Féile an Phobail
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Féile an Phobail is an annual festival of Irish and International culture that takes place in and around the Falls Road in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
[edit] History
Féile an Phobail was established in 1988 as a direct response to the conflict in Northern Ireland. The west Belfast community was demonised for many years by both the establishment and the media and this reached fever pitch in March 1988 as a result of the events which followed the SAS killings of three unarmed IRA volunteers in Gibraltar and a loyalist attack at their funerals. Three people were killed and, at one of the funerals of the three, two British servicemen (some believe SAS) were killed when they drove into the cortage, provoking widespread condemnation from British authorities. In reaction to this negative and damaging portrayal of the west Belfast community, local groups decided to organise a festival. Its purpose was to celebrate the positive side of the community, its creativity, its energy, its passion for the arts, and for sport. And it aimed at providing events and entertainment at a price that the majority of the community could afford.
In August 1988 the first festival opened with a relatively humble parade of floats and bands and GAA clubs walking in their club regalia to an open-air party in Dunville Park. Street parties were organised throughout the west of the city. Door-to-door collections were made to fund day trips to the seaside for pensioners and outings for young people.
[edit] Today
Féile an Phobail has proved a resounding success and has grown from strength to strength, and has been an inspiration to other troubled areas to organise similar festivals. The carnival parade, routinely brings over 50,000 participants for a colourful, musical procession with specially-designed floats representing a chosen theme, dancers and children in costume and face-masks.
It has grown from a one-week festival to a year-round programme with many events. It established the first ever children's festival in Northern Ireland, Draíocht Children's Arts Festival, with activities ranging from sports to multi-cultural and educational events through the mediums of Irish and English. In 2003 alone, 6,000 children and young people participated in Draíocht events.
It has its own radio station, Féile FM, that broadcasts across Belfast for two one-month periods in the spring and summer during which volunteers are professionally trained in media and management skills. Some of trainees have gone on to find employment in the local media, including UTV and BBC Northern Ireland in Belfast.
It has brought in national and international acts to perform with local musicians, catering for all tastes in dancing and music: from Irish traditional music to world music and pop - from the Kilfenora Céilí Band, Brian Kennedy and Mary Black to the Afro-Cuban All Stars and the Harlem Gospel Choir to Westlife and Status Quo.
Local poets and writers have read their works on the same podium as renowned authors such as Patrick Mc Cabe, Roddy Doyle and Evelyn Conlon. It has hosted the works of Ireland's leading playwrights and theatre companies, and has been the launching pad for world premiers, such as Frank McGuinness's Someone Who'll Watch Over Me and Marie Jones' A Night in November by Dubbeljoint Productions.
The discussion and debates have included talks by world-class journalists and documentary makers including Robert Fisk (The Independent), Michael Moore (Oscar Winner) and have witnessed Gregory Campbell (Democratic Unionist Party) on the same panel as Alex Maskey (Sinn Féin) at the annual West Belfast Talks Back.
