The Irish News
History to be made as Fleadh Cheoil to be held in Belfast for first time
Festival of Irish music and arts to return to the north for only the second time in its history
The world’s largest celebration of Irish music, the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, is coming to Belfast for the first time, The Irish News understands.
The annual national festival of traditional music and dance is marking its 73rd gathering this year in Wexford, but in 2026 will be held in the north for only the second time in its history.
The event, which is organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, was also held last year in Wexford, and attracted more than half a million people to the county town while generating an estimated €60 million for the economy.
Belfast’s successful bid was made by Belfast City Council in partnership with Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, and comes after previous attempts to bring the Fleadh to the city in 2023 and 2024 failed.
Sport Q&A: Ask our team your questions
In 2023 Belfast lost out to Mullingar in Co Westmeath.
The year before, TUV councillor Stephen Cooper had tried to stop a letter of support on hosting the Fleadh from Ards and North Down Borough Council to Belfast City Council and Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. However, both DUP and UUP Ards and North Down councillors voted against the TUV representative’s proposal.
A Belfast City Council report on the 2024 bid had found that a lack of Irish language in the submission was among the reasons for the city being passed over yet again. Other issues with the bid included insufficient disabled access.
It is understood the council will officially announce Belfast’s successful 2026 bid at an event in Belfast City Hall next month.
The Fleadh has been held each summer since 1951, except for 2020 and 2021 when the festival was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The only time in its history that it has been held in the north was in 2013, when it was hosted by Derry, bringing an estimated 430,000 people to the north-west.
The Fleadh that year also saw engagement with the unionist community, including loyalist flute bands.
When it arrives in Belfast next year, the Fleadh will see more than 180 competitions in music, singing, dancing and storytelling held at various venues, meaning it will be one of the largest arts festivals ever held in the city.
Along with the main competitions and events, the city’s streets and pubs will see music sessions held throughout the week-long festival, while a programme of events will also focus on the Irish language.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann has been approached for comment. Belfast City Council confirmed: “Announcement is expected in March.”
by staghallows
6 comments
Loyalist meltdown in 3…2…1 …
Always great to see this sort of stuff becoming more common in the north
However Belfast is just too big to hold a good Fleadh. The whole atmosphere of the Fleadh is completely engulfing a big town, this just won’t happen in Belfast
Hell even when it was in Drogheda it was a shit place for it because it was too big and spread out
Great news, but as a regular goer to the fleadh I have a lot of questions. mostly the logistics. Belfast won’t have seen anything like it, they will need to pedestrianise half the city center for almost a week. How is that going to work
Somehow Bittles will make this headline a negative thing and I can’t wait for it
It’ll bring a good few quid to the city so it can only be a good thing and good to see the DUP/UUP weren’t against it.
Progress.
Good to see more Irish events in Irish cities in the North. I remember when the Fleadh came to Derry, most people I’ve ever seen in the town at once.
Comments are closed.