FÉILE AN PHOBAIL | FESTIVAL FUN AND A GLIMPSE OF THE FUTURE

A Féile fáilte for unionists

‘West Belfast Talks Back’: Editor of the Arab-language daily Al-Quds, Abdel Bari Atwan; Sinn Féin Vice-President Mary Lou McDonald TD; BBC Ireland Correspondent Mark Simpson; DUP Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland MLA; and columnist and broadcaster Vincent Browne

» BY JIM GIBNEY

REPUBLICANS are often asked by supporters and opponents of a united Ireland what would life be like when it came about.
People are particularly concerned to know how unionists would fit into that scenario and what would relationships be like between them and the rest of the people of this country.
Well, inside the covers of this year’s Féile an Phobail festival programme you could get an answer to that very important question.
Because the organisers of this year’s Féile provided a real space for unionists and nationalists and others to discuss life as it was lived and as we live it now.
Such gatherings are an essential element in preparing the ground for the eventual and peaceful reunification of Ireland.
The Féile organisers are particularly happy that this year’s festival opened with several events involving unionists.
Belfast’s Shankill Library was host to an event marking the 75th anniversary of the formation of the International Brigades. The Brigades, Irish and British, fought in the Spanish Civil War and volunteers from the Shankill and Falls Roads and people across Ireland joined together to oppose fascism.
And in the Falls Road Library, members of a loyalist band association from Lisburn and community representatives from the Shankill Road attended a discussion led by the journalist Darrach Mac Donald, who spent a year in the company of a young loyalist flute band from Castlederg, County Tyrone.
Darrach’s subsequent book, ‘Blood and Thunder’, is about his experiences with the band and how its members did not see themselves as a ‘Kick the Pope’ band nor as people involved in sectarian or provocative behaviour, but they were prepared to listen to those who believed that of them.
Sinn Féin’s Tom Hartley’s diligence in his research of Belfast’s City Cemetery literally unearthed the grave of the first person to die connected to ‘The Titanic’. He was 15-year-old Samuel Scott who died in 1910.
Until a few years ago, Samuel lay in an unmarked grave. Tom’s discovery led to Nicola Pierce being inspired to write her novel, ‘Spirit of the Titanic’, and DUP MLA Sammy Douglas unveiled a headstone to mark the teenager’s grave and spoke about the importance of the shipyard to the Protestant people of east Belfast.
Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland MLA of the DUP attended ‘West Belfast Talks Back’ and Frankie Gallagher of the Ulster Political Research Group attended ‘Youth Talks Back’.
Many loyalists attended the launch of Bill Rolston’s book, ‘Children of the Revolution’, to listen to several from their community who were interviewed in the book.
Bill has been a long-standing member of the Féile discussion group who organise the debates at Féile.
On that occasion, on 28th July, Bill’s wife, Anna, and other family members helped. Anna was a familiar face at Féile and often helped out.
She had been ill for some time and I had not seen her. At the launch I tried to reach her several times but she had too many well-wishers around her and the launch was packed.
I was torn between wanting to hug her and say a few warm words and my busy Féile schedule. As I rushed out the door I said to myself I will see Anna at another Féile event soon
I glanced back to see Anna’s broad smile lighting up her face - a face that did not show the signs of her illness or, as it turned out, her impending passing.
Anna died on Tuesday 2nd August. I got the sad news at the end of one Féile event and the start of another.
I would like to dedicate this article to Anna’s memory and to Bill and their family.
Gillian Slovo, the daughter of Joe Slovo, (the leader of MK, the ANC’s armed wing)  who wrote a critical book about her relationship with her father and mother (Ruth First, who was assassinated by South African Intelligence) reviewed ‘Children of the Revolution’ thus: “A heart-wrenching, clear-headed, painful account that, saying much about the costs of struggle, makes riveting reading.”
In the introduction to Bill Rolston’s book he describes the contributors as being “Towards the bottom of the narrative ladder...”
Bill’s book lifts them off the bottom. He could not have done it without the love, solidarity and comradeship of Anna Eggert.