Republican News · Thursday 31 January 2002

Livingstone hosts Maskey in London

BY JAYNE FISHER

Over 100,000 people attended London's St Patrick's Day celebrations, held on 16 March, with the parade from Hyde Park and festival on the South Bank organised by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, with the support of the Irish Post and the Council of Irish County Associations.

Belfast Mayor Alex Maskey, the Irish attorney general and the Irish Ambassador to Britain were among guests of the Mayor and addressed the thousands gathered from the main stage. With musicians including Ronnie Drew, Mary Coughlan, the Undertones, the Divine Comedy, the Celtic Tenors and No Way Out and guests including actors James Nesbitt, Adrian Dunbar, Niall Toibin and presenter Dermot O'Leary, the second annual festival to be held since Ken Livingstone's election as Mayor drew even bigger crowds than last year.

Both Alex Maskey and Ken Livingstone underlined the point that the peace process had created a huge confidence among Irish people in Britain, and underpinned the massive and positive response from first, second and third generation people, together with many thousands of Londoners of all nationalities who turned out. Sinn Féin representative to Britain, Dodie McGuinness, was also in attendance.

Alex Maskey had also addressed those gathered for the Mayor's St Patrick's Day dinner the previous evening at the Dorchester Hotel, which was also attended by Dublin Mayor Dermot Lacey and guests including the Ireland football manager and others from the worlds of sport and entertainment.

Maskey had been in London for two days to hold a series of meetings with Ken Livingstone's office to build links and exchange experiences between Belfast and London. Discussions on equalities, economic policy, transport and planning were held with the Mayor's policy advisory team and Livingstone also hosted a reception on Friday evening in `London's Living Room' overlooking the city. This was attended by a wide range of representatives of Irish community groups, from the world of the arts, business, politics and academia.