Debate on Irish Unity steps up: Well Done Special Olympians: Teach your dog Irish: Féile an Phobail Launches biggest Programme Ever
Debateon Irish Unity steps up
Twosuccessful events on the future of Ireland were held in Belfast and Dublin lastweek. The atmosphere and enthusiasm at both events was mighty. The two eventswere part of the work of Sinn Fein’s Commission on the Future of Ireland whichwas established two years ago by the party to encourage dialogue. It’s aboutpeople having their say about the kind of Ireland we want.
TheBelfast event was a Women’s Assembly and was held in the Europa Hotel. Itwas opened by west Belfast MLA Aisling Reilly and was independently chaired byacademic Eilish Rooney. Over 140 women from across the greater Belfast areaparticipated. There were women from diverse political and communitybackgrounds.
Some ofthe main topics raised by participants included future all-Ireland health care,governance arrangements, social and economic issues and the importance ofpeople feeling welcome in a new Ireland, specifically those with a Britishidentity.
SeanadóirLynn Boylan who is Vice Chair of the Commission gave the main address. Themeeting overwhelmingly endorsed the view that the Irish government needs tobegin planning for the future and that a first step should be the establishmentof a Citizens’ Assembly on Irish reunification.
Thefollowing day in Dublin a Youth Assembly was held in the CommunicationWorkers Union. There was a real sense of purpose and excitement among the youngpeople who took part. Dermot O’Brien, a widely respected youth worker,chaired the event and the emphasis was on engagement, conversation and thefuture.
I attended the Youth Assembly and was veryimpressed with the energy the young people brought to the discussion. Thethemes of culture, music and identity were repeatedly cited as were equality,climate justice and the development of a rights based society. The biggestchallenges identified by the participants are housing, education, mental healthand education.
For some it was clearly the first time they hadtaken part in this kind of discussion and they enjoyed it. They were willing toshare ideas and thoughts about what the future could look like.
In the words of the vice chair of the Commission,Seanadóir Lynn Boylan, “Young people have been to the forefront ofmajor constitutional changes in our country, not least in Dublin. Youngpeople living in Dublin today have the chance to live in a united Ireland,something that was denied to those who came before you. You have theright, and also the responsibility, to help shape that new united Ireland andmake it a place we can all be proud to live in.'
Well Done SpecialOlympians
Team Ireland won 24 gold, 22 silver and 29 bronzemedals at the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin. The Games were a greatexperience for all the athletes who competed. They included 73 sportspeoplefrom Ireland who participated in 12 sports with outstanding successes.Well done to them all, to their supporters and families and to Special OlympicsIreland.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver – one of the USA’s famousKennedy family - and a life-long advocate for people with disability issuesfounded the Special Olympics in 1968. Her son Tim continues this workas Chairperson of the Special Olympics. An Irish woman Mary Davis is theCEO.
The last Special Olympics World Games to beheld in Ireland was 20 years ago. I remember it well. Events were held all overthe island, including Belfast and the opening in Croke Park wasa spectacular event. A proud team of West Belfast Special Olympians ledthe Féile Carnival parade that year and Robert Savage, Conor Maguire and BrianStorey opened the Féile with wonderful speeches.
I’m pleased tosay our dogs were reared in Irish.But not all dogs are so lucky. So I wasdelighted to come across a lovely little book TEACH YOUR DOG IRISH aimed at thesemutts and their humans. TEACH YOUR DOG IRISH is published by yLolfa in Walesand is written and illustrated by Anne Cakebread. It is part of a series whichincludes TEACH YOUR DOG CORNISH, TEACH YOUR CATIRISH and TEACH YOUR CATWELSH. And for those who have really clever dogs or who have nothing elseto do there is also TEACH YOUR DOG JAPANESE.
TEACH YOUR DOG IRISHis a cool wee publication with cute illustrationsand phonetic pronunciations. For example ‘Tar anseo’ pronounced ‘Tar un- shaw’and so on. That’s why it’s so clever. Because not only does your dog get tolearn Irish. You get to learn also. So why not try it: www.ylolfa.com.As renowned author Marian Keyes says: “I think this is a great idea.I love it. A charming way to help keep spoken Irish alive.”
Féile an Phobail Launches biggest Programme Ever
Well done and comhgairdheas to all of thoseinvolved in planning and participating in the launch of this year’s Féile 35 –Welcoming the World.
This year marks 35 years of this amazingfestival. The Féile organisers have done west Belfast and Belfast proud. Theyhave produced the biggest ever programme of activities and events. There willbe concerts, music, dance nights, debates, exhibitions, Sports fixtures, booklaunches, LGBTQ+ events, drama, children’s events, Women’s events, discussionson international events, art exhibitions, local tours and much more. There arealso a significant number of debates/discussions focusing on the future of theisland of Ireland and the goal of Irish Unity. The Féile will be celebratedbetween 3rd and 13th of August.
35years ago when a small group of us came together to plan a community festivalthe conditions were much different. West Belfast was heavily militarised withBritish Army and RUC barracks and forts everywhere. It was under militaryoccupation. People were censored. Community structures were subject topolitical vetting. Discrimination was rampant. There were hundredsof political prisoners. There was no state funding for Irish languageeducation. Little for Gaelic games. And state collusion withunionist death squads was rampant. The conflict was intense.
Thekillings at Gibraltar of three outstanding West Belfast citizens VolunteersMairead Farrell, Seán Savage and Dan McCann and especially the establishment'svile demonisation of their community- our community - was a tipping point. Itbecame a catalyst for a culture of change to take root.
NowFéile an Phobail is an international festival and the foremost communityfestival on the island of Ireland. This year over 100,000 people will come towest Belfast to take part in Féile and enjoy the hospitality of this community.
As wellas growing in the number and diversity of events Féile an Phobail has expandedbeyond the boundaries of west Belfast. There are now new partnerships withLisburn Féile, Féile an Tuiscirt in the north of the city and Féile na hAbhainnin south and east Belfast. For more information log on to www.feilebelfast.com
See youin August at the Féile.

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