 50th anniversary was only a few days away and those engaged in that sick tribute knew that,' Ms Boyle's family added 'Why do some within this society continue to stoke the fires, why do they want to continue to hurt the innocent? Haven't they had their pound of flesh already? 'It's so depressing that these things happen, and it's not an isolated incident. Almost weekly we see instances of glorification of terrorism and what's done about it? Brief outrage and then people go back to their own lives and priorities but what of the innocent victims of terrorism? Where do we go? 'We rejoice in how Linda lived and the values she represented, and no-one will ever take that away from us.' The family described Ms Boyle as 'a stylish young woman who was caring and friendly and who had a real zest for life'. 'She would now be of retirement age and would be at a point where she should be relaxing and exploring a further chapter of life, Linda's storybook was ended before she got beyond her first chapter,' they said. 'But for the years we had her, she brought blessings to our family and to the community at large, she might have just been a girl, part of the statistics to others but to our family she was extraordinary, she was so special to us and her murder destroyed so much in our family. Her murdered extinguished so much joy, never to be fully replaced'. In a statement, which made no reference to the row, Feile an Phobail Director Kevin Gamble said: 'This year's Feile an Phobail saw the biggest Feile ever held. 'This year, representatives from all communities were welcomed to Feile to have their voice heard, both as spectators and participants. 'All political persuasions attended and participated in various panel discussions, as did representatives from minority ethnic communities, and international visitors. "Feile an Phobail includes all opinions and provides a platform for many different views."
Belfast Telegraph
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Belfast Telegraph
DUP MLA hits out at big-screen tribute to former IRA prisoner during closing Féile event
On Sunday night at Falls Park, the band Shebeen played a song written by Brendan 'Bik' McFarlane in memory of hunger striker Bobby Sands. McFarlane, who died earlier this year following a short illness, was sentenced to life in prison in 1976 for his role in an attack on the Bayardo Bar on Aberdeen Street in Belfast which killed five people and injured more than 60 He was Officer Commanding of the IRA in the Maze Prison during the 1981 hunger strikes and in 1983 he took part in a break-out from the prison and went on the run. McFarlane was re-captured in 1986 and was released from prison in 1997. During Shebeen's performance on Sunday night, an image of McFarlane was also projected on a large screen on the stage to the 12,000-strong crowd in attendance at the event. Speaking about the scenes, the DUP's North Belfast MLA Philip Brett said: 'McFarlane was not a hero. 'He was a convicted terrorist who bore responsibility for murder and destruction, including his role in the Bayardo Bar bombing, which claimed the lives of five people and injured many more. 'Such attempts to romanticise the actions of the IRA are an insult to the families left bereaved and communities still dealing with the scars of violence. 'When Sinn Féin previously attempted to eulogise Brendan McFarlane, I set the record straight — and I will continue to stand up for victims every single time. 'Victims deserve better than selective outrage and silence from those who claim to hold truth to account. 'We owe it to victims to tell the truth: Brendan McFarlane was part of a campaign of violence which devastated lives. No amount of music, speeches, or banners will erase that reality.' Watch: Kneecap member makes surprise appearance at Féile concert In a statement, Féile an Phobail Director Kevin Gamble said: 'This year's Féile an Phobail saw the biggest Féile ever held. "In total around 130,000 people attended this year's August Féile. 'This year was a record year with record attendances across all our events. 'Over 600 events took place at 50 venues, including over 90 debates and discussions, 130 Trad Trail music sessions, 90 art exhibitions, a host of literary, sporting and theatre events, a massive carnival parade with over 6,000 people in attendance, and a series of family events. 'Our Falls Park events space hosted six 12,000 capacity outdoor concerts. 'Our nature and environment events, children's events, tours and walks also had record attendances this year. 'Also significantly, due to the hard work and commitment of Féile staff and volunteers, community organisations, political representatives and Belfast City Council, and the support of our young people and the local community, Belfast was bonfire free on 8th August. "All those involved in achieving this deserve praise. In past years these unwanted bonfires have brought destruction and an increase in anti-social behaviour to the areas in which they were held. 'The benefit of the absence of these unwanted bonfires on 8th August is significant. As well as the positive images emanating from the festival events showcasing Belfast in a positive light, there is also the considerable benefit to the city's economy which the associated increase in visitor footfall and spending over the duration of the festival brings to the city, over £6 million last year alone. 'Over the last 37 years, Féile has a proven track record of delivering significant social, cultural and economic benefits to the city of Belfast, and this increases year on year. 'This year, representatives from all communities were welcomed to Féile to have their voice heard, both as spectators and participants. 'All political persuasions attended and participated in various panel discussions, as did representatives from minority ethnic communities, and international visitors. "Féile an Phobail includes all opinions and provides a platform for many different views."
