FOR the second year in a row, Dromore hosted the annual Ulster Fleadh at the week-end where the excellent weather brought hundreds out on to the streets to enjoy the sessions.
In fact, such were the crowds that the fleadh organisers, with the approval of the PSNI, blocked off the streets in the interest of public safety.
On Monday morning, a ‘wrecked’ but happy committee chairman, Hugh Quinn paid tribute to his 20-strong committee who have been meeting twice a week since the end of last year’s fleadh to put this year’s programme together.
This year’ event attracted 3,000 competitors from all over Ulster, with the firsts and seconds and recommended thirds qualifying for this year’s All-Ireland Fleadh in Sligo, from 11-18 August.
And, with the weather holding good for Friday and Saturday, though not so much Sunday, all in all, it was, according to Hugh, a ‘very successful fleadh’.
“There is an awful lot of work put into it. It was unbelievable the amount of work the committee put in. I can tell you we’re just totally wrecked this morning (Monday).”
Official opening night, Friday had music on the ‘gig rig’ and street sessions and, on Saturday evening, the liturgy for the Fleadh Mass in St Davog’s Church featured music, song and dance.
The congregation was asked to remember the late Niall Fitzpatrick, Lisnaskea whose family are steeped in comhaltas. He died last week.
After the Mass, the street sessions really took off, forcing the blocking off of the streets to cater for the thousands fleadh goers.
Competition on Saturday was fiercely fought, with Fermanagh’s representatives featuring in the winners’ enclosure.
“Yes, they did very well”, Hugh reported. “They had a lot of winners and the big one, the senior ceili band competition was won by Knockmore Ceili Band from Botha (Derrygonnelly, Boho, Monea).”
There was also notable success for the Irvinestown branch with all four of its grupai cheol and ceili bands all progressing to the All-Ireland fleadh. And in the solo competitions the branch also enjoyed plenty of success, with Kerri Whitely coming first in the 15-18 banjo and Maeve McCann coming first in the 15-16 whistle.
Another local champion was Lisnaskea CCE’s John McCann who was first in the 12-15 accordion