Save The Peckham Rye Irish Festival

[alwaysFN]

It with great sadness that Southwark Council, with support from local councillors have decided to try and withdraw the funding for the long established Irish Festival which takes place yearly on Peckham Rye Common, common land after all. Historically this festival had its roots in a travellers gathering.

The National Gypsy Education Council have been informed and once the current issue in Essex is resolved resources will be directed to re-instating this fair. If you wish to show your support then please contact the council on any of the following links below

http://www.grtleeds.co.uk/information/GypsyCouncil.html

http://www.gypsy-association.co.uk/contact.html.

The annual Gypsy Council's AGM takes place on the 10th of September 2011 at Greenwich University, email for information.

[edhistory]

> Peckham Rye Common, common land after all.

Are you sure it is "common land"?

> Historically this festival had its roots in a travellers gathering.

Is there any evidence for this, or is it a fabrication?

John K

[alwaysFN]

Peckham Rye Common which is registered as Common Land under the Commons Registration Act 1965.

Common Land is subject to ?rights of common? example rights of grazing, or

of cutting bracken, in common with other people.

Southwark has had a sizeable Irish population since the 1600s. Large numbers came after the Potato Famine, to work in the docks and build the railways. Communities grew up at ?Jacobs? Island?, Long Lane, Mint Street and Old Kent Road, gradually spreading into Peckham and Camberwell. More recently Irish Traveller families have made Southwark their settled home. Significant numbers of Southwark?s contemporary white ?English? population probably have some Irish roots. Southwark is one of the London boroughs that hosts a yearly Irish festival.

[new mother]

When cutbacks are being made to serious and needed services all the time, you have to ask yourself this - is this an early April fool?

[Alan Medic]

You didn't answer the question regarding what evidence there is for this.

[ratty]

Yeah, rather they cut the rubbish festival than my wife's job tbh!

[Otta]

Exactly, it's a naff event, and why should the council fund it.

If the Irish community wish to celebrate, good for them, but why should public funding be made available for that specific group?

[PeckhamRose]

True, but the same could be said of so many things the government funds: faith schools for example.

Are the irish to be afforded the same 'rights' or special exemptions and treatments now as say the native Americans in the USA, who are allowed to run casinos in states where gambling is otherwise not allowed? A naff example in a way but nevertheless! We're all in this together. London's government and UK government does (should?) not discriminate against any race so therefore, no, why should we save the Irish festival? I'm still miffed the council have cancelled the Southwark in Bloom award! I got Silver last year - might have got gold this year, but I'd much rather the money went on ratty's missus' job!

[Marmora Man]

If I want to party I pay for it myself - or ask my friends to chip in. If the Irish or Travellers wish to have a party I suggest they do the same.

If it is true that the festival has its roots back in the mists of time then I'm damn sure it wasn't an event subsidised by the local taxpayer in 1800 or thereabouts. Respect your, assumed, history - do it yourself.

[Moos]

No to funding the festival. Yes to funding Southwark jobs and care centres. Festivals (and flower awards) are fundable in good times, but not when care and livelihoods are at stake. I miss the flower dogs on Denmark Hill but I'd be embarrassed to ask for them back.

[peterstorm1985]

The Irish population is no more significant or insignificant than a wide range of other nationalities so I see no reason for special treatment. Looking to history is a dangerous place to go to justify an event (Public hangings anyone?). However, if any group wants to stage a themed event on Peckham Rye then, as long as they pay for all administration, traffic management, policing, clear up etc, then I hope they have good time.

[Alan Medic]

What special treatment is there? The Festival has been cancelled. Given the Irish population in the UK I would imagine they contribute more taxes here than most if not all other nationalities. That makes them more significant.

[Frankito]

Meds, can we have some data to back that one up please....! >:D

[Alan Medic]

I did a survey in a pub in Stockwell.

[peterstorm1985]

Alan Medic Wrote:

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

Given the Irish population in the

> UK I would imagine they contribute more taxes here

> than most if not all other nationalities. That

> makes them more significant.

Mm, are you suggesting that they contribute more taxes as a proportion than, say, the English. I've never seen an English festival proposed. Or what about Scottish? (I only exclude the Welsh because I haven't heard too many welsh accents lately). And how do you define Irishness? (I could scrape my family background and find a connection if I want, but I don't). The OP is adding a complication by making it a traveller issue. And why 'imagine' it? If you only refer to population numbers but want to use tax take as a justification then there are some missing stats.

The OP was suggesting a resurrection of something that has been cancelled. My reference to 'special treatment' relates to the resurrection, not to the cancellation. The latter seems fair to all. Festivals are a luxury for times of plenty.

[Otta]

TOP NON- UK BIRTH PLACES 2001

Republic of Ireland: 494,850

India: 466,416

Pakistan: 320,767

Germany: 262,276

Caribbean: 254,740

USA: 155,030

Bangladesh: 154,201

South Africa: 140,201

Kenya: 129,356

Italy: 107,002

This was 10 years ago, and I suspect places like Somalia, as well as Eastern European countries would now be in that list.

[DJKillaQueen]

Apparently the Irish festival cost ?32,000 with ?16,000 coming from the council (maybe James Barber can confirm that). From the festivals I attended I find it hard to believe that anything like ?32,000 was spent on them.

[edhistory]

> Peckham Rye Common which is registered as Common Land under the Commons Registration Act 1965.

Common Land is subject to ?rights of common? example rights of grazing, or of cutting bracken, in common with other people.

Did you pay your ?14 to Southwark Council to inspect the register maintained under the 2006 Act? Are any residual "rights of common" registered? Or are you guessing?

> Historically this festival had its roots in a travellers gathering

There is a story to be told about the history of itinerant families in East Dulwich. It's better not to invent it. Did you?

John K

[alwaysFN]

The lower half of the common is common land, always has bin, and i will save me coin ta.

Theres been a fair going back centuries. Use to be on the fields around the Kentish Drovers, all thast left now is a travellers site very close. There's always been gatherins in the area and these fairs were swept up by southwark and move to the Rye. This one's under southwarks banner has been going 23years.

they gave about 40grand, but i think most was invisible subsidy or something. Anyway i spied a camera car parked up bythe rye the other day. How much to kit that out and man? Thats what your lot do to culture they sweep it away and spend it on silly little camera cars. Well not this culture, there's a fair coming so dont you worry mister K.

[Huguenot]

"Thats what your lot do to culture"

Oh good heavens, just what we need, another petty racist.

[kellygirl]

with you Huguenot. this thread made me very queasy.

[KidKruger]

Our lot ?!

Best not bite the hand that feeds - ?40K is a lot of cash to receive for a 'fair'..

[Alan Medic]

'Your lot' is a stupid comment, not deserving the equally stupid comments that followed.

[ianr]

"Eleven festivals in total have lost their [southwark] council funding this year, including those celebrating the elderly, lesbian and gay and Latin American communities."

"The council insists it is considering a new festival framework for the future, to incorporate all the groups losing out on funding - this may result in a one-day multi-community festival."

from The Irish Post, online page dated March 2011

[Marmora Man]

Will the "new festival framework" be exclusively for all the groups losing out on funding - or can those other taxpayers that will be funding it join in too? I'm not elderly, gay, latin american, irish or a traveller, but like a party.

Still seems a waste of money to me - far more important areas to be funded with public funds.