Catherine Martin will attend US music festival despite Irish artist boycott

Cork singer-songwriter Mick Flannery has pulled out of the South By Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, this week.

Arts Minister Catherine Martin will attend the South By Southwest festival, despite the withdrawal of Irish artists.

A statement issued by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media said that Ms Martin is "representing Ireland at a number of events in Austin as part of the Government’s 2024 St Patrick’s Day programme, some of which form part of the SXSW festival".

It adds that the Minister spoke this morning to "many of the musicians who have withdrawn from the SXSW Festival".

"She outlined that she has the utmost respect for their freedom of expression as artists and reassured them that she will use every opportunity available to her to make clear her revulsion at the devastation that has been unleashed on Gaza.

"This includes the St Patrick’s Day consular reception in Austin tonight where she will outline to attendees the Irish Government’s calls for an immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages and a massive and sustained increase in humanitarian aid, food and medicine to the people of Gaza."

Belfast rappers Kneecap said they would not perform 'in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and to highlight the unacceptable deep links the festival has to weapons companies and the US military'. Picture: David Creedon

Music From Ireland had been due to host a showcase event at the South By Southwest festival in Austin this week, but a number of scheduled performers have said they will not attend due to the festival's association with defence and military companies and the US army.

Speaking in Boston, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar strongly backed Ms Martin's decision.

He said that while the musical artists are entitled to, Ireland's government does not have a policy of boycott.

"I fully appreciate that people have the right to boycott events should they choose to do so and I totally respect that.

"But it's not the policy of the Irish government to engage in boycotts. It's one thing to exclude a country from an event or a competition or a sporting event or you know, film festival, for example. 

It's another thing to exclude yourself because they weren't excluded. And it's not our policy, to boycott. It's our policy to engage."

On Monday night, Cork singer-songwriter Mick Flannery became the latest Irish musician to pull out of the event. The Blarney native said: "I do not wish to be associated with weapons manufacturers."

Gavin James, Soda Blonde, and Sprints have also withdrawn, while Belfast rappers Kneecap said they would not perform "in solidarity with the people of Palestine, and to highlight the unacceptable deep links the festival has to weapons companies and the US military, who at this very moment are enabling a genocide and famine against a trapped population".

Earlier on Tuesday, opposition politicians pushed for Ms Martin not to attend the event as planned on Wednesday.

Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns said it was "heartening" to see the withdrawals of Irish artists and praised their sacrifice.

The Irish artists who have cancelled their shows have sacrificed the opportunity to showcase their talents at a high-profile festival on a point of principle.

“They have done this at significant financial cost because they don’t want their work tainted by association with the US military industrial complex.

“Like the majority of Irish people, they are horrified at the slaughter of over 31,000 Palestinians and the forced starvation of Gaza’s population by Israel.

“Under these circumstances, it is wholly inappropriate for Minister Catherine Martin to attend the festival as part of her St Patrick’s Week visit to the United States. 

It is deeply disturbing that an Irish Arts Minister would attend a festival sponsored by the US military — particularly when the US is arming Israel as it slaughters tens of thousands of civilians in Gaza.

People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy said that Ms Martin's attendance would put her at odds with the Irish people.

"She definitely shouldn't attend. If the artists are pulling out, she should follow their lead.

"Whatever the arguments for [the Taoiseach meeting US president Joe Biden at the White House], an event that is sponsored by the military-industrial complex won't be persuaded by our politicians being in the room.

"It's striking how to the fore Irish artists have been on this, leading from the front. It's inspiring and bold of them. To have the minister for arts not follow their lead would send the wrong message about the position of the Irish people."

In a statement, Music From Ireland said it would hold a meeting with acts that had travelled on Tuesday and would support their decision either way.

"If an artist chooses not to participate in SXSW this will not have a bearing on future showcasing opportunities for those artists. Music from Ireland and Culture Ireland actively supports artists' right to freedom of expression, which is fundamental to their role as agents of change in society."