Menu
17/08/2021
BCC Leader Questions Funding Of West Belfast Festival Over 'Pro-IRA Singing'
The DUP leader of Belfast City Council has questioned the funding of West Belfast Festival over alleged "pro-IRA singing" at one of their events.
Councillor Ald Brian Kingston raised the issued after it was alleged that the crowed at a concert at the Festival chanted "ooh ah up the Ra".
Ald Kingston said: "The PIRA murdered and maimed thousands of people in Northern Ireland. For concert goers to celebrate the PIRA is sickening. If public funding was used to pay for such a concert then it should be recouped immediately.
"Belfast City Council stands for inclusiveness and a shared future. If people wish to sing about the PIRA, they should forgo the ability to receive any public money. For the Council to be associated with such offensive behaviour on the anniversary of the Omagh Bomb is disgusting and reprehensible.
"I will also be investigating what other commercial sponsors were involved in the event and asking them to publicly distance themselves.
"This is now an annual tradition where every year hundreds of teenagers, led by people who should know better, glorify the PIRA in song."
Councillor Ald Brian Kingston raised the issued after it was alleged that the crowed at a concert at the Festival chanted "ooh ah up the Ra".
Ald Kingston said: "The PIRA murdered and maimed thousands of people in Northern Ireland. For concert goers to celebrate the PIRA is sickening. If public funding was used to pay for such a concert then it should be recouped immediately.
"Belfast City Council stands for inclusiveness and a shared future. If people wish to sing about the PIRA, they should forgo the ability to receive any public money. For the Council to be associated with such offensive behaviour on the anniversary of the Omagh Bomb is disgusting and reprehensible.
"I will also be investigating what other commercial sponsors were involved in the event and asking them to publicly distance themselves.
"This is now an annual tradition where every year hundreds of teenagers, led by people who should know better, glorify the PIRA in song."
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
07 August 2019
Local Theatre Talent Set For Edinburgh Festival
Three local theatre groups are due to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe later this month. With the support of the Arts Council and British Council of Northern Ireland, the arts organisations will stage productions that showcase some of the best of local talent at the popular festivals.
Local Theatre Talent Set For Edinburgh Festival
Three local theatre groups are due to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe later this month. With the support of the Arts Council and British Council of Northern Ireland, the arts organisations will stage productions that showcase some of the best of local talent at the popular festivals.
06 February 2020
Local Musicians To Perform In Nashville
The voices of three of Northern Ireland's talented singer-songwriters are to be heard in a famous Tennessee venue. Emma Horan, Donal Scullion and Reuben Agnew will display their talents at Nashville's Bluebird Café on St Patrick's Day, a venue famous for launching the careers of Taylor Swift and Garth Brooks.
Local Musicians To Perform In Nashville
The voices of three of Northern Ireland's talented singer-songwriters are to be heard in a famous Tennessee venue. Emma Horan, Donal Scullion and Reuben Agnew will display their talents at Nashville's Bluebird Café on St Patrick's Day, a venue famous for launching the careers of Taylor Swift and Garth Brooks.
10 May 2013
Queen's Festival Announces New Director
The Belfast festival at Queen's has announced arts programmer and producer Richard Wakely as its new director. Mr Wakely is a former Managing Director of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, while his role as Commissioner for the China-Ireland Cultural Exchange Programme for the Irish government saw him tour throughout Europe, the UK and South America.
Queen's Festival Announces New Director
The Belfast festival at Queen's has announced arts programmer and producer Richard Wakely as its new director. Mr Wakely is a former Managing Director of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, while his role as Commissioner for the China-Ireland Cultural Exchange Programme for the Irish government saw him tour throughout Europe, the UK and South America.
12 October 2004
City Hall prepares for bookworm invasion
Belfast City Hall is preparing itself for an invasion of young bookworms later this month. Belfast City Council is teaming up with two major cultural festivals, Young at Art and the Belfast Festival at Queen’s, to open up the world of children’s literature.
City Hall prepares for bookworm invasion
Belfast City Hall is preparing itself for an invasion of young bookworms later this month. Belfast City Council is teaming up with two major cultural festivals, Young at Art and the Belfast Festival at Queen’s, to open up the world of children’s literature.
06 May 2011
Belfast Book Festival Announced
The Belfast Book Festival 2011 is a week of celebration of the book, the reader and the writer taking place this June.
Belfast Book Festival Announced
The Belfast Book Festival 2011 is a week of celebration of the book, the reader and the writer taking place this June.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:West to northwest gale force winds, severe along the north coast, will continue overnight. Frequent showers persist, merging into longer periods of rain at times and turning wintry. Minimum temperature 1 °C.
