THE West Belfast Festivall Feile An Phobail launched its programme this week, under a new director, Caitriona Ruane. Her foreword maintains the defensive stance of the August festival, which this year celebrates its 10th year: "There have been attempts to silence us, to censor us and to cut our funding.survived and grown during the past 10 years, we will not be silenced, we will not be marginalised." (Isn't listening to "detractors" a useful way to develop and grow?)

Along with events which explore the community's sense of itself, such as a tour of Republican graves and a talk on Bloody Sunday by Don Mullin, author of Evewitness, there are arts events: concerts by Frances Black, Mud, Kieran Goss and Dickie Rock, for instance; the premiere of Bin Lids, a new Dubbeljoint play developed with prisoners' wives; and exhibitions of 20 years of mural art and of the Riverdance Paintings by Robert Ballagh. The festival runs from August 3rd-10th; information on Belfast 313440.