Strabane: Councillor raises concerns over NI town's UK Town of Culture bid

A councillor has voiced concerns over a town in Northern Ireland being considered as the UK's first Town of Culture.

Paul Gallagher, who is an independent councillor in Strabane, County Tyrone, said the inclusion of the word "UK" in the title is problematic for him and some constituents in the mainly-nationalist town.

However, Ulster Unionist councillor Derek Hussey said he could not understand Gallagher's argument, as Strabane clearly is in the United Kingdom.

The town is one of 15 UK locations shortlisted for the inaugural competition run by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport with a prize of £3m up for grabs.

The bid is supported by celebrities such as singer-songwriter Paul Brady and BBC Radio presenter Hugo Duncan, as well as most councillors, including the Sinn Féin Mayor of Derry and Strabane Grace Uí Niallais.

The public have been asked what they would like to see in the final bid, which is due to be submitted by the end of November.

BBC News NI has contacted Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) for comment.

UK Town of Culture is a new Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) competition.

It said it was inspired by the success of the UK City of Culture - which was won by Londonderry in 2013 - and aims to "celebrate towns and help to create a lasting cultural legacy".

The government will select the best small, medium and large towns from an initial batch of almost 400 applications.

One will be named UK Town of Culture 2028 and receive £3m to develop a year-long programme of cultural celebrations while the other two finalists will each receive £250,000.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme , Gallagher said the County Tyrone town is "in dire need of investment", but many of his constituents who would have some reservations about the UK title.

"Some people are stating clearly they will not be part of a UK culture bid, so, as an elected representative, I need to be cognisant of that," he said.

"Strabane, it's not only a nationalist town, it's a Republican town, and that needs to be taken on board.

"Lots of money comes in from various sources, from the British Treasury, from a lot of places, but it doesn't come with a condition on it that says you're in the UK."

Councillor Hussey rejected Gallagher's comments and said he "failed to understand" them.

"This is a question of accepting reality," he said.

" I don't want to go back to the Belfast Agreement, but the Belfast Agreements set asides all questions regarding the issue of sovereignty with regard Northern Ireland, until if such times the people here decide otherwise."

Hussey said this conversation could be viewed as "isolating" for people of a British identity in the Strabane area.

"I don't see why an Irish identity cannot be included within a UK Town of Culture because the United Kingdom covers a wide range of identities and nationalities.

"The UK has a multitude of cultures and this bid is a celebration of culture.

"The benefit that could come to the town would be amazing, the top prize, if you want to call it that, is £3m to assist with the development of the overall project and year of cultural events."

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