Republican News · Thursday 26 June 2003

Sam and Gerry at launch of August Féile

There were plenty of celebrities in the pavilion of the Falls Bowling Club on Tuesday 24 June for the launch of this year's programme for the West Belfast festival, Féile an Phobail.

However, all eyes seemed to be on Sam Maguire, who made a guest appearance for the festivities. Unfortunately, it may be a long time before the famous old trophy is in Antrim as a result of a county victory at Croke Park.

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams was more optimistic about the chances of Sam coming to Antrim and commended the efforts of the county's footballers in this year's Championship, although it is this writer's view that the socialist republic will have arrived long before Antrim wins Sam.

Commending the programme of events, Adams pointed to the record of Féile as "a dynamic and progressive community arts-led festival in Europe. Féile is the people's festival."