Feile an Phobail

[PMG1]

I think the Michaela McAreavey chant this summer was a watershed moment.

Sing songs are not being tolerated anymore by anyone. Even in my own experience from one's at work, friends etc, they would have went to the Wolfe Tones unapologetically in previous years, yet now cringe at the thought of it.
Can we really ignore the Fleadh and Wolfe Tones chants after the (completely justified) outrage at Dundonald Orange Hall?

Can we stop playing into the orangemen's hands in saying about ignoring the fleadh, the event that that happened at was nothing to do with the fleadh, it was run by a pub in the same town and time as the fleadh events were happening but it had absolutely nothing to do with the fleadh which was a superbly run week long event that was a cross community event which included Protestant marching bands

[Main Street]

I think the Michaela McAreavey chant this summer was a watershed moment.

Sing songs are not being tolerated anymore by anyone. Even in my own experience from one's at work, friends etc, they would have went to the Wolfe Tones unapologetically in previous years, yet now cringe at the thought of it.
Can we really ignore the Fleadh and Wolfe Tones chants after the (completely justified) outrage at Dundonald Orange Hall?

Nordies are genetically tuned into outrage,  get emotional about some event, jump up on the pulpit and be outraged, from Ulster to the Appalachians.  Even some rap group were the object of Ulster outrage, what were they called, nutjob or kneecap? ffs a rap group? isn't that what rap/punk/protest music groups do? How did the Clash survive the outrage of the brethren with their London's Burning and become a pop standard?
If  a few bell-ends sing some stupid rotten ditty about Michaela, why the compulsion to be outraged by their utter idiocy as if that idiocy was a reflection of society that needed to be called out? 
As General Lee  (I infer)  was writing about,  why not focus on the many positives in NI's society since the ceasefire and  the utter lack of support for a return to old ways, not least the utter lack of support for loyalist pogroms.
A whole week of a fantastic gaelic cultural festival and in reality  is the byline that it was a festival of hate? How can one measure that amount of cynicism about  such a successful a gaelic cultural event, and the contrived  controversy caused by a folk band who should already be in their grave, such is their lack of cultural / political relevance.

[seafoid]

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/as-an-east-antrim-protestant-im-just-jealous-we-dont-have-something-like-feile-an-phobail-says-regular-attendee-of-west-belfast-festival-41916483.html

[johnnycool]

[trailer]

Holy f**k. I can't believe the IN printed that shite.

[Itchy]

There are some good points in it but I do think we should be calling out  this "ooh aah up the ra" bullshit for what it is. Idiocy and unhelpful. We want to attract moderate unionists to think about joining us in a united Ireland this stuff is damaging and plays into the hands of those on the other side who would seek to harden the outlook of their moderates.

Even forgeting the unionists for a moment. Its just f**king stupid to be chanting like that about an armed group like they were some sort of football team.

[Snapchap]

Holy f**k. I can't believe the IN printed that shite.

1. Which bit is inaccurate and why?

2. Still waiting on you to state if you believe the British Army were terrorists?

[Snapchap]

If anyone still thinks there is genuine outrage about this and that it's not just a unionist fury campaign being facilitated by the media, consider:

1. At the Apprentice Boys Parade in Derry, stalls were selling Parachute Regiment flags just yards from where the Paras claimed some of their victims on Bloody Sunday. There has been no widespread, lengthy media coverage around this.

2. At the same event, Derry reporter Steve Bradley said that he had to endure and hour of sectarian singing about "Fenians, the Pope, the Virgin Mary, the UDA and UVF" from crowds of loyalists. The DUP MLA Gary Middleton (who the previos day was calling for funding to be withdrawn from the Féile) described the Apprentice Boys event where these chants were heard, as "one of the best there has ever been". No media outlet that I can see has reported on the sectarian singing and chanting. They're all too busy rounding on Féile an Phobail.

3. There was a succession of justified condemnation for a bonfire on the Bogside which burned unionist emblems. Media outlets covered the story extensively. What none of them reported was that loyalists built a bonfire bedecked in triclours on the same night in the Fountain Estate. As far as I can see, not one media outlet has even mentioned it.

[theskull1]

Agreed .... I wouldn't trust mainstream media as far as I can throw them. They will over egg stories when it suits them and this is one of those stories, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it is still an own goal.

[Wildweasel74]

To be honest there was alot of coverage of the flags on sale. Maybe not on Nolan,  I only listen to the bollacks in small doses. Without division up here he have no programme as he have nothing to talk about.

[RedHand88]

2. At the same event, Derry reporter Steve Bradley said that he had to endure and hour of sectarian singing about "Fenians, the Pope, the Virgin Mary, the UDA and UVF" from crowds of loyalists. The DUP MLA Gary Middleton (who the previos day was calling for funding to be withdrawn from the Féile) described the Apprentice Boys event where these chants were heard, as "one of the best there has ever been". No media outlet that I can see has reported on the sectarian singing and chanting. They're all too busy rounding on Féile an Phobail.

You are a nationalist Gary Middleton though. Do you really not see it? You turn a complete blind eye to your own sides antics whilst chastising themmuns for doing the same thing.

Also can we stop calling them "young people" when the majority of them look to be in their 20s at least. Fully grown adults ffs.

[RedHand88]

If anyone still thinks there is genuine outrage about this and that it's not just a unionist fury campaign being facilitated by the media, consider:

1. At the Apprentice Boys Parade in Derry, stalls were selling Parachute Regiment flags just yards from where the Paras claimed some of their victims on Bloody Sunday. There has been no widespread, lengthy media coverage around this.

https://www.irishnews.com/paywall/tsb/irishnews/news/northernirelandnews/2022/08/15/news/bloody_sunday_victim_s_brother_hurt_by_sale_of_uvf_and_parachute_regiment_flags_in_derry-2798492/content.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sale-parachute-regiment-flags-derry-24758954.amp

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/police-seize-items-from-stall-after-report-of-paramilitary-flag-for-sale-41910022.html

https://www.derrydaily.net/2022/08/14/police-seize-items-from-derry-stall-over-uvf-flag-for-sale/

https://www.derrynow.com/news/local-news/888329/concerns-over-derry-parades-being-brought-before-council.html

[Snapchap]

If anyone still thinks there is genuine outrage about this and that it's not just a unionist fury campaign being facilitated by the media, consider:

1. At the Apprentice Boys Parade in Derry, stalls were selling Parachute Regiment flags just yards from where the Paras claimed some of their victims on Bloody Sunday. There has been no widespread, lengthy media coverage around this.

https://www.irishnews.com/paywall/tsb/irishnews/news/northernirelandnews/2022/08/15/news/bloody_sunday_victim_s_brother_hurt_by_sale_of_uvf_and_parachute_regiment_flags_in_derry-2798492/content.html

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/sale-parachute-regiment-flags-derry-24758954.amp

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/police-seize-items-from-stall-after-report-of-paramilitary-flag-for-sale-41910022.html

https://www.derrydaily.net/2022/08/14/police-seize-items-from-derry-stall-over-uvf-flag-for-sale/

https://www.derrynow.com/news/local-news/888329/concerns-over-derry-parades-being-brought-before-council.html

Two Derry regional papers and a facebook page.

Let's examine the Belfast Telegraph's coverage since the weekend of the two incidents:

Féile:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/feile-an-phobail-branded-a-hate-fest-after-video-shows-pro-ira-chanting-at-wolfe-tones-concert-41912431.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/wolfe-tones-silent-over-ira-chants-at-feile-an-phobail-gig-41916753.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/feile-an-phobail-stop-booking-the-wolfe-tones-says-dup-after-embarrassing-pro-ira-chanting-41914148.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/feile-sponsors-come-under-pressure-following-pro-ira-chanting-at-wolfe-tones-gig-41915386.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/wolfe-tones-frontman-responds-to-criticism-over-ira-chants-at-feile-gig-were-entitled-to-our-culture-41918274.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/video-news/watch-pro-ira-chants-during-feile-wolfe-tones-concert-41911883.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-mla-calls-on-feile-an-phobail-to-detail-mitigations-on-stopping-pro-ira-chanting-at-sundays-wolfe-tones-concert-41907603.html

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/feile-pro-ira-chanting-prompts-unionist-councillor-to-call-on-public-money-to-be-withdrawn-from-event-40756634.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/comment/like-their-flags-the-full-horror-of-iras-war-is-above-their-heads-41914015.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/where-do-belfasts-biggest-community-festivals-get-their-funding-41916762.html
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/calls-for-political-leadership-after-incidents-spark-outrage-41912443.html
https://belfasttelegraph/posts/belfasts-feile-an-phobail-is-facing-questions-over-its-funding-after-a-video-sho/10160033693553819/

Para Flag in Derry at Apprentice Boys March:
https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/police-seize-items-from-stall-after-report-of-paramilitary-flag-for-sale-41910022.html


How about BBC Radio Ulster's flagship current affairs programme The Nolan Show:
Féile:
3 days of coverage
Para Flag in Derry at Apprentice Boys March:
0 days of coverage


Can you direct me to any news articles from any of the main news outlets about what Steve Bradley describes as an hour of sectarian singing about "Fenians, the Pope, the Virgin Mary, the UDA and UVF" at the Apprentice Boys parade which, unlike the Wolfe Tones concert, happened in a mixed area?

[Snapchap]

You are a nationalist Gary Middleton though. Do you really not see it? You turn a complete blind eye to your own sides antics whilst chastising themmuns for doing the same thing.

Really? Did I not only a couple of posts ago criticise the sectarian bonfire in the Bogside? Where have I criticised unionists for doing "the same thing" ref the Wolfe Tones? If loyalists want to get together in a loyalist area and sing loyalist songs, let them at it. You won't see me condemning them for it. As I said yesterday, I've no issue with the Wolfe Tones playing rebel music in a republican area to a crowd of paying republicans. I wouldn't endorse rebel music being played on stage in a mixed area like the city centre. Ditto loyalist/British Army parades through mixed areas, or loyalists singing about killing Fenians at an apprentice boys parade in Derry city centre.

[Milltown Row2]

But you accept that if we starve them of oxygen then it will give them no fuel?

Its not even that difficult to work out.. stop aping Loyalists

Surely we'd like to think we are above that, and after 30 years of Feile an Phobail (and I was there at Springhill, when you had, well I'll not mention) the place is in a far better position than those dark days