Louth Fleadh comes to town
THE Louth Fleadh is taking place in Dundalk at the weekend with an exciting programme of events o that everyone can enjoy the best of traditional music.
Concerts and gigs are happening around the town alongside the competitions
The Fleadh gets underway on Thursday night in the Oriel Centre, Carrick Road, with an open session with a special focus on singing. The special guests for this session are singers Máire Ní Choilm and Pearse McMahon and it’s hoped that their contribution will be followed by tunes and songs. Admission free.
The Fleadh concert featuring piper Padraig McGovern and flute player Dave Sheridan with performances from members of all three County Louth Branches; Craobh Dhún Dealgan and JJ Gardiner and Drogheda Comhaltas, takes place in the County Museum, Jocelyn Street on Friday night. Doors open at 7.30p.m. and this promises to be a great opportunity to see the best of traditional players from throughout the county. Admission: Adults €8 : Juniors €5 : Family €20. This will be followed by an open session in Eoin’s Bar, Clanbrassil St.
An innovative addition to the Louth Fleadh progrmme this year is the Session Trail which brings music into popular pubs along Park Street.
It will start with a street ses- sion in Earl St. at 2pm (weather permitting - otherwise it will be upstairs in Eoin’s Bar, Clanbrassil Street) and work its way along some of the establishments on Park Street from 4pm till closing time. This guarantees that there will be a great buzz in town, giving everyone the chance to hear the best of live trad.
Some of the country’s finest young traditional musicians will be leading these sessions. They include: Ronan Sweeney (pipes), Céin Sweeney (flute), Méabh Smyth (fiddle) and Oisín Morrison (flute/harp), Ciara Ní Bhriain (fiddle) & Michelle Foy (fiddle), Iarlaith MacGabhann (flute) and Sean O Casaide (pipes/piano).
After playing at Earl St, the session will move to The Phoenix Bar from 4pm to 6.30p.m., then to The Bartender from 5.30p.m. to 8p.m. There will be music in Courtney’s Bar from 7p.m. to 9.30p.m., then it’s back to The Phoenix Bar from 8.30p.m. to 11p.m., with Russell’s Saloon the final port of call from 10p.m. to 12.30a.m.
The serious business of the Fleadh takes place in Colaiste Ris on Sunday where individual and groups of musicians, singers and dancers will be competing in a variety of categories in the hope of winning a place in the Leinster Fleadh later in the summer.
The first competition of the Fleadh has, in fact, already taken place as pupil from Realt na Mara won the art competition to design a programme for the Fleadh. She was presented with her prize on Thursday