The BBC News Channel and RTE Radio 1 in Ireland are reporting that a West Belfast Arts Festival, trans activists and "gender critical" extremist feminists are all claiming victory after a high court case was dropped.

Here's what we know:

A women’s organisation has ended its High Court fight with Féile an Phobail after reaching a settlement, following the festival’s decision to pull a discussion event from its programme. The Women’s Rights Network Northern Ireland (WRN NI) confirmed that the legal proceedings had been concluded by mutual agreement, and that the panel discussion would now take place at a different location.

The dispute centred on an event titled “Respect, Rights and Reality”, which the group had originally booked to run as part of the West Belfast Festival. Féile an Phobail accepted the proposal initially but later withdrew it, saying it had not realised the event would “promote campaigns against rights for the transgender community”. In response, WRN NI launched a court action, arguing that a contractual agreement had been breached. Talks between the two sides collapsed before the legal case was filed.

Both organisations issued statements shortly before a scheduled hearing at the High Court in Belfast on Wednesday. WRN NI said it had “reached an agreement with Féile an Phobail that brings the current legal proceedings to an end”. It added that the planned discussion would now go ahead on 4 August at an alternative venue. The group, which describes itself as “putting the sex-based needs of women and girls first”, expressed gratitude for public and private support, and said it hoped the outcome would lead to “constructive engagement and greater opportunities for women’s voices and perspectives to be heard”.

Féile an Phobail, widely known as Ireland’s largest community arts festival and in its fourth decade, said it was “delighted” with the resolution. The festival stated that its original decision to drop the event “stands”, and described the outcome as “a vindication of Féile’s position in standing up for those who are marginalised”. In its own statement, the festival said it would continue to “provide a voice for the marginalised” and welcomed the opportunity to meet with WRN NI to discuss future involvement. It also criticised what it called “the agenda of many of those who involved themselves in this issue”, asserting that the festival would not be damaged by external attacks.

The event had been scheduled to take place at St Mary’s University College on 4 August, during a festival programme that runs until 9 August. With the legal challenge withdrawn, the panel discussion will now proceed elsewhere on the same date.

NB. Belfast has gay media in the shape of Juice FM on 103.8 MHz FM in and around the city. https://juiceonair.com/