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BBC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Féile an Phobail: Thousands expected at west Belfast's 'window to the world'
Féile an Phobail, billed as Ireland's biggest community arts festival, returns this weekend with thousands expected to attend events over the next two in its 37th year, the festival pitches itself as a celebration of Irish culture, with a spectacle of music, art and comedy events as well as political year's festival will have added significance for one of its founders who will be conducting his long-running walking tours of Belfast City Cemetery for the final Hartley, a former Sinn Féin lord mayor of Belfast, said the graveyard is "a reservoir" of the city's history and the perfect place to reflect on the years gone by. "It's about the complexity of those who are buried here," Mr Hartley said."It's about the great and the good. Those who shaped Belfast in the 19th century, who made it the Silicon Valley of its day."It's about women, it's about the poor, it's about the working class, it's about my notions of death and how death plays a part in the humanity of human beings." Mr Hartley told BBC News NI that while he plans to take a step back he hopes to continue his involvement in other ways. He believes the festival has allowed west Belfast to "connect with the world in a time when it appears to be upside down"."I feel it has all the potential to tap into the Irish diaspora worldwide," Mr Hartley told BBC News NI."Féile was founded at a time when the demonisation of west Belfast was at its height and so it was an expression of the internal light in our community, the creative, artistic element aspects."We wanted to show the generosity of this community and its openness, and I think Féile continues to do that in a big way." The festival will also be "keepin' 'er country" with the return of a country music night after its sell-out debut in 2024.Féile Country Fest takes place on 2 Carter returns to the line-up alongside Claudia Buckley and The Whistlin' Donkeys. Speaking to BBC News NI, the country star said he was relishing another fantastic night at Falls Park."We're really excited for this year's Féile, we played their last year and it was one of the biggest gigs of the entire year and festival season," Carter said."In Belfast we've a good old crowd that follows us so it was great to see the tremendous success at last year's country night."The Liverpool native who now lives in County Fermanagh said being able to perform in front of thousands at the west Belfast venue was "a dream come true" and praised efforts to make the concert affordable for families. Controversy The festival has not been without week, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, one of its principal funders, asked organisers to remove its logo from the festival's sports events after a children's sports event was named after a former IRA chief of the past, there have been complaints about pro-IRA chanting at a gig by the band The Wolfe Tones.
Belfast Telegraph
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Féile representative tells council ‘no complaints' received over pro-IRA chants at festival
A Belfast Féile representative has told Belfast City Council it has received no complaints about 'pro-IRA chants' at the annual festival following a series of controversial concerts at Falls Park. TUV representative Ron McDowell quizzed the Féile an Phobail representative about what is being done to reduce expressions of support for terror during a Belfast City Licensing Committee meeting which was told there has been a reduction in the number of noise complaints. The councillor welcomed what he described as 'moves in the right direction' but said questions remain when it comes to 'inclusivity, and making everybody feel welcome' at the event. "Has there been any discussion or any movement towards the reduction of pro-IRA chants, which would make the event more hospitable to people from right across the city?' he asked. The Féile representative replied: 'Again, we engage very widely with elected reps right across the city, as well as with community organisations, and others concerned. "We had no complaints over the last couple of years directed to us, around anything that was taking place at the festival. Mr McDowell has welcomed enhanced cooperation with police as councillors approved a request to permit the planned entertainment to run beyond 11pm on up to six nights during the event which will run from Friday August 1 to Sunday August 10. It is expected the entertainment will run to 1am on two of the nights – Saturday August 2 and Friday August 8. During the committee meeting at City Hall, elected representatives were told by council officials that 76 noise complaints were received over the period of last year's festival which was a reduction from the 120 received in 2023. The Féile representative said: 'We have had a meeting with the PSNI, and furnished them with all the details of all the evenings concerned, as well as the full event plans, which also went to City Council. "We work very closely with various council teams, including Licensing and Parks, Building Control and Community Safety Teams, and operate hand in hand with the council in the festival period, along with the PSNI.' They added: 'We have a very substantial operation that kicks in from mid July, where we have a number of residential consultation events, including the resident's letter, which goes far and wide, particularly into the houses which are quite close to the event space. "All our committees, which work on a year-round basis to help programme the festival, all involve local people. "We are very well connected to the festival and the local community. 'There was a significant reduction in complaints received last year, and that probably was the result of having a noise consultant on site during those evenings when music was played in the Falls Park.' The representative confirmed the noise consultant would be on-site again this year as they said 'we are happy to take on board any advice or guidance towards this year's events' in relation to pro-IRA chants at previous events. 'Or anything the council would ask us to follow up on,' they said. 'But we have received no complaints, the PSNI are present at all these events, and they didn't record anything either or come to us with any issues. "Nor did any of the other statutory agencies involved.' Up the 'RA chanting at Feile Wolfe Tones finale Over three years ago, the DUP and Sinn Fein clashed at City Hall over The Wolfe Tones concerts in Falls Park. Belfast City Council agreed to subject events in public parks to an annual review. In March 2022, then DUP councillor Brian Kingston, who is now an MLA, condemned: 'the use of a council park where there is a concert, and from the stage there is singing and the leading of young people to the chanting of support for paramilitary organisations.' He said: 'I am referring to the Wolfe Tones concert in Falls Park, in our park. "There is nothing else on the same scale as this. "It remains a stain on the Féile, and a stain on this council.' The Wolfe Tones played a 'farewell to west Belfast' gig last summer as part of the Feile festival. In previous years, major funders of the festival have expressed concern after pro-IRA chanting during Wolfe Tones sets after video footage emerged showing many fans singing 'Ooh, ah, up the 'RA'.
RTÉ News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
UK and Irish governments should 'consider their actions' over Kneecap funding
The UK and Irish governments should "consider their actions" with regard to any funding provided to Irish rap trio Kneecap, a Stormont minister has said. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the actions of the band amounted the "glorification of terrorism" and went well beyond artistic licence. The group has seen gigs cancelled after historic concert footage appeared to show a member of the group shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah", and another video allegedly showing one calling for Conservative MPs to be killed. Made up of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J. J. Ó Dochartaigh, the group has faced an investigation by counter-terrorism police after the videos, filmed in 2023 and 2024, became public. Mr Lyons was asked during ministerial question time at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday if his department had provided funding to Kneecap since 2017. He said: "Neither my department nor any of its arm's length bodies have provided any funding to Kneecap since 2017." TUV MLA Timothy Gaston referred to a planned gig in Belfast this August where Kneecap is set to support Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. He said: "As the minister responsible for local government, what are you doing to stop this pro-IRA rap group from turning Belfast City Council-owned Boucher Road playing fields into their personal propaganda stage?" Mr Lyons responded: "The member will be aware that although I oversee local government legislation, it is up to individual councils to make their own decisions in those regards. "But I hope that local councils would take into consideration some of the good relations issues that have been raised in light of some of the comments that have been made by Kneecap. "Not only by Kneecap, but all of those that would seek to engage in what is essentially the glorification of terrorism." DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley asked the minister if he agreed the UK and Irish governments "need to fully distance themselves from the funding of racist, antisemitic and sectarian state sponsorship in the view of Kneecap?". Mr Lyons said it was the responsibility of all to call out such behaviour. He said: "There are always things we can disagree with which other people do in the arts sphere but this is going far beyond anything which comes anywhere close to dealing with artistic licence. "This is the glorification of terrorism and this is also supporting, calling for violence towards MPs. "It is incumbent on us to call that out and I would also call on the UK Government and the Irish Government to consider their actions in this regard." Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll asked the Communities Minister if his department had given funding to any organisations that have been publicly singing "up to our necks in Fenian blood?". Mr Lyons said it was up to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to determine funding policies. He added: "What I won't do is what some are trying to do which is to judge the entire bands community by the actions of a few if they have fallen beneath expected standards."
South Wales Guardian
19-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
UK and Irish governments should ‘consider their actions' over Kneecap funding
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the actions of the the band amounted the 'glorification of terrorism' and went well beyond artistic licence. The group has seen gigs cancelled after historic concert footage appeared to show a member of the group shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah', and another video allegedly showing one calling for Conservative MPs to be killed. Made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, the group has faced an investigation by counter-terrorism police after the videos, filmed in 2023 and 2024, became public. Mr Lyons was asked during ministerial question time at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday if his department had provided funding to Kneecap since 2017. He said: 'Neither my department nor any of its arm's length bodies have provided any funding to Kneecap since 2017.' TUV MLA Timothy Gaston referred to a planned gig in Belfast this August where Kneecap is set to support Irish rock band Fontaines DC. He said: 'As the minister responsible for local government, what are you doing to stop this pro-IRA rap group from turning Belfast City Council-owned Boucher Road playing fields into their personal propaganda stage?' Mr Lyons responded: 'The member will be aware that although I oversee local government legislation, it is up to individual councils to make their own decisions in those regards. 'But I hope that local councils would take into consideration some of the good relations issues that have been raised in light of some of the comments that have been made by Kneecap. 'Not only by Kneecap, but all of those that would seek to engage in what is essentially the glorification of terrorism.' DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley asked the minister if he agreed the UK and Irish governments 'need to fully distance themselves from the funding of racist, antisemitic and sectarian state sponsorship in the view of Kneecap?'. Mr Lyons said it was the responsibility of all to call out such behaviour. He said: 'There are always things we can disagree with which other people do in the arts sphere but this is going far beyond anything which comes anywhere close to dealing with artistic licence. 'This is the glorification of terrorism and this is also supporting, calling for violence towards MPs. 'It is incumbent on us to call that out and I would also call on the UK Government and the Irish Government to consider their actions in this regard.' Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll asked the Communities Minister if his department had given funding to any organisations that have been publicly singing 'up to our necks in Fenian blood?'. Mr Lyons said it was up to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to determine funding policies. He added: 'What I won't do is what some are trying to do which is to judge the entire bands community by the actions of a few if they have fallen beneath expected standards.'
Powys County Times
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
UK and Irish governments should ‘consider their actions' over Kneecap funding
The UK and Irish governments should 'consider their actions' with regard to any funding provided to Irish rap trio Kneecap, a Stormont minister has said. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said the actions of the the band amounted the 'glorification of terrorism' and went well beyond artistic licence. The group has seen gigs cancelled after historic concert footage appeared to show a member of the group shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah', and another video allegedly showing one calling for Conservative MPs to be killed. Made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, the group has faced an investigation by counter-terrorism police after the videos, filmed in 2023 and 2024, became public. Mr Lyons was asked during ministerial question time at the Northern Ireland Assembly on Monday if his department had provided funding to Kneecap since 2017. He said: 'Neither my department nor any of its arm's length bodies have provided any funding to Kneecap since 2017.' TUV MLA Timothy Gaston referred to a planned gig in Belfast this August where Kneecap is set to support Irish rock band Fontaines DC. He said: 'As the minister responsible for local government, what are you doing to stop this pro-IRA rap group from turning Belfast City Council-owned Boucher Road playing fields into their personal propaganda stage?' Mr Lyons responded: 'The member will be aware that although I oversee local government legislation, it is up to individual councils to make their own decisions in those regards. 'But I hope that local councils would take into consideration some of the good relations issues that have been raised in light of some of the comments that have been made by Kneecap. 'Not only by Kneecap, but all of those that would seek to engage in what is essentially the glorification of terrorism.' DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley asked the minister if he agreed the UK and Irish governments 'need to fully distance themselves from the funding of racist, antisemitic and sectarian state sponsorship in the view of Kneecap?'. Mr Lyons said it was the responsibility of all to call out such behaviour. He said: 'There are always things we can disagree with which other people do in the arts sphere but this is going far beyond anything which comes anywhere close to dealing with artistic licence. 'This is the glorification of terrorism and this is also supporting, calling for violence towards MPs. 'It is incumbent on us to call that out and I would also call on the UK Government and the Irish Government to consider their actions in this regard.' Last year, Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after former business secretary Kemi Badenoch tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award. People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll asked the Communities Minister if his department had given funding to any organisations that have been publicly singing 'up to our necks in Fenian blood?'. Mr Lyons said it was up to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to determine funding policies. He added: 'What I won't do is what some are trying to do which is to judge the entire bands community by the actions of a few if they have fallen beneath expected standards.'
