THE annual Féile na Carraige is underway in the Upper Springfield area of West Belfast, with a packed programme of events running until Saturday.
The Irish language festival is centred on the key watchwords of participation, politics, and community.
This year's events include Irish language tours with local historians, the annual Belfast Bunscoil quiz, book launch on the history of Irish-medium education by Dr Kerron Ó Luain, fun days for families and workshops for parents enrolling their children in Irish-medium childcare settings.
With the festival well underway, there are still many events to look forward to.
On Thursday, from 12-3pm, Gael-Ionad Mhic Goill will host a Palestinian Day featuring discussion, culture and dance. It will include workshops and panel discussions on building a new world with inspiring activists Twasul Mohammed (Participation and Practice For Rights), Denise Adams (Mothers Against Genocide) and Areej Fareh (Anaka Women’s Collective).
At 7pm, also at Gael-Ionad Mhic Goill, Professor Bill Rolston will be the guest speaker for the Harry Holland lecture, focusing on celebrating communities of resistance.
On Friday, an event will be held at Gairdín an Phobail from 11am-1pm to celebrate the community harvest together. There will be a range of stalls and practical workshops that showcase what we can create together, including healthy organic fruit and veg, international solidarity, community campaigns, alternative remedies, activities for kids and live entertainment with the best of traditional music from the Féile na Carraige trad trail.
At 7pm, the Cultúrlann will host a Palestine film 'Shanshula' about the fishing community of Gaza, introduced by the film-maker and tireless human rights activist from Gaza, Musheir El Farra.
Originally from Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip, Musheir is author of 'Gaza, When the sky rained White Fire' and is chair of Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
At each showing people will be invited to contribute to a solidarity fund that will be sent directly to the displaced, maimed and bereaved fishing families of Gaza via the Solidarity Campaign in Sheffield, where the film-maker currently resides.
The festival concludes with a GAA anti-racism tournament at Spórtlann na hÉireann from 1-4pm.
Speaking about the festival, Nuala Ní Scolláin said: "Féile na Carraige celebrates the Irish language and promotes decolonisation and language reclamation.
Nuala Ní Scolláin
"The festival’s core values are solidarity with Palestine, anti-racism, and internationalism.
"The Palestine solidarity movement here in Ireland is strongly driven by the inspiring Mothers Against Genocide campaign, and we are very grateful to them for organising a Palestine Day during the Féile with workshops and panels focused on Palestine.
"It is a great honour for us to welcome the recognised Gazan activist and close friend of West Belfast, Musheir El-Farra, who will be screening his powerful film Shanshula, which follows the fishing community of Gaza.
"We will have the opportunity to speak with the inspiring filmmaker about his life and his pioneering work as part of the Sheffield Palestine Solidarity Campaign, a campaign recognised throughout Europe.
"Community festivals like Féile na Carraige tackle the major issues of the day, both locally and internationally."
