Officers of the Cork County Board of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann met last autumn with the organisation’s Skibbereen branch, Craobh an Sciobairín, which is to host the Cork County Fleadh Cheoil next May 8th to 11th. The annual festival of music, song and Irish language is to take place in Skibbereen with up to 1,500 competitors set to take part in more than 40 categories and thousands more visitors expected to throng the town over the Fleadh weekend.
The Fleadh Cheoil is a weekend festival comprised of céilí dancing, music sessions, street entertainment and competitions in music, singing, comhrá and storytelling. Under 12 and 12/15 competitions will take place on Saturday May 10th, while 15/18 and Senior competitions will take place in Sunday, May 11th. Two qualifiers from each competition will go forward to represent Cork in the Munster Fleadh Cheoil in Killarney in July 2014.
The local branch aims to promote the Irish language and our traditions during the Fleadh and lectures, sessions and Céilí planned, as well as an outdoor traditional music ‘gig rig’ with an Open Air Céilí on Sunday afternoon at the Bridge in the centre of town.
Con McCarthy, chairman of the Cork County Board of Comhaltas and vice-chairman of the Skibbereen branch, warmly welcomes the decision to hold the Fleadh in Skibbereen for the 8th time. Skibbereen Branch is an extremely active Branch, with over 400 members, with a great tradition of song, music and dance and of course the Irish language. There is a growing interest in all aspects of our tradition. Nuala Ní Bhriain, chairperson of Skibbereen’s Fleadh committee, says that this will be a shop window for Skibbereen and for our culture. A lot of hard work will be involved but it is a golden opportunity to showcase the locality. As a Branch it’s also an opportunity to promote what is done, and hopefully it will inspire local people to get involved in Comhaltas.
