{"id":1188801,"date":"2026-09-06T01:17:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-06T01:17:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1188801\/"},"modified":"2026-09-06T01:17:17","modified_gmt":"2026-09-06T01:17:17","slug":"northern-ireland-has-had-several-false-dawns-but-fleadh-felt-like-a-turning-point-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/1188801\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Ireland has had several false dawns, but fleadh felt like a turning point \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

The much-acclaimed Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann 20026 <\/a>has come and gone, but anticipation is already building in Belfast for an even bigger and better one next year.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the impact of the fleadh in this city <\/a>is raising important cultural, religious and symbolic issues which go far beyond the music, dancing and celebrations which 1.6 million people shared in the streets and big concert halls of the city, and in some of its churches. Traditional Irish music and dancing were not part of the cultural life of northern Protestants when I was growing up in the Border county of south Armagh a long time ago. It was made clear that all things Gaelic were part of the Catholic culture, but not for me because I was a Presbyterian, albeit by accident of birth.<\/p>\n

However, my grandfather, Thomas McCreary, helped to challenge the stereotype. He was a practising Presbyterian, but he told me that he joined the Orange Order as a young man because it was the only social club in the rural Ulster of a then united Ireland.<\/p>\n

He played jigs and reels on his fiddle at Orange Hall gatherings often until dawn, and he loved Irish music all his life. I am sure he would also have loved the fleadh in Belfast.<\/p>\n

During the first World War he was a stretcher-bearer at the Battle of the Somme, and on his return home he joined the Civil Service. He regularly travelled to Crossmaglen, south Armagh, to help local republicans sign on for their dole money. Afterwards they all went to a local pub for more than a few drinks.<\/p>\n

McCreary lived the practical south Armagh version of working between Orange and Green, until the advent of the Rev Ian Paisley, who asked people to \u201cstand up and be counted\u201d. And look where that led.<\/p>\n

The scale of the success of the Belfast fleadh <\/a>surprised everybody, including the organisers. There were visitors from around the world, and many thousands from all over Ireland, including Protestants from the North. Many of them attended the events to find out what they were like, and found themselves enjoying the fleadh immensely.<\/p>\n

Fleadh Cheoil na h\u00c9ireann is in Belfast for the first time ever and takes over everything from the streets to vacant buildings. Video: Enda O’Dowd <\/p>\n

In a society where flags, emblems, religion and \u201cculture\u201d are at the heart of its divisive politics, it was refreshing to see a number of loyalist bands parading in front of the Taoiseach at the Titanic slipways at the Belfast Harbour, and also to observe the warm welcome given at the City Hall \u201cgig-rig\u201d to the Shankill Defenders Flute Band who were \u201coverwhelmed\u201d by the reception.<\/p>\n

This could not have happened five or 10 years ago, and it is important to recognise the vision of the organisers, who invited the loyalist bands to join in as part of the \u201cScots-Irish\u201d culture. It is equally important to recognise the courage of the band musicians who accepted that invitation, and gave of their best on stages and venues which they would never have dreamed of gracing.<\/p>\n

Some Protestant churches in Belfast also became involved in the event, including the long-established First Presbyterian (Non-Subscribing) Church in Rosemary Street, Belfast, where Edward Harland, co-founder of the Harland and Wolff shipyard, once worshipped. <\/p>\n

There was also an open-air performance by a large Irish music group, including harpers, outside St Anne\u2019s Church of Ireland Cathedral and again in the presence of the Taoiseach. I was also fortunate enough to attend an excellent recital of traditional music by the lady choristers of St George\u2019s Church of Ireland in nearby High Street.<\/p>\n

[\u00a0Survivors experience Christian Brothers\u2019 litigation strategy as abuse by other meansOpens in new window<\/a>\u00a0]<\/p>\n

This is the church where Edward Bunting (1773-1843), the famous harpist and collector of Irish music, was the first organist, from 1817-1820. So often these details of important northern connections with the culture of the rest of the island remain unknown or forgotten.<\/p>\n

DUP Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly made a warmly inclusive speech of welcome at the opening ceremony. No doubt, there are other unionists who may find excuses to criticise the fleadh by the time it returns next year. Nevertheless, in a province which can so easily tear itself apart, a cultural corner has been turned.<\/p>\n

It is difficult to describe exactly what this means, but there is that kind of feeling in the air. Several of my \u201cProtestant\/unionist\u201d friends who attended the event, some of them out of curiosity, have said: \u201cWasn\u2019t it great craic!\u201d <\/p>\n

It\u2019s almost as if part of the dark burden of history has been lifted off Belfast, and the charm and friendliness of this so often tough but remarkable city has made national and international headlines in the right way. Significantly, people on all sides here believe that this is not just now in the past, but that there is more to come.<\/p>\n

As a veteran of so many brave but eventually false dawns in Belfast, I am aware, like many others, that it is important to rejoice in this new inclusiveness, but also to keep our feet on the ground. Perhaps it is a time to recall the words of our own Ulster man Seamus Heaney from his work The Cure at Troy and to feel that we could really \u201cBelieve that a further shore, Is reachable from here.\u201d <\/p>\n

Is it too much to believe also that some day even Heaney\u2019s vision of the rhyming of \u201chope and history \u201d will indeed rhyme for all of us, across every Province of this island.<\/p>\n