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THE CITY OF Derry is back in the running to host the All Ireland Fleadh or Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann after the Ulster Council of Comhaltas reversed its decision to turned down its bid over security concerns.
A campaign had been launched to bring the annual festival of Irish music, song, and dance to Northern Ireland for the first time ever next year but the Ulster Council rejected the bid over security concerns after two bombs had gone off in the city over a week ago.
But now the First and Deputy First Ministers of Northern Ireland have welcomed the decision to allow Derry to go forward as a contender to the meeting of the Council’s Ard Comhairle in Dublin on Saturday where a final decision will be made, UTV reports.
Peter Robinson, the DUP leader, said “that common sense had prevailed” after the decision was reversed earlier this week. It is estimated that the all-Ireland 10-day event could bring as many as 300,000 visitors to the city and generate as much as £40m (€48m) in revenue.
Comhaltas in Ireland director general and one-time Irish presidential hopeful Labhras Ó Murchú told BBC Radio that it was impossible to call which way the vote would go.
But he added: ”Because this issue has been so well debated there isn’t a member on the council who hasn’t a greater understanding of the issues involved in the Derry bid.”
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I’m delighted with the change of heart by the Ulster Council. It is extraordinary that in it’s 62 year history the All-Ireland Fleadh has never been held in the six counties and I’m sure that, if it is successful in its bid, Derry will be a huge success. To deny Derry the chance of hosting the fleadh for fear of terrorist attacks would be to give in to the terrorists. Irish traditional music is not exclusively a Catholic tradition and both sides of the community in the North are overwhelmingly supportive of the event being held in Derry as is evidenced by the comments by both Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness. The economic impact of the event alone would be huge for the city and this will be an important factor in garnering popular support.
What is disappointing is the attitude of some in the Ulster Council that the Fleadh should not be associated with the tag of UK Capital of Culture. This association can only enhance the reputation of the Fleadh, and Irish traditional music, by exposing it to a much larger audience than heretofore.
I sincerely hope that Derry is successful in its bid and look forward to a great Fleadh in 2013!
Ciaran, it is anything but extraordinary, in fact it’s wholly understandable why Fleadh hasn’t made it accross the border. Can you imagine how vast hordes of “Fenian” music lovers would have been welcomed both by a sectarian police force and by unionists back in general during 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. In the 90′s and early 2000′s we still had a real risk of attack from dissididents from both sides. Even now, with upsurge in dissident bombing in the city security concerns should be to the foreftont of everybody’s minds, sad and all as that is.
I would love to be back in Derry in 2013.
Ciarán. Could you imagine the RUC and soldiers would react to 100,000 Irish Fenians enjoying themselves. There would have been mayhem.
@Clive & Tim – Irish Traditional Music, and indeed Comhaltas as an organisation, has never been exclusively Catholic (or Fenian as you prefer to put it). In fact the links with Scottish (and English) traditional music show that it has always transcended religious or political differences. Fintan Vallely has noted that the disassociation of the Unionist community from the music tradition took place during the Troubles as a means of creating a distance from the Nationalist/Republican community.
The Fleadh Cheoil as an event precedes the Troubles by nearly twenty years and it is 14 years since the Good Friday Agreement changed the political situation irrevocably. So for more than half of the history of Comhaltas there has been an opportunity to hold the event in the six counties. I am delighted that there is now hope that that opportunity might be grasped. Of course there are concerns about the security situation but similar concerns haven’t prevented London from hosting the largest mass-attendance event in the world this year.
Where there is a will there is a way, unfortunately there appears to be a lack of will in some quarters which is being hidden, not quite successfully, behind what are, of course, valid security concerns.
@Tim
There are no RUC or Soldiers on the streets of Derry in 2012 … c’mon lads its a normal city… its not the 70s/80s!!
I actually hope that Derry doesn’t win the bid for Fleadh ’13. It has been in Ulster for the last three years and time it moved to another province. Ennis is a great spot.
I would have a lot of concerns regarding Derry hosting Fleadh ceol na h-Eireann. I understand the symbolism etc but I wonder for instance are the PSNI ready to deal with thousands of people on the streets playing Irish trad and in some cases republican music. Or will there be a bar on that particular type of music in deference to the other community in Derry. I have seen it first hand in Cavan and it is a fantastic festival which is enhanced by light hand policing by the Gardai. I think over the past two years in Cavan there were less than 10 arrests over the two years. There was no trouble because the people who come to Fleadh come for the music and socialising. That can include sitting on the street at 2am drinking a can watching or playing music. I am not sure the security situation in Derry lends itself to such a relaxed atmosphere just yet.
Interesting to have the Fleadh in Londonderry, UK Capital of Culture, an area with a severe terror alert on an ongoing basis due to a bunch of knuckle draggers purporting to fight to be part of the Republic of Ireland. I wouldn’t be going…
Wonder what “pressure” forced the re-think though..??
I disagree Burned toast…we are ordinary people not all terrorists… come visit one day and you will see!
Irish culture and music goes longer and much further beyond borders and politics. I for one am from Derry, Irish and proud. The traditional music of Ireland goes far further back in history than partition. What kind of music do you think people listened to before partition? Irish culture has existed on this island for hundreds of years so have to disagree with you that Fleadh sould not take place in Derry. Irish culture/music exists not just in the Republic of Ireland but in Northern Ireland too. Ireland being the key word!
So please don’t suggest I am anyway less Irish than you because you live in the Republic of Ireland. You are not the only Ireland on this island!
Ciaran. I know where you are coming about the history and connection between scottish and Irish traditions music included. My basic point is – would a musician feel safe and welcome playing for example Sean South or James Connolly in a loyalist area of Derry or Belfast or on the other hand would a loyalist piper/musician be applauded for playing The Sash in the Bogside or The Falls. Until we see that level of tolerance and maturity to our joint tradition I would fear for a Fleadh in any city in northern Ireland. All one needs are a few hotheads to start trouble for mayhem to ensue.
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