An Irish venue has cancelled an occasion after an open letter signed by Kneecap and Fontaines D.C. warned it will be a platform for the “far-right”.
The Mayflower Neighborhood Centre in Drumshanbo, Co. Leitrim was set to host the Mise Éire Competition on August 23, however on Wednesday (August 6), they introduced on Fb that they’d not be internet hosting the occasion as a consequence of “phrases and circumstances not being complied with”.
The choice adopted an open letter circulated by Leitrim and Roscommon In opposition to Fascism (LARAF), which was signed by roughly 600 artists and humanities employees, together with Kneecap, Fontaines D.C., Christy Moore, The Mary Wallopers and Chris O’Dowd.
The letter argued that the competition would “tarnish the proud historical past of the Mayflower as a venue”, a spot they stated has “introduced individuals collectively from all backgrounds as a secure and inclusive cultural area for the group, for native schoolchildren and for all guests to the world”.
On behalf of Mayflower Neighborhood Centre CLG we regretfully want to inform the general public that the upcoming ‘Mise Éire’…
Posted by Mayflower Neighborhood Centre on Wednesday, August 6, 2025
It’s believed that Stephen Kerr, a right-wing, anti-immigration activist in Eire, was concerned within the organisation of the competition, with controversial media figures together with John Waters, Thomas Sheridan and Kevin Flanagan listed as deliberate audio system.
The competition was set to contain “reside music, talks and workshops celebrating Irish tradition, heritage and shared values”. LARAF, nonetheless, have urged that this was a misrepresentation of the competition’s intentions.
As reported by Scorching Press, the Mise Éire Competition has responded to the cancellation by writing: “As LARAF celebrates what they suppose is a profitable assault on free speech and Irish tradition is actually the start of the demise of the true fascist motion that thinks it may dictate what grown adults do, suppose, say and really feel.”
“It’s a good time for them to grasp why we selected the identify Mise Éire which suggests ‘I’m Eire’. We ARE Eire, our attendees ARE. These individuals can not take away what’s inside us. Inherent and intrinsic and God given.”
Signatories (1 ) pic.twitter.com/E5g1fYSQnd
— EamonnVIDF 🏳️⚧️🍉 (@EamonnVIDF) August 5, 2025
It’s the newest in a string of comparable open letters signed by artists in 2025 in political protest at public occasions and festivals.
In Could, over 60 artists signed a letter addressed to Sónar Competition, protesting their “complicity” with the personal fairness agency KKR, which holds important investments in firms with ties to Israel amid the continuing state of affairs in Gaza.
A number of names additionally withdrew from Subject Day and plenty of others urged motion this yr as a consequence of its personal ties to KKR.
Simply this week, The Menstrual Cramps pulled out of Boardmasters 2025, saying the competition had not met calls for to “culturally boycott Israel”.