The loyalist group 'Let's Talk Loyalism' has lodged a formal complaint to Fleadh Cheoil organisers after a food trader played a pro-IRA song.
Food trader, The Hatch, has issued an apology for “any offence caused” after a video circulating online, appearing to show Celtic Symphony by the Wolfe Tones playing from their food truck.
Let's Talk Loyalism has since submitted a formal complaint to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann officials and request they condemn pro-IRA songs being played by any vendors associated with the festival.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast former editor of the Belfast Telegraph, Ben Lowry, said the song is a 'devastating chant.'
"I think it (The Hatch) has apologised because it is a business in Northern Ireland with a number of locations and it realises how hurtful this is."
"The important thing for people to realise, is particularly in the Republic of Ireland, how objectionable it is, the seemingly harmless chant of 'Ooh-ah, up the 'Ra', which is part a famous Wolf Tones song."
Mr Lowry says that the song is "endorsing the provisional IRA, which in 1972 alone, the worst year of the Troubles, there were more than 1,000 bombs, hundreds of them in Belfast city centre".
He believes that "Irish Republicans are very dedicated to pushing the past and sanitising the past."
"The IRA and Sinn Féin are a very specific and very successful, attempt to change what happened in the Troubles. "
"One of the points that I have often made as a unionist, reminding other unionists the extent to which the Republic of Ireland repudiated the IRA".
Fleadh controversy
Stormont Speaker, Edwin Poots, has written to Chief Constable regarding the incident at the Fleadh Cheoil, stating "there is no place at any publicly supported event for music that glorifies or celebrates terrorism".
The Hatch said in a statement they are "absolutely devasted" after watching the footage showing pro-IRA music being broadcast from their van.
The business said: “The Fleadh has been an incredibly positive event, and we would be very upset if this mistake was used to stir up tension."
“This song was played unintentionally, and we apologise for any offence caused.”
