Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan 2019
July 15, 2019
This year’s Munster Fleadh, which will be staged in Ennis from July 14th – 22nd , will be the last of four major Fleadhs to be held in the Clare Capital in a short space of four years having hosted the All Ireland Fleadhs in 2016/2017 . Fleadh Chairman Joe Arkins said they went for an unorthodox fun type of launch last weekend, bringing the music onto the streets rather than having an indoor affair with pictures of the committee dressed in their Sunday best. The Fleadh is all about the music and the people who enjoy it. This could be the last hurrah for some time and the organizing committee are aiming to make it a major success and have adopted the slogan “A Fleadh for Everyone”.
Over recent years the focus of the Fleadh was generally on competitions but since the 2016 All Ireland Fleadh, the Ennis committee have strived to develop the festive aspects of the Fleadh and to bring the music and the craic into the town and onto the streets of Ennis. Munster Fleadh 2019 will offer more free entertainment and free events than any provincial Fleadh has ever offered.
The events coordinator, Mary Liddy, said the Fleadh will have a very particular emphasis on events for families and visitors. The 2019 Gig Rig will run much earlier in the evenings with some great shows featuring music and dancing including Celtic Steps, Trad on the Prom, Open Air Ceili as well as a number of top class céilí bands and Comhaltas Seisiún groups from around the country under the lively direction of Oliver O’Connell who will be undertaking the task of MC for the weekend. The street session competition which is managed by John Hanrahan will also run over the weekend of the 19th to the 21st and already groups of musicians and dancers, young and old are getting their act together to compete in this fun competition.
There are numerous free events during the week including the Frank Custy Morning Seisiún from Monday to Friday in the Holy Family hall as well as a daily series of “The Riches of Clare” free lunchtime concerts.
Fleadh PRO Therese McInerney said that Ennis has proved itself to be Ireland’s trad capital and the leading town in Ireland to host a Fleadh. She said the organizing committee are very grateful to the traders and businesses in the town and the people of Clare for their support over the past number of years. She said that if this is the last big Fleadh of this decade, then we intend to go out with a bang and run a Fleadh that will be talked about for years to come.
Fleadh chairman Joe Arkins said that Clare Co. Council has been very supportive of the All-Irelands and the Munster Fleadh and he complimented the local Gardaí and emergency services for their advice and support. He also paid tribute to the businesses in the town and wider area who have embraced the Fleadh and said the committee will issue a 2019 Munster Fleadh window sticker to acknowledge the premises of our advertisers and sponsors.
The Ennis pubs are putting together a free session trail with up to 150 gigs over the week. From the 14th to the 22nd of July there is something for everyone each day, young or old, visitor or local. There is a fantastic line up of Glór concerts again this year featuring the best that Clare has to offer. The Clare Youth Trad Orchestra are back by popular demand on Thursday 18th with guest artists Oisín MacDiarmada and Seamus Begley. On Friday the very popular Shaskeen perform in Glór. On Saturday night Martin Hayes and the Tulla Céilí Band will present the Glór concert and the Kilfenora Céilí Band will stage the last of the Fleadh concerts on the Sunday night.
And just in case people haven’t had enough music and craic after the week, there will be a big farewell session in Cruises on the morning of Monday 22nd, as well as pub sessions throughout the day.
SUNDAY, JULY 14th
11.30am Aifreann na Fleidhe (Cathedral)
4.00pm Unveiling of Commemorative Plaque to Slyvster Conway - Lissycasey
7.30pm Official Opening of Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan 2019 – Cois na hAbhna, Ennis
10pm Fleadh Club – Cois na hAbhna
MONDAY, JULY 15th
10pm Music Classes/Irish Classes – Clareabbey GAA
11am Fonn Seisiún – Frank Custy & Friends – Holy Family Hall, Ennis
1pm Lunchtime Concert – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
TUESDAY, JULY 16th
10pm Music Classes/Irish Classes – Clareabbey GAA
11am Fonn Seisiún – Frank Custy & Friends – Holy Family Hall, Ennis
1pm Lunchtime Concert – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
WEDNESDAY, JULY 17th
11am Fonn Seisiún – Frank Custy & Friends – Holy Family Hall, Ennis
1pm Lunchtime Concert – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
8.30pm Seisíun – Old Ground Hotel
9pm Set Dancing Workshop – Abbey Hall, Clarecastle
9.30pm Céilí with Tulla Céilí Band – Cois na hAbhna
THURSDAY, JULY 18th
11am Fonn Seisiún – Frank Custy & Friends – Holy Family Hall, Ennis
1pm Lunchtime Concert – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
2 – 5pm Sean-nós Dancing Workshop with tutor Gerard Devane
6.30 pm Rory McMahon CD Launch – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
8pm Clare Youth Trad Orchestra in Concert – Glór
FRIDAY, JULY 19th
10am Scoil Fonn agus Amhrán Workshops (St. Flannan’s College)
10am Slide and Polka Workshops with Mairéad Corridan (St. Flannan’s College)
1pm Munster Set and Céilí Dancing Competitions (Treacy’s West County Hotel)
1pm Lunchtime Concert – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
3pm Street Sessions & Performance – Various locations, Town Centre
4pm Gig Rig Performaces until 10 p.m. – Abbey Street Car Park
6.30pm C Hession, F Cunningham, E Cunningham CD Launch – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
6.30pm Celtic Steps – Abbey Street Car Park
8pm Shakeen Céilí Band in Concert – Glór Theatre
8.30pm Seisíun – Old Ground Hotel
9.30 pm Singing Session – Tempe Gate Hotel
9.30pm Céilí with Dal gCais Céilí Band – Cois na hAbhna
SATURDAY, JULY 20th
10am Solo Competitions for Under 12 and 12/15 (St. Flannan’s College)
10am Grupaí Cheoil/Céilí Band Competitions for Under 12 and 15/18 (Treacy’s West County Hotel)
10am Set Dancing/Céilí Dancing Competitions (St. Flannan’s College)
10am Ionad na Gaeile (St. Flannan’s College)
11am Set Dancing Workshop – Abbey Hall, Clarecastle
2pm Gig Rig Performaces until 10 p.m. – Abbey Street Car Park
3pm Street Sessions & Performance – Various locations, Town Centre
6.30pm Queally Sisters CD Launch – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
8pm Marin Hayes & Tulla Céilí Band Concert – Glór Theatre
8.30pm Seisíun – Old Ground Hotel
9.30pm Singing Session – Tempe Gate Hotel
10pm Céilí with Star of Munster Céílí Band – Clarecastle Hall
SUNDAY, JULY 21th
10am Solo Competitions for Under 18 and Senior (St. Flannan’s College)
10am Grupaí Cheoil/Céilí Band Competitions (Treacy’s West County Hotel)
10am Set Dancing/Céilí Dancing Competitions (St. Flannan’s College)
11.30am Aifreann na Fleidhe (Cathedral)
2pm Gig Rig Performaces until 10 p.m. – Abbey Street Car Park
2.30pm Open Air Set Céilí with Star of Munster Céílí Band – Abbey Street Car Park
4pm Dancing at the Crossroad Céilí with Four Courts Céílí Band – Kerrins Cross, Clarecastle
8pm Kilfenora Céilí Band in Concert – Glór Theatre
9pm Gig Rig & Winning Munster Senior Céilí Band Performance – Abbey Stree Car Park
MONDAY, JULY 22th
11am Farewell Session – Frank Custy & Friends – The Sanctuary, Queens Hotel
10am Grupaí Cheoil/Céilí Band Competitions (Treacy’s West County Hotel)