St Mary’s University College has marked the conclusion of another highly successful Féile an Phobail, following an extensive programme of debates, discussions and visual arts exhibitions hosted across the College campus.

The 2026 programme held particular significance for St Mary’s as it coincided with the closing weeks of the College’s 125th anniversary year, providing an opportunity to celebrate its history and heritage while reaffirming its continuing commitment to education, culture, community engagement and informed public discussion.

St Mary’s collaboration with Féile an Phobail stretches back to 1994 and has developed into an important and enduring partnership. This year, the scale of activity across the campus was considerable, with College facilities supporting a wide-ranging programme and welcoming significant numbers of visitors.

Celebrating 125 years through Féile

As a distinctive contribution to the anniversary year, St Mary’s contributed four significant debates and discussions and three major visual arts exhibitions to the programme.

The College-supported debates and discussions reflected the breadth of its educational and civic mission, addressing history, language, reconciliation, culture, identity and international experience.

The Dr Eamon Phoenix Foundation Memorial History Lecture, Hard Border in Ireland: From Partition to Brexit, was delivered by historian Cormac Moore and explored the profound political and social impact of the Irish border from partition through to Brexit.

An important international dimension was provided by Dr John P. Hopkins of Saint Martin’s University, Washington State, whose Kindred Spirits: Parallel Paths of Language Loss and Revitalization explored parallels between Native American and Irish experiences of language loss, colonial policies and contemporary language revitalisation. The event complemented the College’s wider international engagement during the summer, bringing global perspectives into dialogue with questions of language, identity and cultural resilience.

The international focus continued with South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission: The Legacy and Lessons Learned 30 Years On. Bringing together perspectives from South Africa and Ireland, the discussion reflected on the legacy of the TRC and considered the lessons its experience continues to offer for peacebuilding and societies emerging from conflict.

Another major event, From Wounded Knee to Gaza, brought together BBC broadcaster Caoimhe Ní Chathail, artist J. B. Vallely, filmmaker and poet Antaine Ó Donnaile, and academic and researcher Azadeh Sobout. Combining art, film and discussion, the event considered themes of memory, dispossession, cultural survival and the role of creative expression in encouraging dialogue on challenging contemporary issues.

These specifically College-led events formed part of a much wider Féile Debates and Discussions programme hosted at St Mary’s, attracting substantial audiences to the

campus. The scale of the programme required close coordination between Féile and College staff across multiple venues, with extensive arrangements for audience management, accessibility, AV support, security and event delivery.

Visual arts across the campus

Visual art was equally prominent in the College’s contribution to Féile 2026, with three significant exhibitions adding a further dimension to the anniversary programme.

Of particular importance to St Mary’s was The Passing of the Flame, celebrating seven decades of Gaelic football at St Joseph’s and St Mary’s and the legacy of former Head of Physical Education Jim McKeever.

Through physical displays and a complementary digital exhibition, The Passing of the Flame traced the remarkable contribution made by generations of St Mary’s students and alumni to Gaelic games at school, club, county and provincial level. In doing so, it celebrated not only sporting achievement but the values of leadership, volunteering, friendship and community which have characterised the College across generations.

The Dr Eamon Phoenix Foundation Exhibition provided a visual and audio celebration of the work and lectures of the late historian Dr Eamon Phoenix, complementing the Memorial History Lecture and helping to preserve and share his considerable contribution to public understanding of Irish history.

Meanwhile, acclaimed artist J. B. Vallely’s From Wounded Knee to Gaza brought a powerful collection of paintings to the College. The exhibition explored injustice, conflict, resilience and human dignity, connecting historical and contemporary experiences through visual art. Its presentation alongside the associated interdisciplinary discussion demonstrated the ability of visual art, scholarship and public debate to illuminate complex issues from different perspectives.

Delivering such an extensive visual arts programme involved significant collaboration between Féile artists, volunteers and St Mary’s staff, including the careful installation, supervision and protection of artworks throughout the programme.

Partnership, community and international engagement

The success of Féile 2026 again demonstrated the value of the longstanding relationship between St Mary’s and Féile an Phobail.

Across the programme, the College became a meeting place for artists, academics, historians, broadcasters, community representatives, international visitors and members of the public. Particularly strong attendance throughout the programme reinforced St Mary’s position as an accessible civic and cultural space within West Belfast and provided an important opportunity to introduce new audiences to the College.

The programme also reflected several important dimensions of the College’s mission: promoting education and learning beyond the classroom; contributing to the cultural life of the community; encouraging respectful discussion of significant historical and contemporary issues; supporting Irish language and cultural heritage; and developing connections extending well beyond the North.

Behind the public programme was a substantial collaborative effort. Féile staff and volunteers worked alongside colleagues across St Mary’s to manage a complex series of activities safely and successfully, with arrangements encompassing venue management, accessibility, safeguarding, security, visitor movement, technical support and media activity.

Reflecting on the programme, Principal Professor Peter Finn said:

“Our partnership with Féile an Phobail extends back more than three decades and is an important expression of St Mary’s longstanding commitment to the community.

“It was particularly fitting that, as our 125th anniversary year drew to a close, we were able to make such a distinctive contribution to this year’s programme. From celebrating our own sporting heritage through The Passing of the Flame, to exploring history, language, reconciliation, art and international experience, the programme reflected many of the activities that have shaped St Mary’s over the past 125 years.

“The very strong attendance across the programme was especially encouraging. I thank Féile an Phobail, all of our contributors and, in particular, the many College staff who invested considerable time and effort in making the programme such a success.”

The conclusion of Féile an Phobail 2026 therefore provided an appropriate finale to a landmark anniversary year: celebrating the College’s heritage while demonstrating the continuing relevance of its mission through partnership, community engagement and dialogue locally and internationally.