GAEL-Ionad Mhic Goill was packed for the launch of the annual Féile na Carraige.
The key theme of the festival, which runs until Saturday are Participation, Politics, and Community, which are central to this year's exciting programme.
Events are focused on the revival of the Irish language, political education—especially the sold-out Harry Holland Lecture with Clare Daly and Bernadette McAliskey—and solidarity projects with Céad Míle Fáilte and Palestine groups.
Tarlach Barclaigh, Assistant Community Officer with Glór na Móna and the festival’s main speaker, said: “We have a special celebration ahead for Féile na Carraige 2024, as Glór na Móna celebrates 20 years this year.
"We are delighted to mark this historic milestone with a Grand Dinner in City Hall to conclude the festival on Saturday, 19th October.
"In many ways, it has been a tough year since the last festival for our community, with increasing poverty, racial violence, and the rise of the far right.
"In addition, we lost a number of inspirational community leaders, notably Sean Mackel and Matt Lundy but we continue to be inspired by them and we steadfastly follow the revolutionary vision of Antonio Gramsci: ‘pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.’
"As always, Féile na Carraige welcomes refugees and asylum seekers, especially our inspiring partners from the Kind Economy and the Nubian Association. We show solidarity with Palestine forever, and we are delighted to welcome Belfast Dabke to Caifé na Carraige to perform Palestinian dancing with the local community.”
Chair of the launch, Eimear Nic Ionrachtaigh, Capacity Officer with Fís an Phobail, added: “I’ve always been interested in Glór na Móna's decolonisation projects, and now I’m part of Meitheal Uí Cadhain, who will be travelling to the Amazon in February 2025 to learn from the indigenous people there.
"Political education, and particularly these festivals, plays a crucial role in the decolonisation process, in order to create spaces that promote the marginalised voices of the working class in this country, and in countries worldwide suffering under the boot of imperialism. There’s no better demonstration of this work than Féile na Carraige 2024—bígí linn!”
The full programme is available here.
