TUV councillor asks West Belfast Féile representative what is being done about pro-IRA chants

At the recent Belfast City Licensing Committee meeting, the Féile representative told TUV Councillor Ron McDowell they had “no complaints” regarding paramilitary chants, and said they would be “happy to take on board any advice or guidance towards this year’s events.”

At the June meeting of the Committee, councillors approved a request from the organisers of Féile an Phobail to permit the planned entertainment to run beyond 11pm on up to six nights during the festival event within Falls Park, running from Friday August 1 to Sunday August 10.

It is expected the entertainment will run to 1am on two nights, Saturday August 2 and Friday August 8.

Councillor McDowell asked: “As regards to inclusivity, and making everybody feel welcome, has there been any discussion or any movement towards the reduction of pro-IRA chants, which would make the event more hospitable to people from right across the city?”

The Féile representative said: “We engage very widely with elected reps right across the city, as well as with community organisations, and others concerned.

"We had no complaints over the last couple of years directed to us, around anything that was taking place at the festival.

“We are happy to take on board any advice or guidance towards this year’s events, or anything the council would ask us to follow up on.

"But we have received no complaints, the PSNI are present at all these events, and they didn’t record anything either or come to us with any issues. Nor did any of the other statutory agencies involved.”

Over three years ago, the DUP and Sinn Fein clashed at City Hall over the Wolfe Tones Féile concerts in Falls Park, after Belfast City Council agreed to give events in public parks an annual review.

At a City Hall meeting in March 2022 the then DUP Councillor Brian Kingston, now an MLA, condemned: “the use of a council park where there is a concert, and from the stage there is singing and the leading of young people to the chanting of support for paramilitary organisations.” He said: “I am referring to the Wolfe Tones concert in Falls Park, in our park. There is nothing else on the same scale as this. It remains a stain on the Féile, and a stain on this council.”

During the Licensing Committee agenda item, elected representatives also heard from council officials that 76 noise complaints were received over the period of the Féile festival in 2024, a reduction from the 120 noise complaints received in 2023.

The Féile events representative said: “We have had a meeting with the PSNI, and furnished them with all the details of all the evenings, as well as the full event plans, which also went to City Council.

"We work very closely with various council teams, including Licensing and Parks, Building Control and Community Safety Teams, and operate hand in hand with the council in the festival period, along with the PSNI.”

He added: “We have a very substantial operation that kicks in from mid July, where we have a number of residential consultation events, including the resident’s letter, which goes far and wide, particularly into the houses which are quite close to the event space.

"All our committees, which work on a year-round basis to help programme the festival, all involve local people. We are very well connected to the festival and the local community.

“There was a significant reduction in complaints received last year, and that probably was the result of having a noise consultant on site during those evenings when music was played in the Falls Park.” The representative confirmed the noise consultant would be on-site again this year.

Councillor Ron McDowell said: “The reduction in noise complaints from 120 to 76 is to be welcomed. Putting noise consultants on the site to liaise with police is also to be welcomed, and it seems there are some moves in the right direction.”