Image copyright Endemol Image caption Frankie Boyle "made fun of the way people with Down's syndrome speak" during a gig in 2010

A show by comedian Frankie Boyle looks set to go ahead in spite of opposition from a group that has said his jokes "mock children with disabilities".

The controversial Scot is due to perform at the part-publicly funded Féile an Phobail in Belfast next month.

But opponents had demanded its cancellation because of jokes Boyle has told about people with Down's syndrome.

On Monday, they had a "frank and useful meeting" with the organisers, who said afterwards the gig was still happening.

Féile an Phobail, an annual community arts festival, has said it is the fastest-selling comedy gig it has ever put on.

The opposition to the show has been based on remarks Boyle made during a live show in 2010.

The mother of a girl with the condition said he had "made fun of the way people with Down's syndrome speak" and "made a number of references to people with Down's syndrome dying early".

Hypocrisy

A group of parents of children with disabilities and a number of disability charities had said they were supported by thousands of people in calling for the comedian's appearance at the festival to be scrapped.

And the Belfast Telegraph has reported that one of the founding members of Féile an Phobail, the former Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Belfast Tom Hartley, has become the first high-profile figure to publicly oppose the show.

His brother Stephen has Down's syndrome.

Johnny Lundy, of Féile for Everyone, the group objecting to the show on 7 August, accused the festival of hypocrisy over booking Mr Boyle.

"I don't think its acceptable at a community festival whose claim or remit is that it's a community for all and its disability awareness is second-to-none," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Stephen Nolan Show.

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption A protest against the gig was held outside Féile an Phobail's offices in west Belfast on Friday

"It's hypocritical to make that claim and then have somebody like Frankie Boyle appear at it.

"This is a community festival, it's part funded by public money, and it is seeking to mock one of the most vulnerable groups in our society.

"I object to my money being used to make my daughter and others like her the butt of his jokes."

Opinions

A protest against the gig was held outside Féile an Phobail's offices in west Belfast on Friday, and objectors met festival representatives on Monday.

Members of the protest group left after more than an hour of talks and said it had been a "frank and useful meeting".

They added that they would be consulting with the rest of the group.

A spokesman for the festival said the meeting was "positive" and both parties were "happy with the outcome".

"There were some frank opinions exchanged in the meeting and both sides were heard," he said.

A joint statement would be drafted, agreed and issued "in the coming days", he added.

When asked if the gig was now on or off, the spokesman said: "As far as Féile an Phobail is concerned, the gig is going ahead."

Distinction

Féile an Phobail has said around 2,000 tickets have already been sold and it is expecting a capacity crowd of 2,500 at the show.

Image copyright Pacemaker Image caption Opponents want the gig cancelled because of jokes Frankie Boyle has mad about people with Down's syndrome

Spiked Magazine's Tom Slater said Boyle "is not some sort of anti-disabilist hate-preacher", and said the opposition to his show was hysterical.

"He is not going around inciting violence," Mr Slater said.

"He is going around making very crass, very unpleasant jokes that a lot of people, quite rightly, are upset by.

"We need to make a distinction.

"I think we need to get some kind of perspective on this kind of alarmist rhetoric of whereby we see any kind of offensive statement as potentially damaging."

The BBC has contacted Frankie Boyle's representatives but has yet to receive a response.