Criticism, when rooted in misunderstanding or fear, often misses the very point it claims to defend.

The controversy stirred over a proposed Fleadh Cheoil fringe event in Bangor this summer is a case in point. At its heart is a familiar refrain in northern politics: that culture is a zero-sum game, that one tradition can only be celebrated at the expense of another, and that music itself is somehow a provocation.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The planned Fleadh Fringe event, timed to coincide with the Ulster Pipe Band Championships, should be seen not as a threat but as an opportunity. An opportunity for Bangor, for Ards and North Down, and for an entire region. Far from “creating ill feeling”, the dual events offer a chance to showcase musical traditions side by side, reflecting the richness and diversity that already exists on the ground.