So proud of the people and so proud of our town by the Boyne
Dear Sir,
WHERE to begin except to say I’m completely and totally Fleadh-ed.
Why don’t you sign up as a volunteer, it will keep you off the streets said she who must be obeyed. I did and what a week it was on the streets and elsewhere in Drogheda.
The people of Drogheda should stand tall and push out their chests with pride. I think following the Fleadh we can see the greatness of out town through the eyes of our hundreds of thousands of visitors. As a volunteer I was in contact with hundreds of visitors during the week and the majority commented on the friendliness and helpfulness of the local people.
While the Red Shirts were a very visible presence, on the streets, the Gig Rig and various other venues around the town the ordinary people played a fantastic part as unofficial Ambassadors for Drogheda. Let us hope that bodies such as the Chamber of Commerce, Tourists bodies and those involved in promoting South Louth for Industrial Development can sell Drogheda as well as the people did.
It would be an understatement to say that Fleadh Cheoil was a success. It was an overwhelming success. If there was an Olympic gold medal for organising ability the Fleadh Committee would clean out Fort Knox. Even now, a week later there is a buzz and a sense of joy on the streets.
Take a bow Joan Martin C.E.O Louth County Council and all the Council staff. Drogheda never looked so beautiful and tidy. Day and night they worked. Every morning I crossed the town to the Seachtain Na Gaeilge venue and it gave me a great sense of pride to see how clean the town looked the day after the night before.
The Gardai did a mighty and inspiring job of low profile, professional community policing. Their interacting with the public helped create a relaxed, friendly and safe atmosphere. Take a bow, well done.
The Fleadh Cheoil is the All Ireland of Irish Culture. Lolo Robinson and her crew quietly and without fuss went about organising events. As I stated previously on this page they knew what they were doing and did it perfectly.
The ‘Red Tee Shirt’ brigade were ever present distributing information booklets, maps and helping visitors. They came from far and wide. they came from France, The Netherlands, Britain, Ardee, Dunleer, Navan, Collon , Clogherhead all over counties Meath, Louth, Cavan and other counties. They came from Dundalk to help which should remind people that we are two towns in the smallest county, geographically, who should co-operate more.
There are two Fleadh Cheoil, one the competitions and workshops and the Street Fleadh. Drogheda is perfect for both. We natives tend to forget the facilities we have available in the town. It was remarked upon by Labhras O Murchu on a number of occasions that the facilities were second to none.
The Street Fleadh is the more public face and is a very family friendly celebration. Young musicians playing in the streets under the watchful eyes of their parents, dancers who would rival the Riverdance show. Street entertainers who added colour to already colourful streets.
I spent most of my day in Seachtain Na Gaeilge and was delighted with the amount of mature individuals who attended the Irish Conversational classes before repairing to coffee shops to continue speaking as gaeilge. Kudos to Seanchai Donal who entertained a growing number of children every day with tales of Fionn, the Children of Lir etc. Stories which I learned as a child but tales which tend to be forgotten today. I was delighted to hear so many young people using Irish as a means of communication. Perhaps because of the various languages spoken in Ireland today we are rediscovering our own identity.
The concerts in The Dome were first class. I was volunteering at the Wednesday Show and I was magically nineteen again and I was not the only one. My nineteen year old peers were much the same. The artists I loved then washed away the years. I will admit I was like a lovesick groupie an caint as gaeilge with Moya, Triona,and Maighread.
TnaG and Fleadh TV did a fantastic broadcasting job and a great positive service to Drogheda. Forty million people will see Drogheda at its best, over the next year. They are all potential tourists.
When the announcement was made that the Fleadh was coming to Drogheda I stated that the people of Drogheda did not know what coming down the tracks. They know now and it will be bigger next year
If you have videos of the street musicians etc. load them onto YouTube. Every Drogheda person was an Ambassador for the town let us be also salespeople.
Now I have to prepare a basin of Radox and hot water. I felt nineteen years old last week but my sixty plus body needs some TLC.
Completely Fleadh-ed and Proud