{"id":630580,"date":"2026-08-10T18:15:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T18:15:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/630580\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T18:15:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T18:15:29","slug":"glimpse-of-a-different-belfast-after-fleadh-party-calls-for-pedestrianisation-for-vibrant-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/630580\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Glimpse of a different Belfast\u2019: After Fleadh party, calls for pedestrianisation for vibrant city"},"content":{"rendered":"

AFTER A WEEK of music, culture and dance, the first ever Fleadh has come to an end in Belfast.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s understood that around a million visitors came to Belfast for Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann, which started on 2 August and ended last night (though it technically ran into Monday morning).<\/p>\n

\n

12.30am Monday. The #Fleadh<\/a> in Belfast isn\u2019t over yet \u2026 and thousands don\u2019t want it to end. pic.twitter.com\/QBhObpVaxO<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Mark Simpson (@BBCMarkSimpson) August 9, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Over 1,300 volunteers, ranging from teenagers to pensioners, dressed in distinctive yellow bucket hats and T-shirts, to offer brochures and a welcoming smile to tourists.<\/p>\n

One of these volunteers, Davy Taylor who travelled from Co Derry, remarked that \u201cit would bring a tear to your eye, the vibrancy in the city\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"brothers-conall-left-and-daithi-corcoran-on-the-final-day-of-the-fleadh-cheoil-na-heireann-2026-in-belfast-a-week-of-song-dance-and-culture-as-part-of-the-worlds-largest-celebration-of-tradition\"
\n Brothers Conall (left) and Daithi Corcoran on final day of Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann 2026 in Belfast Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the older people have been telling me they remember Belfast when it was so dark, and this is so joyful.\u201d<\/p>\n

And while organisers have vowed that the Fleadh will return to Belfast even \u201cbigger and better\u201d next year, there are calls to ensure that some of this joy remains permanently.\n<\/p>\n

\u2018A glimpse of a different Belfast\u2019<\/p>\n

Many people packed into the \u2018Electric Light Station\u2019 for the Fleadh.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a former industrial warehouse on Chapel Lane that was transformed into a unique home for music and cultural events during the Fleadh.<\/p>\n

Popular Belfast bar Lavery\u2019s was the team behind the pop-up venue that brought the late-19th century building back into life for one week only.<\/p>\n

\"electric
\n The Electric Light Station before it’s Fleadh transformation Belfast Fleadh<\/p>\n

Belfast Fleadh\n<\/p>\n

In a post to social media, the Electric Light Station said that \u201cfrom packed rooms to spontaneous sessions, Belfast has been absolutely alive with music\u201d.<\/p>\n

\n

For one week, we got a glimpse of a different Belfast.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cStreets given back to people. Empty spaces brought back to life. Music spilling out of doorways. Entertainment on every corner. People sitting, talking, dancing and moving through a city centre that felt genuinely alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

The pop-up venue remarked that the Fleadh \u201cshowed what can happen when we think differently about how our city is used\u201d.<\/p>\n

\n

When we make space for music, culture, hospitality and, most importantly, people.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cA building constructed more than 130 years ago to help bring electricity to Belfast, sitting largely dormant for years, had its shutters lifted once again.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis week, thousands of people walked through its doors and filled it with a different kind of energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor one brief week, an extraordinary piece of Belfast\u2019s history was alive again.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"electric
\n How the venue looked during the Fleadh Belfast Fleadh<\/p>\n

Belfast Fleadh\n<\/p>\n

The venue expressed hope that \u201ca little of what the Fleadh brought with it stays behind\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve seen what Belfast can be. Let\u2019s not forget it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018People know what it can be, they won\u2019t accept less\u2019<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, SDLP leader Claire Hanna remarked that \u201cmany Belfast residents have had to pinch themselves this week\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"left-to-right-erin-donnelly-ceili-donnelly-beth-masterson-caragh-donnelly-from-ards-comhaltas-performing-in-donegall-place-in-belfast-as-fleadh-cheoil-na-heireann-2026-has-officially-opened-in\"
\n (left to right) Erin Donnelly, C\u00e9il\u00ed Donnelly, Beth Masterson, Caragh Donnelly from Ards Comhaltas performing in Donegall Place in Belfast Alamy<\/p>\n

Alamy\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMusic has been enjoyed in every nook and cranny, with derelict buildings coming alive and an electric atmosphere created.<\/p>\n

\n

It has been a special week, with a new, shared optimism about the future.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cBelfast is a city capable of hosting international cultural events with confidence, warmth and ambition. The opportunity is now to build on this success.\u201d<\/p>\n

One of these opportunities that many have spoken on is greater pedestrianisation.<\/p>\n

Much of the city centre was closed to traffic, something praised by Fleadh revellers.<\/p>\n

\"crowds-surround-musicians-playing-in-the-middle-of-donegal-place-at-the-fleadh-cheoil-na-heireann-belfast-northern-ireland-6th-august-2026\"
\n Crowds surround musicians playing in middle of Donegal Place at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Belfast Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

The SDLP\u2019s\u00a0Belfast City Council group leader S\u00e9amas de Faoite said the Fleadh \u201cprovided a proof of concept for how we can do things differently in our city centre\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have seen what greater pedestrianisation can look like, how public transport can play a bigger role in moving large numbers of people around the city and the difference a more flexible licensing regime can make.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe success of the Fleadh demonstrates the enormous potential of Belfast as a tourist and cultural destination \u2013 potential that we still have not fully realised.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the SDLP \u201cwill be pushing these issues so that the lessons of this week translate into lasting improvements for our city\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added that \u201cmany of the changes Belfast needs also require action from Stormont\u201d and that \u201cwe cannot allow outdated legislation or political inertia to become an obstacle to Belfast fulfilling its potential\u201d.<\/p>\n

Representatives from the Alliance Party have also written to the council and other bodies calling for a \u201ccomprehensive review of pedestrianisation\u201d in the city centre.<\/p>\n

\"belfast-uk-7th-aug-2026-fleadh-cheoil-na-heireann-day-6-several-hundred-people-packed-into-the-grounds-of-belfast-city-hall-attend-an-open-air-ceili-a-traditional-social-gathering-featuring-gaeli\"
\n People on Commerical Court in Belfast for the Fleadh Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, de Faoite is hoping that three\u2019s a charm for Belfast and says the city can host the Fleadh three years running.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Fleadh is set to return in 2027, and with 30 years of the Good Friday Agreement in 2028, we will be making the case for hosting the event for a third year to mark this important anniversary in a positive and inclusive way.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"performers-at-fleadh-cheoil-na-heireann-2026-in-belfast-a-week-of-song-dance-and-culture-as-part-of-the-worlds-largest-celebration-of-traditional-irish-music-picture-date-saturday-august-8-2026\"
\n Performers at Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann 2026 in Belfast Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n

Alamy Stock Photo\n<\/p>\n

Elsewhere, party colleague Matthew O\u2019Toole remarked that he\u2019s \u201cjust about old enough remember the notorious \u2018ring of steel\u2019 in Belfast city centre\u201d.<\/p>\n

\n

To see it become itself this week, a European city exploding with culture, is joyful.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

\u201cPeople now know what it can be, they won\u2019t accept less.\u201d<\/p>\n