{"id":2262,"date":"2013-08-09T11:28:38","date_gmt":"2013-08-09T10:28:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2262"},"modified":"2013-08-09T11:29:13","modified_gmt":"2013-08-09T10:29:13","slug":"2262","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=2262","title":{"rendered":"Lessons To Be Learned From Feile: Billy Joe"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Anyone who can claim to be reader of the Irish News and in particular the Thursday edition each week will be aware that Jimmy Gibney is a regular columnist.\u00a0 Jimmy is an old Provisional IRA man and currently spouts the Sinn Fein party line–when required.\u00a0 The Irish News with it’s predominately Nationalist readership is the perfect forum, therefore for The History of The Troubles According to Jimmy.<\/strong>
\nOn many previous occasions I have taken exception to his articles and on more than one occasion have actually penned letters to the paper in reponse–but have yet to have any printed.\u00a0 But, as they say–everyone is entitled to their opinion and this includes Mr. Gibney.\u00a0 It isnt very often I have to proclaim that I would concur with Jimmy on his musings but I have to hold my hands up and admit that I have at last found a reason to do so!
\nIn yesterday column Gibney was enthusing about the West Belfast Festival–Feile An Phobail which is celebrating it’s 25th birthday.\u00a0 This wonderful festival can arguably lay claim to be being the biggest of it’s kind in Western Europe and you only have to look at the line up each year to understand how it is held in such high esteem.\u00a0 At the etecetra theatre launch in the Linen Hall library last week\u00a0Danny Morrison told the audience of the reasons for starting the festival in the first place and of the difficulties in trying to establish it.\u00a0 He said that one of the main reasons was to give West Belfast a voice and to counter the widely held claims that that community were 100% terrorists.\u00a0 It wasnt always easy according to Morrison but with detrmination and perserverence they are now reaping the rewards.\u00a0 Jimmy Gibney echoes these sentiments.\u00a0 He says-“It was about providing a platform for the marginalised and powerless within and beyond West Belfast”.\u00a0 He goes onn to say that the Feile ” was rooted deeo in it’s comunity. It’s organisers had a keen understanding of the community’s needs: it’s hopes and dreams”.
\n\"\"<\/a>There is a very simple message here.\u00a0 If a community feel marginalised–alienated–disenfranchised–powerless-then it must strive to combat these negatives.\u00a0 If we feel “someone” isnt “doing” it for us then we must endeavour to do it ourselves.\u00a0 Whatever “it” is.\u00a0 The recent launch of etcetera is only a small cog in a huge PUL community based wheel.\u00a0 This community has so much more to offer–so much more to give.\u00a0 We need to stop relying on others to sort our own mess out.\u00a0 We need to regain that power–to overturn those feelings of powerlessness or alienation–we need to take control of our own destiny.\u00a0 In two weeks time the East Belfast Arts Festival takes place for only the second time.\u00a0 It is in it’s infancy compared to Feile An Phobail but is heading in the right direction.\u00a0 It is incumbent of those who feel marginalised within Protestant working class communities to throw their collective weight behind such innovative and worthwhile ventures.\u00a0 Within that context there will be many ways to get the stories told–and listened to.\u00a0 It is here we can express our feelings as individuals and as a community.\u00a0 By song-dance-lectures-exhibitions-debates-forums-cultural expressions. If we feel our culture is being eroded or that history is being written FOR us then what better way to respond. And as Jimmy Gibney might say–Is e todchai linne.<\/p>\n

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