Members of the organising committee for the Cavan County Fleadh in Belturbet. Front (from left): Peggy Gray, Tom Meehan, Mary Lennon, Veronica McGovern, Sinead McKiernan, Alison Murphy, Marie Smith, Deirdre O’Gorman and Sheila Enirght; back, Ann Grogan and Antonia Sheridan.

Craic agus ceol at the county fleadh

County Fleadh takes place in Belturbet, June 2-5.

The Belturbet branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will host the Cavan County Fleadh this weekend from June 2-5.

Ahead of the weekend of competitions and fringe events, Ann Grogan, who is part of the organising committee, spoke to the Celt about the four-day traditional music and community festival.

“Our competitions are kicking off on Friday evening. We have dancing competitions in the Railway Hall and in St Mary’s Boys School. Then we have a really special under-10 tin whistle performance, with 100 children taking part. That’s between all the children of St Bricin’s College and the Fairgreen Natioanl school. Then on the street, there will be school performances and The High Stool Prophets.”

The Fleadh will continue on Saturday with competitions and a variety of entertainment.

“On Saturday competitions start between 11.30am and 12 noon until 5pm. We’re using St Bricin’s College, the Fairgreen National School, the boys’ school and the civic centre,” revealed Ann.

Outside of the official competitions, there will be a wide range of events for all ages and tastes with an international performance too.

“We’ll have the junior tractor cycle run from St Bricin’s College onto Main Street, in conjunction with the local playschool Happy Days at 5 pm,” said Ann.

“The Rafter School of Dancing will have a dancing display at 5pm, Cavan Comhaltas have a big orchestral group coming from Germany called ‘The Jug End Blass Orchestra’. It’s a return visit, because Cavan Comhaltas visited them a few years ago, so over 40 of them will be performing at 5:30pm,” she continued.

There will be a range of different traditional activities taking place in various establishments around the town as Ann outlines.

“We have a traditional kitchen with different workshops in Donohoes’ Pub, which has been converted into teach tradisiúnta, and we also have wool spinning crochet classes, with Peggy Grey as the bean an tí. We have sean nós dance classes, singing classes, basket making, while people will get a chance to practise their cúpla focal at the ‘Gaeilge Le Chéile’ area in the Seanteach Traidisiúnta on both Saturday and Sunday from 12-1pm,” detailed Ann.

This will be followed by performances by high-profile groups.

“The Young Wolfe Tones will be performing at 7.30pm on Saturday on the Main Street,” said Ann.

“There’ll be a céilí in the Town Hall with the Copperplate Céilí Band, followed by a session trail in all of the pubs. Across the road, in Cistin Maggie Mór we’ll have traditional bread making demonstrations, a junior demonstration and a singing workshop on Saturday led by Rose Connolly.”

The competitions and fun continues on Sunday, beginning with a service to remember past members.

“On Sunday we have the Fleadh mass to remember our Comhaltas predecessors,” said Ann.

“Eleanor Shanley is hosting a singing workshop in the Teach Tradisiunta. There will be a variety of competitions on Sunday including duets, trios, grupaí cheoils and céilí bands with the competitons running until 5pm. At 5pm on the street, we have Eirú, who will be joined by Marion Bradley and the Clap Dancing Group, followed by a busking competition for all the junior musicians from 6-7pm on the Main Street, with Kathy Durkin acting as adjudicator.

“Brother Bold will be performing at 7pm, and we will finish up with the PJ Flood memorial concert in the Civic Centre. On Monday we’ll have Ceol na nÓg, followed by a piano recital by Brenda McCann and her family, who is a previous Fleadh winner,” she listed of the long line of highlights.

Ann says it’s fantastic to see such interest from the next generations of musicians.

“It’s wonderful after the pandemic to have so many young people performing with a good mix of other traditional musicians.”

She also paid tribute to those who helped to make the event a success.

“We’ve built up a great committee, they’re multi-talented, which made it so easy and special to run this fleadh. The teamwork is amazing. The local businesses have been amazing to us as well. They’ve given us both great financial and practical support, as have the venues who have been great as well.”