No Irish Festival in 2011

[MrsR]

I am very disappointed that the annual Irish Festival at Peckham Rye will not take place this year because of withdrawal of funding from Southwark Council. Hope that this is not the end for the festival.

[PeckhamRose]

Well I'd rather they cut that then services.

But don't worry, the Friends of Peckham Rye Park are still holding their fete early September, and the Irish, English Scottish even the Welsh(!) and their dogs can come to that!

[Huguenot]

Can you not find alternative funding?

It seems a wee bit cheeky that taxpayers were funding a party on the Rye anyway.

[peterstorm1985]

I'd have been pretty upset if they continued to fund the Irish festival while other budgets are slashed. I'm sure that great fun would be had by many at this event but not the most needy. Other sources of funding would be more appropriate when times are hard.

[jctg]

Huguenot Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

>

> It seems a wee bit cheeky that taxpayers were

> funding a party on the Rye anyway.

Why? It was free to attend.

[Huguenot]

Why? Because it's a special interest festival.

We don't expect taxpayers to pay for Glastonbury, Reading Festival or V (or if we do I'm shocked), why should be expect them to pay for an Irish festival?

Go ahead and have the festival, charge for tickets or find a sponsor. Just like everyone else has to.

[Atticus]

Those you listed are private profit making ventures.

[Huguenot]

Yes I understand that. It's exactly my point.

The question appears to be whether the festival is paid for by those that attend it, or paid for by those that don't.

I don't see why taxpayers should be funding public non-profit festivals. Where's the justification? If you want a festival then you'll have to invest and work hard to make them happen, not sponge off taxpayer funds.

[Atticus]

Not everyone will have the means to attend festivals. Besides,, a 'free' festival just might help the local populous engage as a community. The fact that it is Irish, mexican or swedish isn't the point. It's a theme, designed at offering southwark rate payers some thing different.

[Marmora Man]

The fact that not everyone can afford to attend a festival is not a reason for Southwark Council to subsidise or organise a free festival. Lives are not blighted by not attending a festival. If he Irish community (or any other community) wants a knees up - it's up to them to organise and fund.

You demonstrate soft and compassionate illogical thinking Atticus - someone always pays.

Not everyone can afford a car, a holiday, a five bedroom house, should the council also provide these at no cost to the user but at a cost to council tax payers?

[Asset]

yes please!

[Ann]

No they shouldn't MM. I suppose many of us (including me) have enjoyed it's presence over the years without really considering it's actual cost as local ( Southwark) residents.

This thread is a sharp reminder of what's to come I suspect. It had never occurred to me, for example that we would loose the Irish Festival, which is probably the best attended event locally by a country mile.

[Atticus]

My point wasn't that the council should provide a festival to placate the needy. That was a side point, apologies for not making myself clear.

What I was trying to say was that a fraction of the local authority's budget should cover local cultural events,if the festival helps ring members of the community together,perhaps then, its worth a bob or two of the local purse. Not everything needs to fall foul to a monetaristic argument, or perhaps I need to lift my head from the sand?

[Ann]

I agree Atticus, unless absolutely necessary, it would be a real shame to lose this event. Has anyone been there and not bumped into someone they know? That's how it's always felt to me.

[zeban]

I'm with Atticus on this

[????]

30% reductions in Public spending and a nice day out on the Rye gets real, "oh but it's fun" support.....have people a clue? Seriously?

[DJKillaQueen]

From what I'm told, all council funding of festival events has been cut, so it's not just the Irish Festival. It has been a well attended event by ALL members of the local community and when local authorities can afford to do so, provision of cultural and community events are a positive thing.

[Marmora Man]

Ann Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I agree Atticus, unless absolutely necessary, it

> would be a real shame to lose this event. Has

> anyone been there and not bumped into someone they

> know? That's how it's always felt to me.

I bump into people I know all the time - I don't need a council tax subsidised event to make that happen.

There's "nice to have" and "must have" categories in council spending -the Irish Festival falls squarely in the former category.

[Magpie]

Second post suggests the festival will go on anyway - the real question is not whether funding should be scrapped, but why was it funded in the first place? its clearly self-sustaining

[Emerson Crane]

Playing devils advocate here, but how come there is an Irish Festival but there seems to be a dearth or complete lack of festivals celebrating other cultures resident in the area, such as Arabs, Greeks, Turks, Afro- Caribbean, etc. Why just this one nationality?? And why should the council tax payer be expected to foot the bill? I can't believe for one minute the Irish outnumber all other Nationalities, races and creeds within the area.

[pk]

Emerson Crane Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Playing devils advocate here, but how come there

> is an Irish Festival but there seems to be a

> dearth or complete lack of festivals celebrating

> other cultures resident in the area, such as

> Arabs, Greeks, Turks, Afro- Caribbean, etc. Why

> just this one nationality?? And why should the

> council tax payer be expected to foot the bill? I

> can't believe for one minute the Irish outnumber

> all other Nationalities, races and creeds within

> the area.

there have been all sorts of other festivals in southwark in recent years - including, by way of example, the largest out-door latin american event in Europe - Carnaval del Pueblo

i guess that there's an irish one as someone(s) decided to organise one

[paulj]

For the newcomers to the ED P Rye area - the Irish community have been the pre-dominant 'ethnic' group in the area for over 40 years. The majority of contributors to the festival are charities, volunteers and those receiving expenses only. It has been part of the summer culture for decades. Big Society ?

[Emerson Crane]

paulj Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> For the newcomers to the ED P Rye area - the Irish

> community have been the pre-dominant 'ethnic'

> group in the area for over 40 years.

Really? Are you sure about that, and where do you get your info from? My own recollection is somewhat at odds with this and certainly there has been a large west indian community in this area since the late 60's from my own experience.

[Marmora Man]

paulj Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> For the newcomers to the ED P Rye area - the Irish

> community have been the pre-dominant 'ethnic'

> group in the area for over 40 years. The majority

> of contributors to the festival are charities,

> volunteers and those receiving expenses only. It

> has been part of the summer culture for decades.

> Big Society ?

Big Society is organising, finding volunteers, raising funds and so on yourself. Why should charities and volunteers receive expenses? from the council

[Nero]

Everyone's a minority these days, so why should and how can a council justify putting on a festival for any one group? Why not just call it a 'nice day out with some booze and various dance troupes and hopefully not too many stalls selling tat' if there's to be anything at all (at all?). That way anyone can feel happy to attend and to pay.