At the launch last week of Féile an Phobail’s discussion and debate clar Gerry Adams told a story about a group of ten- year- old children from his street who recently collected £400 from door-to-door collections and other fund-raising activities and donated it to a cancer charity.
The spirit of these children, he said, is the reason why Féile an Phobail is “flourishing” in its 27th year.
Gerry Adams is one of the principal founders of Féile an Phobail and he reminded the audience of the circumstances out of which it emerged.
In March 1988 west Belfast was in the headlines for reason of bloodshed resulting in multiple deaths caused by the SAS, loyalists, undercover British soldiers and the IRA .
The political and media reaction to the cycle of tragedy and conflict was to demonise the people of west Belfast. Gerry Adams and the community of west Belfast reacted to this vilification and Féile an Phobail was born.
Community participation and history play a huge part in Féile and this year, courtesy of funds from Queen’s University, an exciting project is underway to record the history of Féile through an online archive, an exhibition and a book. Dubliner Michael Pierse is a researcher at Queens and is behind the project.
And offering advice on the history project was Hazel Thomas from the ‘People’s Collection’ in Wales. Her bi-lingual project, funded by the Welsh government, is recording the culture, heritage and history of communities across Wales using modern computer-based technology.
Féile’s home is firmly rooted in its west Belfast community. St Mary’s University College, a highly respected centre of learning, is the venue for Ireland’s biggest summer school and the Falls Park is the venue for what looks like the biggest marquee in Ireland with a capacity for 5,000 revellers.
There was relief all round, in Féile and in family circles when both announced an agreed resolution to the Frankie Boyle controversy, over the comedian’s past and hurtful remarks about people with Down’s Syndrome.
Féile is the heartbeat of its community which includes its disabled and further exploration of the issues raised during the controversy is required.
Féile prides itself on providing an open and inclusive platform for debate in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere where ideas not time is the premium and people can mull over what they hear in Irish and English.
Féile has long provided platforms for a variety of points-of-view, critical, challenging and reflective, on local and international politics and history, and moral issues; this year for example, on the comparisons between Islamism and Christianity.
Leading republican Bobby Storey conducted a highly personal interview with the writer Danny Morrison on how he saw the conflict affect the people of west Belfast, through war and peace.
Another leading republican Sean ‘Spike’ Murray and Orange chaplin the Reverend Mervyn Gibson robustly yet thoughtfully debated the impact of controversial Orange parades on communities and politics and the need for an agreed and respectful resolution of these parades to help end the annual street confrontations which fuel sectarian attitudes and undermine political progress.
Sean Murray rejected the claim that republicans were involved in a ‘cultural war’ against unionists and Mervyn Gibson said the Orange Order did not want to ‘walk everywhere’ and sought ‘a shared society with shared spaced’ for everyone.
At the Gerry Conlon Memorial Lecture, Mairia Cahill, an abuse survivor, spoke about her allegations against republicans and the failings of the justice system. She praised Feile for providing her with a platform to air her grievances.
An undoubted coup for Féile is Jeremy Corbyn on the West Belfast Talks Back panel tonight in St Louise’s College, Falls Road. The front-runner in the leadership race for the British Labour Party, he has long supported Irish unity.
One other event which shows how mature and how far we have come will be the discussion between deputy first minister Martin McGuinness and Chief Constable of the PSNI, George Hamilton dealing with legacy questions from our past conflict.
There are many debates still to be had covering many topics: the 1916 Proclamation, the Ballymurphy massacre, Palestine, John Connors of RTE’s Love/Hate fame and the relationship between the Catholic Church and unionist state.
Twenty-seven years on Feile an Phobail is awash with ideas.
