€40m boost for county if Fleadh comes to town
WEXFORD could be in line for an economic boost of €80 million if the county’s bid to host the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil is successful.
Paddy Berry who is involved in Craobh Loch gCarman CCE/ Wexford Comhaltas said the county is currently laying the ground work to make a bid to host the Fleadh in 2019 with the ultimate gaol being to secure the prestigious competition in 2020 and 2021.
Earlier this month it was announced that Drogheda was the successful bidder for the 2018 Fleadh and the usual practise is for the winning bid to host the Fleadh for two consecutive years. However this is not a foregone conclusion and a bid process will still have to be undertaken in 2019.
Paddy said that given the current practise it is expected that Drogheda will secure the competition again in 2019 but said that Wexford will be putting in a bid for the competition just to get the ball rolling ahead of the bid process for 2020.
‘We set up the local branch in Wexford 18 months with a view to making a bid for the Fleadh in 2020. We had hoped that the Three Sisters bid for the Capital of Culture would have been successful which coupled with a winning Fleadh bid would have been a great boost for Wexford.
‘However we didn’t get the Capital of Culture but we will be pressing ahead with the bid for the Fleadh. 2020 is far enough away for us to get organised because the application process that must be completed is extensive. First you must get the backing of the region then it goes before a 32 member Ard Comhairle who will vote on the shortlisted bids.
‘ There is always strong competition to host the Fleadh.’
Paddy said that while he is involved in the local branch he won’t be spearheading the bid but will act as a facilitator to help move things along.
‘We have the full backing of Wexford County Council and its top officials. We have been meeting with both John Carley and Tom Enright over the past couple of months who are both very much behind our bid. John Carley spent some time at the All Ireland Fleadh in Ennis last year to see how things are done and he plans to do so again this year.
‘For us to be successful a lot of things have to happen. We are a small branch here in Wexford town but we are building up our membership. We have a lot of strong young musicians and there are also a number of traditional music schools around.
‘ There’s also a very strong musical tradition in Wexford and while it might not necessarily be traditional music we will work with all different types of musical idioms to promote traditional music.’
Paddy who had been a stalwart of county, Leinster and All Ireland fleadhs throughout the years said that the reception they are receiving from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has been very positive.
‘We have had great support from Comhaltas. The director Labhrás Ó Murchú came to Wexford during the Opera Festival along with other senior advisors and they were very