Fleadh 2019

macadam

I was in town today, had a cup of coffee from Scotch hall, I finished it when I got to the Tholsel and low and behold the only litter bin that wasnt full to the neck the whole way over West street was outside Gleesons. Every single bin chocked to the neck. LCC Drogheda area must have a method in their madness not emptying the bins !!
The footpath area outside St Peters is a disgrace with chewing gum, other than that the place is beginning to buzz.
Looking forward to a week of culture.

I've seen the van that empties the bins around today but no idea what they were doing as many of the bins I passed on the outskirts of town were pretty full too. Friday would normally be the day I'd see them emptying them.

If I recall from last year though didn't they just seal up the bins with black bags and put in temporary ones that could easily be lifted during the Fleadh?

macadam

Deleted User wrote: »

I've seen the van that empties the bins around today but no idea what they were doing as many of the bins I passed on the outskirts of town were pretty full too. Friday would normally be the day I'd see them emptying them.

If I recall from last year though didn't they just seal up the bins with black bags and put in temporary ones that could easily be lifted during the Fleadh?

They did and there was council employees on hand most of the day to keep them replaced.But wouldnt you think even regardless of the Fleadh the bins should be emptied daily!!

bodice ripper

I have the misfortune of living in the centre of the town, and last year was an absolutely monumental pain in my arse. I will be delighted beyond words to see the back of it.

LOU76

bodice ripper wrote: »

I have the misfortune of living in the centre of the town, and last year was an absolutely monumental pain in my arse. I will be delighted beyond words to see the back of it.

Same here. It’s a nightmare living in the middle of the Fleadh. Can’t wait till it’s over.

I really hope they have some giant banner ready to cover the ugliness of the Abbey shopping centre. Saw them getting things set up when I was by earlier and the thoughts of it being the centre for Fleadh TV

I've vague notions of them ( Abbey ) being told to get their sign sorted with it's missing letters or something in the last couple of months

10green bottles

I'm heading to Drogheda Sunday,Tuesday,Saturday.10 of us from Dundalk,Newry,Warrenpoint(.(6 musicians,4 wannabes )Weather forecast looks a bit iffy but us fleadh regulars are well used to that

T'was a Great party and atmosphere last year and all of us are really looking forward to this years renewal.:cool:
Good luck Drogheda & we'll see you soon. x

endacl

LOU76 wrote: »

Same here. It’s a nightmare living in the middle of the Fleadh. Can’t wait till it’s over.

Same. Not from drogheda, and not going. Can’t wait till it’s back in a town that suits it.

macadam

endacl wrote: »

Same. Not from drogheda, and not going. Can’t wait till it’s back in a town that suits it.

Drogheda with the streets closed is well suitable for the fleadh, its the disappointment of LCC not being bothered to spring clean the town for the event thats bothering me.
Can you explain what you mean by a town that suits it?
Im sure the organisers have spent years looking into Droghedas suitability for the event, long before it being given the honour.
Look back at the pictures from last years event it was well attended and well organised.

Louth County Council do seem to have some serious issues at the moment. They simply aren't a functioning council. Someone needs to step in and take control of it. It can't seem to balance it's books at all, and seems to spend on invisible and nonsense items (for example, graffiti-ing the footpaths with decals to pick up dog shite.. what a moronic, eyesore of an idea).

Last year, a lot of volunteers got out and made a big difference. I was one of them, but I wasn't the most active by any stretch of the imagination. The Council's attitude to the volunteers was effectively 'feck off', so im not surprised to see that many haven't bothered this year. The clean up organised the other day was a lovely touch, but there's only so much a couple of hours can do.

As i've said before (possibly on this thread?) the entire driveway in from the M1 at woodies, via mell/trinity street, is disgusting with graffiti. The burned out house is the icing on the cake. Place looks like a sihthole.


One thing I will say, though, is, as someone who has been on the town very early in the morning a few times last year, the lads that actually work for the council, really busted their jocks to keep things going and looking the part. Every morning they were pressure washing, street cleaning, litter picking, etc. and not at the comical snail pace you expect of them, they were really giving it an honest go. I applaud them.

It's a pity their attitude doesn't carry up through to the higher echelons of Louth County Council.

Shocking stuff altogether. I'd say but for the Fleadh we'd still have weeds and grass over growing onto footpaths still. Rathmullen road was only done the other day with a strimmer. Was visiting family earlier and passed 2 houses side by side in the estate boarded up and if they were asked the council would likely say they have no budget to do them up and put people in them, yet they can pay hotels for emergency accommodation? Another thread I think

Haven't noticed them having put traffic cones down on roads into town like they did last year either, certainly not when I was heading home earlier.

I agree there’s not the effort from the Council this year that there was last, and I also agree that the council workers were doing a good job trying to get the town tidy and ready, despite the lack of direction from “above”.

On a separate note, would it not be handy to have a Fleadh “App”, to supplement the Fleadh website and tell us what’s going on? It doesn’t seem to be beyond the wit of man. (Well, it’s beyond me, actually, as I have no idea how you write an App!)

endacl

macadam wrote: »

Drogheda with the streets closed is well suitable for the fleadh, its the disappointment of LCC not being bothered to spring clean the town for the event thats bothering me.
Can you explain what you mean by a town that suits it?
Im sure the organisers have spent years looking into Droghedas suitability for the event, long before it being given the honour.
Look back at the pictures from last years event it was well attended and well organised.

The infrastructure is perfect. As you say, with the streets closed, it’s a perfect setting. It’s not the streets or buildings. Check my previous for an explanation. As I said, Drogheda missed the point.

macadam

endacl wrote: »

The infrastructure is perfect. As you say, with the streets closed, it’s a perfect setting. It’s not the streets or buildings. Check my previous for an explanation. As I said, Drogheda missed the point.

I did see your earlier post about the music from one certain pub,this was the same in Cavan and Enniscorthy on my Fleadh visits and I fully agree with you on this. But to say drogheda didnt suit the Fleadh is an understatement.
There were some great sessions in the pubs I went to Mchughs, The Market Bar, Scholars Townhouse had a great venue, McPhails unfortunately closed this year. There was plenty of music/entertainment on the street from Narrow west street to St Laurances gate on the 4 days I visited, I only went out one night and it was mental on west street but the other venues mentioned were top class.The gig rig was also great and in a great location.

IvoryTower

Good weather, town buzzing ,weavers not even playing pop music outside, wonder what there will be to moan about cant wait to come back tomorrow without the kids!

positron

Walked around the town earlier today, just to take in the atmosphere. The inauguration function had an amazing turn out, and sun came out and lifted the mood, but the speech from President Michael D was definitely the highlight, he got plenty of applause for his brilliant and passionate speech.

Great festive atmosphere in town already, main street was mostly packed. Plenty of families enjoying a nice afternoon out and taking in the music and culture, plenty of food stalls, trinket shops, pubs, restaurants all buzzing with activity. A few beer cans and litter here and there already but hats off to volunteers who seems to be working all the time tidying up after the feckless b*stards who is trying to ruin it for others.

Really looking forward to the week, and kicking myself for booking holidays away starting Saturday. Fla will be missed.

We were down too for a bit. If you though today was busy wait until later in the week. Today was pretty much as busy as this day last year with a little more going on I thought?

There were a few Fleadh Ceol mascots roaming around so fair play to whoever was inside the one that stopped to say hello to our youngest who is not long walking she was delighted getting a high 5

EDIT: Whats going on down the queys later in the week I noticed in the traffic plan those roads are closed from thursday?

_Godot_

Are the 173 buses from outside the church on west street running this week? I'd like to get the bus up to aldi, too far for me to walk and taxis would cost too much.

Fine job done painting Mc Phails and a few other places.

IvoryTower

Great improvements on last year anywhere ive been so far, weather wasn't too bad either! Looks like a nice day today thankfully

6541

Can anyone recommend anywhere quiet where we can park a camper. I would rater not pay. Thanks in advance.

locum-motion

6541 wrote: »

... we can park a camper...

6541 wrote: »

... I would rater not pay...

Aren't those two things mutually exclusive, unless your a member of a particular demographic?
Although that demographic prefers caravans, not campervans.

6541

We are going to the Fleadh and we would like somewhere discreet to park - But if we can't find somewhere discreet we will park in the town center.

Mr. Muddle

6541 wrote: »

Can anyone recommend anywhere quiet where we can park a camper. I would rater not pay. Thanks in advance.

I saw a camper parked on a small piece of land in Mell on Sunday, it was gone soon after, I'd say it was moved on. There are extra Garda and county council staff working this week one of their jobs is to keep the roads clear, I doubt you would be able to park overnight anywhere free, you may get lucky and find a parking space free on one of the roads into town but be aware there are parking meters from 8am to 5pm on most town streets, that limit the time you park to 1, 2 or 4 hours depending on the street.

The town center is closed to traffic from 11am each day, if you mean the town center car-park it is 10 euro per day, it's fairly tight in there I don't know if you would get a camper in. St Olivers Secondary school has a park and walk option for 8euro per day, I think it's the same on the Marsh road

Church in Ballsgrove are charging €5 a day in their carpark.

markc1184

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Church in Ballsgrove are charging €5 a day in their carpark.

As are St. Nicholas GAA club on the Rathmullen road.

enricoh

A mate of mine parked up at Lourdes church last year, dunno if any charge, very central

barney shamrock

I've heard it gets a bit messy at nighttime this year in comparison to last year when the younger crowd appear.
Is that true or an exaggeration?

barney shamrock

barney shamrock wrote: »

I've heard it gets a bit messy at nighttime this year in comparison to last year when the younger crowd appear.
Is that true or an exaggeration?

I haven't been in myself at night yet but it was mentioned to me more than once today that the atmosphere at night wasn't the same as last year so far and that there was a lot of underage drinking going on.

whippet

I've been around the town in the early evening this week - I needed to get to the gym in the town.

While it does not seem as busy as last year - there definitely is a different demographic around - lots of 15-19 year olds supping out of cans and just wandering around the place.