I’M sure all Féile enthusiasts agree that this was an outstanding Féile. The debates and discussions in particular were of a very high standard and variety and audiences and speakers had a very special treat this year at their St Mary's mecca on the Falls Road. Not only did they experience an outstanding programme of political debates – some 84 in total – they did so in the spectacular surroundings of a £30 million refurbishment of the University College. Well done to Peter Finn and to West Belfast MP Paul Maskey. And to think the powers that be tried to close St Mary’s a decade or so ago.

The splendid eye catching makeover enhanced the overall experience for those attending Féile. The centre piece of the renewal plan is the transformed assembly hall, now the main auditorium. With its close to 400 soft and comfortable seats looking out through large windows on to a thoughtfully redesigned quadrangle, the ‘new’ St Mary’s is a credit to Peter Finn and all involved. I’m sure it’s special  to be a student there. 

Several of Féile’s headline events took place in the  packed auditorium: the launch of 'Rita – A Memoir', a biography about republican leader  Rita O' Hare; Mick Lynch, the charismatic trade union leader; Blinne Ní Ghralaigh, the world renowned Irish barrister who presented to the International Court of Justice South Africa's genocide action against Israel; Diane Abbott MP, speaking on many topics including racism;  and Jeremy Corbyn MP and Len McCluskey talking about their love of poetry and their new book ‘Poetry for the Many’.

St Mary’s new cafe and reception was a perfect setting for Féile's colourful and popular art exhibitions with its 52 distinct contributions. Well done to all our artists and in particular Micheál Gallagher who organised it all.

The horror of Israel's genocide war against the Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank was on everyone's lips and minds at five separate events. And everywhere else. Wherever the plight of the Palestinian people could be spoken about it was.

A future-focused case for an end to the union with England included a debate on the economic benefits of a united Ireland and workers’ rights. Constitutional change featured at nine events. It was also reflected in sixteen talks dealing with times past which included:

·The fiftieth anniversary of Michael Gaughan's death on hunger strike in June 1974 and his comradeship with Frank Stagg who also died on hunger strike, in February 1976.
·The place of women in the liberation struggle and a tribute to Inez Mc Cormack, a feminist and life-long trade unionist.
·The debilitating impact of An Gorta Mór, The Great Hunger; the Irish Civil War; Belfast's pogroms; the role of IRA leader Joe McKelvey in the 1920s.

Human rights, including the right to truth for the relatives of those who died in the conflict, were debated alongside the rights for nature, workers’ rights, Irish speakers and LGBTQI rights.

Members of the unionist and Protestant community debated the UWC strike 50 years later. Linda Ervine and her husband Brian entertained and enlightened us. I love Brian’s writing and  singing.

‘Union or Unity’ – what matters most in a border poll? Will we vote with the heart or the head?; and the history of Presbyterians in West Belfast. West Belfast Talks Back filled the St Mary’s auditorium. When we were censored and marginalised this event was a confident gesture to our opponents to join us in debating issues of the day. It’s great that it continues in such style. 

So a big thank you to all involved in making St Mary’s such a welcoming space. From the good folk who manage the gates and the parking, to the catering staff, cleaners, hospitality, security and all the back-up people, including the sound men, Gareth and Gerard, to whom I owe a mea culpa – I was only slagging. A huge go raibh maith agaibh in particular to Eilis McAteer, and to Shane, Christopher and Sharon in Peter Finn’s office and Féile’s Áine McCabe and her ever cheerful band of helpers. St Mary’s makes Féile and Féile makes St Mary’s.

Then to finish off, a  venue shift to South Belfast and to the Ulster Museum, which generated a big crowd on the last day of Féile for a very interesting debate on murals, memory and identity by Bill Rolston, the Chairperson of Féile’s Debates and Discussions group. The group always delivers. This year they did it in spades.

Go raibh maith agaibh. Next week this column will reflect on Féile’s  musical events and in particular the gigs in the Falls Park. 

Celebrating a special birthday

LÁ breithe shona do Choimisiún Shinn Féin ar Thodhchaí na hÉireann – Happy birthday to Sinn Féin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland.

In the summer of 2022 Sinn Féin established the Commission to advance Irish unity through a grassroots consultation process nationally and internationally. The strap line for all of the events – Have Your Say – highlights the core aim of the Commission. It is about people having their say on the shape and composition of a new Ireland. Declan Kearney MLA is Chair of the Commission and Lynn Boylan MEP is the Vice Chair.

In the two years since then the Commission has organised 16 very successful People’s Assemblies and sectoral engagements all across the island, including Belfast, Derry, Donegal, Louth, Waterford, Fermanagh, Connemara, West Tyrone and Lurgan. There have been assemblies with women, youth and through the medium of Irish. The Commission is also collecting written submissions and has held private engagements.

A key objective is to encourage the widest engagement with the Protestant/unionist section of our people. In Derry in October last year, the Commission hosted an event entitled ‘Exploring Northern Protestant Culture and Identity’.   This was a more intimate meeting and the first Commission event in which the Chairperson and panellists were all from the Protestant section of our people.  Neither of the two panellists were in favour of Irish unity but the conversation was friendly and informative and the audience enjoyed the experience.

Further public and private meetings have been held and in April this year Sinn Féin published a major discussion document:  ‘A New Ireland for all: Ending Sectarian Segregation’.

CELEBRATION: Mary Lou McDonald at the Commission launch
2Gallery

CELEBRATION: Mary Lou McDonald at the Commission launch

Understandably there has also been a lot of interest in how a future united Ireland, with a single economy, will function. Can it meet the needs of almost eight million citizens’, provide first class public services, including a public health service, and much more? These and other issues were discussed two months ago when the Commission hosted a very successful and packed conference on ‘Irish Unity and the All Island Economy’ in the Europa Hotel. This week the report of that conference was published.

The panel for the event consisted of the party’s top economic spokespersons – Pearse Doherty TD, Caoimhe Archibald MLA and Conor Murphy MLA. Respected academic Cathy Gormley-Heenan performed the role of Independent Chairperson. It was a packed event in which the discussion ranged across many of the concerns and interests that citizens have about the future economic shape of a new Ireland economy.

It is now very clear that constitutional change is for an increasing number of people at the top of the political agenda. There is a growing body of economic and political opinion favouring a future based on Irish unity. A range of economic forecasts have predicted that Irish unity and a single island economy will lead to a stronger all-Ireland economy. This in turn will provide the financial resources needed for better health and education services, job creation and an enhancement in the standard of living of all citizens.

The key to making all of this work effectively is planning. We need a plan which shapes out what form and shape the new Ireland will look like.  That means those of us who want Irish unity creating the space in which all views can be discussed honestly and transparently. The major onus for this rests with the Irish government.

Finally, there are more People’s Assemblies and sectoral meetings planned for the remainder of the year and into 2025 and plans are advanced for similar meetings to take place with the diaspora in Canada and the USA.

The report of the Europa Conference – ‘Irish Unity and the All Island Economy’–  is available  at sinnfein.ie