The PRO for the recent Provincial Fleadh in Ballina is calling on Mayo County Council to support the local Comhaltas organisations and earmark the 2027 All-Ireland Fleadh for Ballina.
Eamonn Walsh stated this week: ”Ballina would need to be processing an application for the 2025 Fleadh to demonstrate to the 32 voting members of the Árd Comhairle of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann that Ballina is a serious contender for the event in 2027. It’s imperative that we join the queue now.
"The All-Ireland Fleadh attracts in excess of 400,000 people - 30% from overseas - and generates in the region of €50 million to the region. Minister Catherine Martin recently stated that a Fáilte Ireland survey cited the value of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann to a particular area and region as €50 million, and that’s why grants are given by Fáilte Ireland, she said.
"The event brings visitors from all over the world and is a wonderful opportunity to showcase what a county and region has to offer. The long-term benefits would include increased awareness of County Mayo as a tourist destination."
Walsh noted that the Fleadh began in Mullingar in 1951 as a competition to set standards in Irish traditional music and that the event has now grown into a 10-day carnival of parades, workshops, sessions and street entertainment and attracts TV stations from around the world, with RTE and TG4 broadcasting a number of programmes from the Fleadh.
Mullingar is hosting the Fleadh this week while it’s the turn of Wexford to host the event in 2024 and 2025. Belfast, which narrowly lost out to Wexford, is pressing ahead with an application to host the 2026 event.
Walsh continued: “Ballina would be a strong contender for the 2027 and 2028 All-Ireland Fleadh but a feasibility study must be carried out over the coming months. It is imperative that we have the financial support of Mayo County Council, similar to the support given by Cavan, Sligo and Westmeath County Councils.
"I would encourage as many local business people and public representatives to visit Mullingar this week-end for a few hours and meet with their counterparts and get a flavour of the event.
"It would prove useful to invite members of the Mullingar Fleadh committee to a meeting in Ballina to get an insight into the organisational costs associated with the running of the Fleadh and what public funding is available. The cost of staging the All-Ireland Fleadh is now €1.9 million and no voluntary organisation can undertake a fundraising campaign for a mammoth event like that anymore without the financial support of the County Council.”
Cllr John O’Hara has welcomed the news that Comhaltas is earmarking the 2027 All-Ireland Fleadh for Ballina. “I will be travelling to Mullingar this week-end on a fact-finding mission and to see at first hand the benefits this great cultural event brings to a county. I have previously attended the All-Ireland Fleadhanna in Sligo and Cavan and seen the massive benefits the event brings,” he said.
He added: "I was delighted to be associated with the recent Connacht Fleadh in Ballina when myself and Declan Turnbull, Head of Ballina Municipal District, brought the local Comhaltas groups together to discuss an All-Ireland Fleadh for the town and we decided to stage the Connacht Fleadh as a stepping stone to an All-Ireland. Given the success of the event, the time has come to earmark the All-Ireland Fleadh.
“We want every councillor in Mayo supporting the local Comhaltas groups in an effort to bring the All-Ireland Fleadh back to Mayo. Traditional musicians in the county and province are eager to see the Fleadh back in Mayo.
“The success of the recent Provincial and Community Fleadh in Ballina has prompted a serious conversation among many business people in the town who want to see a return of the All-Ireland Fleadh, which was last held in Ballina in 1997 and 1998. The question I’ve been continually asked is 'When is the big one coming'."
Cllr O'Hara said that Knock Airport would also benefit enormously from the thousands of overseas competitors and visitors to the Fleadh, adding: “It was very encouraging to hear Dr Labhrás O’Murchú Director General of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann who officially opened the recent Provincial Fleadh in Ballina, saying “Ballina ticks all the boxes for an All-Ireland Fleadh.”
