By Jim Gibney
From its formation in 1988, in the midst of the armed conflict, Féile has been and is, the place where people go to air their views on a variety of pertinent topics related to the peace process and societal issues affecting the quality of people’s lives.
This year, the 36th, Féile goers relaxed in the multi-million pound beautifully refurbished university college. The face-lift added to the overall positive experience for those attending the debates and discussions.
The immediate political context for Féile was the outstanding Westminster election result for Sinn Fein; the very impressive Ireland’s Future meeting at the SSE Arena in Belfast and the comments from former Taoiseach Leo Varadkar which amounted to a call on the incoming Irish government to lead the next stage of the process for constitutional change, First Minister Michelle O’ Neill’s comments that in office she can ‘do both’, that is work the power-sharing institutions and work to bring about a united Ireland; the powerful and inspiring speech by the President of the GAA, Jarlath Burns; the comments from Wallace Thompson that a new Ireland is coming and encouraging republicans and unionists to engage with each other and Sinn Fein’s Commission on the Future of Ireland which is currently on its way around the country.
Over 80 events shaped Féile’s world in the ten days of the summer school. Ireland’s constitutional future and its past mingled in some sixteen debates which ranged from the emotional dimension of voting in a referendum on unity, ‘will we vote with our heart or the head’; the impact of the result of the next election in the south on achieving Irish unity; a woman’s view on what matters most ‘union or unity’; peace building by women; a cold place for women in the north at the state’s formation and a tribute to Inez Mc Cormack, a feminist and trail-blazing leader of the trade union movement; workers’ rights now and in a future united Ireland; the economics of Irish unity, policing in a new Ireland & Gaels le chéile discussing their campaign for the Irish government to establish a Citizens’ Assembly.
All of these events were well attended and many included participation from the unionist community.
The political mood at the debates and discussions at Féile an Phobail this year reflected the broad political temperature across the country about future constitutional change.
