Community arts festival hailed after absence of republican bonfires in Belfast

By Rebecca Black, Press Association

Youth workers and a community arts festival have been praised for the absence of republican bonfires in Belfast over the weekend.

In previous years, there had been a tradition of lighting bonfires in nationalist areas to mark the anniversary of the introduction of internment without trial on August 9th 1971, during the early years of the Troubles.

Bonfires are also traditionally lit in some areas, including Creggan in Derry on August 15th to mark the Catholic Feast of the Assumption.

North Belfast MP John Finucane paid tribute to Féile an Phobail and youth workers for diverting young people with “positive alternatives”.

The annual festival was originally set up in west Belfast in 1988 with the aim of displacing the street confrontations associated with the week around August 9 with “a positive display of the community and its creativity”.

This year the festival included political talks, debates and lectures as well as concerts by Irish language rap group Kneecap.

Finucane said: “Another bonfire-free 8th August across Belfast.

“That is thanks in no small part to Féile an Phobail and the youth workers who work tirelessly to give our young people positive alternatives.

“Yesterday, 12,000 young people packed into the Falls Park and had a night to remember. A credit to themselves, their families and their communities.”

Féile an Phobail posted on X saying there had been no bonfires in Belfast overnight.

“The destruction that formerly happened in communities on 8th August didn’t happen, yet again.

“Instead 12,000 young people danced the night away in the Falls Park at Féile Dance Night and they were superb! That is the future!”