The festival is held each year in the month of August for 10 days. Towns can apply for the opportunity of hosting the event. It’s a wonderful stage for the chosen venue as nowadays there are in the region of 500,000 people in attendance, over the 10 days. This year the town of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath has been chosen to host 2023 for the ‘Fleadh’.

There are various stages in the competition leading up to this final festival. In Ireland there are county and provincial events. Overseas, in Britain, USA, Canada, Europe and Australia competitors must also qualify. The organization have judges at the locations for each of the performances.

In the town chosen for the competitions to be held, proper venues have to exist and so this town will need to have these facilities in place. Renting marquess, converting existing buildings, the use of schools as it’s summer holiday time. These premises are where people’s dreams come true. An All-Ireland medal and certificate to prove that your years of practice have paid off. Admission tickets permits individuals access to these venues. The different fields of entertainment are, (1) dancing, solo and age groups under 12 years, 12-15 years, 15-18 years and Senior. (2) Vocal, also different age groups. (3) instrumental music, solo and groups of various ages. (4) Newly composed Songs in the Irish and English language. (5) Bands; Marching bands or Set dancing i.e groups of 4 or 8.

The entertainment is free on the streets. Families, individuals, lovers of music, or lovers in love, can breathe in the ecstasy of that fulfillment of joy, as music overwhelmingly embraces them.

This is your opportunity to immerse yourself in Ireland’s musical heritage. The beauty of the ‘Fleadh’ is for people to stroll the streets and soak up the atmosphere of music being performed by solo, duets, trios and groups. Be they young, old, or middle aged, of championship standard or someone out for the craic to entertain others and meet others.

The Irish language is very much associated with Irish music, so why not avail of some of the workshops that are there and ‘Abair Cúpla Focal’ (say a few words). If you have an interest in particular musical instruments, there are other workshops to take part in at your leisure. The country is dotted with Comhaltas facilities, why not visit some.

The cost of running an event such as the ‘Fleadh’ adds up to a sizeable sum. The figure of 2 million Euro has been quoted. It’s easy to see where it goes. Volunteers may be seen as free labour, they still have to eat and their travel has to be provided. Policing, Order of Malta, Civil Defence, Permits have to be in place, the courts provides these. The most costly of all is Insurance, inviting people to compete and others to pay an entrance fee has got to be covered by insurance. The performance venues and marquess all have to be rented out erected and removed afterwards. Security personnel have to be paid. Stewards are needed and judges to evaluate performers. Lightning and amplification systems and the list goes on and on.

Nevertheless, the town that is awarded the privilege of hosting the event realizes full well what they were doing when they first placed their proposal. It takes belief and trust, a dedicated workforce, and an elected personnel at the forefront that won’t take no for an answer.

Comhaltas Ceoltóiri Eireann is an organization that’s linked to the semi-state department of The Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht (Irish language). Government Grants are provided to such organizations that are deemed necessary to the everlasting culture of Ireland and for its endeavours to promote traditional Irish music.

If we just study this for a moment, we the older generation of today cherish how the Irish language, music, song and dance have been revived over the past number of years. The Irish language suffered an astronomical decline in the mid 1800s. Mass immigration during and after the potato famine of that time saw people arriving in North America and Canada with virtually no knowledge of the English language. The Irish language was seen as a language of the poor and the ignorant. It’s now taught as a respected language, with more of an emphasis on the spoken word. Yes, one has got to learn the language to speak it but think of all the people throughout the world who can speak different languages and never could read or write. I admire the broadcasters on radio and television, male and female who have such a great command of the Irish language. The Gaelscoileanna (Irish schools) in Ireland are doing tremendous work in this area educating children through the medium of Irish and with the confidence to converse in their native tongue.

The towns that are chosen to host the festival such as Mullingar, Co. Westmeath will have a turnover in the local economy of about 30 million Euro. The entire community gets behind this endeavour with sponsorship, volunteers, tidy towns people, sport clubs, schools and churches. All for the good of their locality and people.

Sponsorship: Tourism Ireland, The major Banks, Insurance Companies, Oil and fuel suppliers, Farming Co-operatives, Hotels and restaurants, bars, supermarkets and general stores. With 500,000 people expected to go through in 10 days everybody has to chip in.

A catch phrase for the Summer in Ireland. “Are yea going to the Fleadh”?

Joe Fahy.