Complaints over Ardoyne concert

The Ardoyne Fleadh festival was held across Saturday and Sunday and on the second night the line-up was traditional Irish music acts.

According to the event's Facebook page, the line-up for the concert included a Christy Moore act, Gary Og and his band and Charlie and the Bhoys.

Belfast City Council confirmed they had received 110 complaints regarding Sunday's event and that the event did not receive an entertainments licence.

DUP councillor Brian Kingston said the loudness of the festival was not the only issue as he said he was outraged a song about the IRA was performed during the event.

The song in question, 'The Broad Black Brimmer', includes the lyrics: "And when men claim Ireland's freedom, the one they'll choose to lead 'em, will wear the broad black brimmer of the IRA."

The band also played other republican songs by the Wolfe Tones including 'The Boys of the Old Brigade'.

Councillor Kingston said: "It is understood that a community festival may involve some loud music in the evening, but it is totally unacceptable for that to include the high-volume blasting of songs about republican paramilitaries.

"These words could be clearly heard at least two miles away. I could hear it clearly at my own home and we have received many complaints from others in various areas.

"This is hardly the way for the community sector to inspire the post-conflict generation of young people and to enhance community relations."

He added: "It is obscene for that to be inflicted on surrounding unionist communities and indeed on the people of Ardoyne."

However, an organiser of the fleadh - who didn't want to be named - brushed off the criticisms and stressed that the event came at the end of a very tense summer in the area.

Speaking to UTV, he argued it was a controlled environment where people had enjoyed themselves and the event had helped to resolve some of the tensions.

He also highlighted the fact an electricity substation was vandalised at the time and thousands of nearby homes had their power cut off, which he claims was an attempt to sabotage the concert.

He said the song was "part of a culture at Ardoyne, it's gone now but it's still part of the history at Ardoyne".

Police are investigating the incident on Sunday where a substation in the Alliance Road area was broken into and circuit breakers switched off.

A van used by call-out engineers who attended to fix the problem was also attacked with stones. There are no reports of any injuries.

The station was again tripped after the Fleadh had ended on Monday night.