Concerts, Sessions, Classes and 142 Competitions at Drogheda Fleadh Cheoil 2018

Concerts, Sessions, Classes and 142 Competitions at Drogheda Fleadh Cheoil 2018

Major Irish traditional music event of the year takes place from 12 to 19 August.

The 2018 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann – the largest Irish traditional music event of the year – will take place in Drogheda, Co. Louth, from Monday 12 to Sunday 19 August.

There are dozens of concerts, talks and events taking place from Monday 12th, as well as the five-day Scoil Éigse – the educational aspect of the Fleadh. At the weekend, 142 competitions in traditional music will take place over two days. The competitions range from uilleann pipes, flute, fiddle, harp, whistle and singing, to storytelling (in English and Irish), duets, trios, ceili bands, mouth organ, lilting and whistling. The participants have all qualified to compete from regional Fleadhs. See our coverage of last year’s winners here and download the competition schedule below.

As well as informal traditional music pub sessions taking place throughout the week, there is a full schedule of concerts, including Zoë Conway and Julie Fowlis (12th August); Martin Hayes and Dennis Cahill and the Voice Squad (13th); a performance of composer Michael Holohan’s work The Road to Lough Swilly by ConTempo Quartet, piper Mick O’Brien and the Boyne Chamber Orchestra (14th); Beoga and Frankie Gavin (14th); Zoë Conway and John McIntyre with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra (16th); Mícheál Ó Súilleabháin (17th); the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland performing music by Tom Doorley (17th), and more.

There are over 70 music tutors at this year’s Scoil Éigse, including Kevin Rowsome, Dáithí Gormley, Caitlín Nic Gabhann, Tom Doorley, Gráinne Hambly and Deirdre Scanlon. Among the other events at the Fleadh will be a talk by Nicholas Carolan on his celebrated television series Come West Along the Road, and a symposium on traditional music hosted by Dr Adèle Commins of the Dundalk Institute of Technology.

TG4 will broadcast its programme FleadhTV from Drogheda over four evenings, from Thursday 16 to Sunday 19 August. The presenters are Ruth SmithDoireann Ní Ghlacáin, Hector Ó hEochagáin and Aindrias de Staic.

For further details on all events, visit http://fleadhcheoil.ie.

 

 

See Fleadh 2018 competition results here.

Published on 10 August 2018

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