The festivities of this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann came to a close last week. By all accounts it was another great success featuring the best of Irish dance, music, storytelling and other celebrations of Irish tradition. This year’s Fleadh was held in Tullamore, Co. Offaly and over 200,000 people came to soak up the atmosphere.

One of the highlights of the Fleadh these days is the annual attempt to break the world record for the ‘Largest Irish Session’. And this year was no let down with 3,457 musicians, singers and dancers collaborating for an impressive 1 hour and 40 seconds on the 21st August.

Recently in the Irish Times, the director general of Comhaltas Senator Labhrás Ó Murchú expressed his interest in bringing this traditional Irish event north of the Irish Republic’s border in the future. This is certainly a contentious issue with the problems of the Troubles still a pretty vivid memory. However, the Senator believes that unionists are now ready to welcome and respect this gathering on Northern Irish soil. In fact, he insists there are many similarities in the challenges that Comhaltas and unionist organisations such as the Orange Order face in promoting and organising traditional events in Ireland.

Do you think that the island of Ireland is ready for this kind of show of solidarity?

Related posts:

1. My Beginners Guide To The Fleadh Cheoil
2. A gifted Galway girl – Northern District Times
3. De Dannan to Headline The World Fleadh
4. DanceLife: A New Dance Magazine in Ireland