Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 - Drogheda/Droichead Átha

10green bottles

Huge congrats to everyone who was involved in the bid and especially to Comhaltas Drogheda.
Cant wait for it to start now and it will be all here on our doorstep.

The Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is set to come to Co Louth next year in what will be a major tourism boost for the county and North East region as a whole.

Drogheda was this week named as the host town for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018. The event is the world’s largest annual celebration of Irish music, language, song and dance. It attracts approx 400,000 visitors to the host town every year with knock on benefits expected for the county as a whole.

The event is organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. It will be hosted in conjunction with a local team in Louth led by Louth County Council and Drogheda Comhaltas.

“It’s been a five year long campaign to reach this day” declared Lolo Robinson, Chairperson of Drogheda Comhaltas.

“We’ve been supported since day one by Louth County Council. We couldn’t have achieved this success without their unequivocal support. Louth County Council and our team of dedicated volunteers from Drogheda Comhaltas and the wider community have campaigned tirelessly to win every crucial vote. We were hopeful, very hopeful, that the vote would go our way today. But you can’t be sure until all votes have been cast and counted,” said Ms Robinson.

Chief Executive of Louth County Council Joan Martin was delighted with the announcement.

“This truly is a momentous day for Drogheda and indeed for all of County Louth. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is a mammoth week-long event that will showcase all that the region has to offer to a huge audience. The eyes of the world will be on us. Over 32 hours of television is broadcast from the Fleadh. Countless radio shows and print and online journalists will cover the Fleadh, along with a host of travel and tourism writers. This is an amazing opportunity to showcase the beauty and vibrancy of the town and the region.”

Drogheda and its hinterland stand to gain immensely from hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

Mayor of Drogheda, Cllr Oliver Tully continued: “It is estimated that hosting Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is worth nearly €40million to the local economy. That’s money spent in local shops, cafes, restaurants, transport, pubs and hotels. With over 400,000 visitors, it is also a fabulous way of introducing new people to the region and creating really happy memories. We want to create an experience at the Fleadh that will keep people coming back to Drogheda again and again in the future. It’s true to say that Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will be the largest marketing opportunity ever for the town.”

Ms Martin confirmed that Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will be a focal point in Louth’s Creative Ireland Action Plan for the coming years. “Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is a chance for local people to experience Irish music, language, song and dance for themselves in a way they masy not have done before. We will be encouraging people across the county to be part of the Fleadh and to enjoy this dynamic cultural experience on their doorstep.”

Local TD Fergus O’Dowd has been part of the campaign since the very start. Speaking at the Culturlann on Saturday he said: “Beidh fáilte is fiche roimh gach duine i Droichead Átha is beidh an ceol is craic ar feabhais.”

Lolo explained: “This is not just a Comhaltas event. It is not just a Louth County Council event. It is an event that will overtake the whole town. It will belong to the town and its people. It was a huge voluntary effort to make this happen in the first place. And the teamwork right across the local community will continue as we move into the planning stage. We are determined to make Fleadh Drogheda the biggest and best Fleadh yet. We are confident that the people of our brilliant town will help this dream come true.”

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2018 will take place from Sunday 12th August to Sunday 19th August. It will feature workshops for young musicians, competitions, concerts, céili’s and lots of fun on the streets of Drogheda throughout the week. For more information follow FleadhDrogheda on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube, visit: www.fleadhdrogheda.com.

Lolo concluded “This will be an amazing experience for this region and our people … there’s a role for everyone, be part of our team and join in this fantastic adventure. It’s going to be amazing!”

Traffic should be a laugh. :pac:

Lord TSC

So, I am completely ignorant to this event. I saw yesterday figures about thousands coming to town, and that article says it will be worth 40 million....is that true, or is it just grandstanding? Genuinely curious.

positron

Their facebook feed looks brilliant:

https://www.facebook.com/fleadhcheoil.ie/

delly

Lord TSC wrote: »

So, I am completely ignorant to this event. I saw yesterday figures about thousands coming to town, and that article says it will be worth 40 million....is that true, or is it just grandstanding? Genuinely curious.

I'd be the same, I have no awareness of how big it actually is. Based on those numbers though, the town should be getting a makeover if they're true, a lot more than a lick of paint is needed.

10green bottles

Lord TSC wrote: »

So, I am completely ignorant to this event. I saw yesterday figures about thousands coming to town, and that article says it will be worth 40 million....is that true, or is it just grandstanding? Genuinely curious.

delly wrote: »

I'd be the same, I have no awareness of how big it actually is. Based on those numbers though, the town should be getting a makeover if they're true, a lot more than a lick of paint is needed.

Cant quite understand what yous don't understand about the fleadh tbh?
The numbers are spot on the mark.For the week there will prob be 300/400k visitors for the annual Irish culture fest.Irish Dancing,music,story telling,diddly doo and dee,poetry and writing.The craic at the music events is excellent.

And the all Ireland Comhaltas usually award for a 2nd year when the 1st is successful so Drogheda could get 2 years from the festival.

delly

Well it's like a lot of things, if you're not into the scene, it's not likely that you'll know the ins and outs.

Lord TSC

delly wrote: »

Well it's like a lot of things, if you're not into the scene, it's not likely that you'll know the ins and outs.

Yeah.
I have zero interest in this sort of thing. The only reason I had heard about it before the announcement was because William Shattner was in the papers two weeks ago saying he'd come to Drogheda if we got it. Before that, I literally had never heard of the event at all.

EDIT: To add, great news for the town if true. Really hope that we take advantage of it properly.

10green bottles

It's a year+ off- so when the build up starts you'll be hearing about it everywhere.
I can guarantee yous two sceptics that yous will be all over the fleadh like a rash once it boots up in Drogheda.

delly

Not being aware of an event doesn't equate to having no interest in it when it arrives. Same way as not being a football fan, but I would enjoy the hype of the Euros when we had matches. Bring it on is what I say.

endacl

For the uninitiated:

Reels go 'diddlediddlediddle'. Jigs go 'diddleydiddleydiddley'.

MugMugs

I was involved in the Cavan one some time back and it really is great craic. Really looking forward to it being so close !

fh041205

Great news. There are lots of brilliant musicians in the town with traditional music available most nights. So many young kids that are big into traditional music as well. It will be great for them to have something like this on their doorstep.

Lots of satellite areas should prepare for impromptu sessions to take place for the week. I'm thinking of Duleek, Termonfeckin, Clogherhead and Baltray offhand.

Massive event and will take lots of organising but welcoming 300,000 visitors from across the world to Drogheda to celebrate Irish music will be one of the proudest moments of my life!

Well done to all who put the successful application together.

ssmith6287

3-400k people. how many hotel rooms? hope its a success but I can't see how or where it will actually work.

Teapot30

I was at the Fleah in Sligo a few years ago, it was good craic, thousands of people showed up to it, we met loads of tourists that said they travel to Ireland every year for it. Every street had food stalls run by all the local restaurants and cafes so they did great business, a huge stage was set up in the town and bands played everyday, you couldnt move with the amount of people and there was live music in all the pubs, performers, markets, the town was mad.

endacl

ssmith6287 wrote: »

3-400k people. how many hotel rooms? hope its a success but I can't see how or where it will actually work.

It's been working for decades in all the other similarly resourced towns that have hosted it.

That's how it'll work.

gebbel

It's a bit Irish how some folks choose only to see the negatives instead of the huge potential this event has for a town getting back on it's feet after a crippling recession. The parking, the traffic, the availability of accommodation...sure these are issues to be talked about but they come a long way behind the benefits and opportunities that come with hosting it.

It's a big event that is only to be welcomed.

ssmith6287

well when you put it like that

Hopefully it will it lead to the town center being spruced up a bit, god knows it needs it.

fh041205

I have to admit, I don't envy the organisational task. Accommodation is the big one but then litter will surely be a problem so it'll take a big effort to deal with that.

I can see half of the town going on holidays that week and airbnb their house out to fund it!

lucernarian

Fantastic stuff, hopefully we and the county council will be prepared for this.