ARTICLE ON SINEAD O'CONNOR PULLING OUT OF FEILE AN PHOBAIL

Singer-turned-priest Sinead O'Connor has been urged to reconsider her decision 
to pull out of a concert in Northern Ireland. 

The 32-year-old pulled out of the show in nationalist West Belfast because, 
she claims, the organisers asked her not to raise the issue of punishment beatings 
by paramilitary groups. 

She had been due to sing at Feile an Phobail - The People's Festival - on 6 August, 
following an invitation from writer and former Sinn Fein press director, Danny Morrisson. 

The singer said: "I am sure my fans will understand my actions, as they know me well 
by now - certainly better than Feile an Phobail. 

"This is the festival committee's fault - not mine. Wrong is wrong. 

"And there are no excuses for violence, none whatsoever, whatever anyone says." 

Organisers said tickets had been selling very well, but festival director Caitriona 
Ruane insisted: "At no time did we say that she could not speak about any issue." 

Ruane added she felt that the concert might not have been the most ideal platform for 
political statements. "If she had written a song about the issue, it would have been great," 
she said. 

Concerns were expressed, however, that recent publicity about the singer regarding the 
concert would have provoked trouble in the audience. 

Organisers are still hopeful O'Connor will reconsider her decision. They have written to 
her outlining their concerns that she does not understand the complexity of the punishment 
beatings issue.