West Belfast Festival: Michelle O’Neill must be ready to condemn any ‘offensive behaviour’ at feile 2022 as programme of events revealed

It comes after the regional Sinn Fein leader said she wants to be “a first minister for all” and “work for all in our community”.

She made those comments after laying a green laurel wreath at Belfast City Hall’s cenotaph last Friday, ahead of the official commemoration of the Battle of the Somme, which began on July 1, 1916.

Then, a few hours later, she launched the West Belfast Festival, also known as the Feile An Phobail.

It runs from August 4-14, and contains a long list of republican-themed events.

The main headline act is once again The Wolfe Tones, whose repertoire contains such tracks as ‘Joe McDonnell’ (about the PIRA man of the same name), ‘The Helicopter Song’ (about the PIRA hijacking of a helicopter at Mountjoy jail), and ‘Go On Home British Soldiers’ (which contains the lyrics: “If you stay British soldiers, if you stay / you’ll never, ever beat the IRA”).

The band’s regular appearances at the festival have often been accompanied by IRA chanting from the audience.

NOT ONLY, BUT ALSO:

Other events in the 2022 festival calendar include a three-hour city walking tour led by “activists and political ex-prisoners from within the Republican community”;

> A street tour of west Belfast setting out “the resistance of the people in Ballymurphy to British rule” including the tales of “those who were involved in the armed struggle to end British occupation”.

> A talk by Jake MacSiacais, “an Irish language activist and former IRA prisoner”;

> Another talk on “Rewriting the Troubles – Ireland / Algeria” by “writer and commentator” Danny Morrison (a SF strategist and originator of the “Armalite and ballot box” maxim).

> There will also be a “Prisoners’ Day” exhibition in the Felons Club, including:

> A talk about “the campaign to expose Britain’s ‘chemical warfare’ attack on republican prisoners during the ‘Burning of Long Kesh’ in October 1974”;

> A talk from “Human Rights lawyer Padraig Ó Muirigh on developments relating to the cases of dozens of republicans interned in the North in the early 1970s”;

> The launch of a book about Armagh Jail written by Gerry Adams and Richard McAuley;

> And “a discussion on the experiences of republican prisoners incarcerated in England during the conflict and the ordeals their families”, chaired by “long-time republican activist Eibhlin Glenholmes” alongside ex-IRA prisoner Martina Anderson.

The 236-page programme contains three mentions of “unionist”and two of “loyalist”, 24 mentions of “republican” and five of “nationalist/ism”.

‘THIS FESTIVAL BRINGS COMMUNITIES TOGETHER’:

Launching the West Belfast Festival last Friday afternoon, Michelle O’Neill praised the annual event for “bringing people and communities together”.

She said in a statement: “As First Minister elect, I take huge inspiration from Féile an Phobail and how it’s very much a model and a lesson to us all in how to break-through barriers, build up social and community connections, showcase and champion local talent and create space for all shades of opinion, viewpoints and most importantly ideas, to be respectfully discussed, heard, and translated into action by us all, not least the government.”

The festival’s principal funders are listed as Belfast City Council, The Arts Council Northern Ireland, and Tourism Northern Ireland, with other funders including Stormont’s Department of Communities, and the Irish government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

DUP AND SINN FEIN HAVE THEIR SAY:

Yesterday the DUP issued a statement from North Belfast MLA Phillip Brett, saying: “Having launched the West Belfast Festival on the same day [as the Somme commemoration], the test for Michelle O’Neill will be whether she is prepared to condemn any repeat of offensive behaviour which has been on display in the past, particularly at the Wolfe Tones concert.

“It isn’t possible to ‘work for all in Northern Ireland’ whilst either condoning or staying silent on the glorification of terrorism...

“The test for Michelle O’Neill in representing everyone in Northern Ireland will be both in what she does and what she refrains from doing.”

A Sinn Fein spokesperson said: “Phillip Brett should turn up for work on behalf of those who elected him and his colleagues two months ago.

“He and his party should form an Executive to help workers and families deal with the rising cost of living and to work with others to end the suffering of people on growing waiting lists by investing the extra £1 billion needed to start fixing our health service.”

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