Breton performers want to be part of Mullingar's Fleadh

It’s not just Irish culture that will get an airing in Mullingar during Fleadh Ceol 2020 but that of other Celtic areas as well.

Two members of a Breton traditional group representing dancers, singers and musicians travelled from Brittany in north west France on Thursday last week to meet representatives from the Fleadh Committee in Mullingar in order to make arrangements for a traditional Breton street presentation in perhaps Mullingar’s Market Square during the Fleadh.

The Brittany Celtic Group come from the Landevant region which is located 50km south of Lorient in central Brittany. The area is noted for its strong connection to its Celtic roots and much of its music and dance has a clear linkage to Ireland.

Deputy Willie Penrose, speaking to the group, expressed his desire to have such an international Celtic presence as part of the street performances during the Fleadh in August 2020.

Evelyn Reno, on behalf of the French group, expressed her delight at the idea of being involved in the Mullingar Fleadh and said that she would now have to speak with her group in France and make arrangements in relation to their visit.

A feature of the brief meeting between representatives of the Fleadh and the Brittany Celtic Group, on Thursday last was the amount of knowledge and interest the Brittany group had in relation to The Mullingar All Ireland Fleadh and generally in relation to Irish music and the work of Comhaltas.