€120k of toilets for the fleadh

The logistics of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2022, including the pedestrianisation of streets, 3,500 camping spaces and the introduction of €120,000 worth of additional public toilets, were outlined to members of Westmeath County Council last week.

Anne-Marie Corroon, council fleadh co-ordinator, told councillors the town will be closed to traffic with no exceptions from 10am to 4am for the duration of the fleadh – July 31 to August 7. Bins can be emptied and deliveries made between 4am and 10am.

“We have to get the word home that there will be no delivery vans allowed in after that time because it is paramount for pedestrian safety, we cannot be letting vehicles up the main street when it is thronged with pedestrians,” she said. Businesses and residents in the “exclusion zone” will be notified.

A campsite is being set up on the Robinstown link road, and a management company, Native Events, has been engaged to look after that “in a sustainable way”. A waste collection company will deploy and maintain additional litter bins around the town and €120,000 worth of extra toilets will be provided.

A catering management company has been engaged to design the vendor plan to ensure there are enough but not too many. Vendors will be mostly in Blackhall car park, and the busier competition venues, and arts and crafts vendors in the town park.

Vendors will have to comply with the council’s green charter and vintners and restaurants are being asked to use sustainable packaging and sustainably dispose of and manage waste.

The council has also procured an event controller, security, barriers, lighting, stages, PR management, signage and medical support and are in the process of procuring traffic management.

They are identifying car parks around the town which they will get ready for the event. Potential car park locations have been identified in the town centre and agreements are being drawn up with property owners.

Early engagement with Iarnród Éireann and Bus Éireann about maximising the use of public transport is under way. Shuttle buses will run from the main car parks and the campsite. A control room will be set up in the council buildings and representative from the emergency services will be on hand. Garda CCTV will be beamed in to the control room. Medical support will be by the Order of Malta, based in the credit union building, a first aid base at the gig rig in Blackhall and personnel on patrol around the town.

The council have made a substantial contribution to the cost of the fleadh, and are actively involved in it.

Ms Corroon has been appointed fleadh co-ordinator and Pauline Hussey fleadh administrator and they work alongside director of services, David Jones, and the various departments of the council.

The event is being internationally promoted and has been shortlisted for Fáilte Ireland’s global distribution strategy, so it is a huge opportunity for town and county to encourage repeat visitors, Ms Corroon told the meeting.

She said they need volunteers, accommodation and support for the various fundraising events being held.

President Michael D Higgins, will officially open the fleadh on Sunday July 31, and big names such as Sharon Shannon will perform in paid concerts in the Cathedral of Christ the King, St Paul’s, All Saints, in hotels and other venues.

The main gig rig will be in Blackhall car park and another smaller one in the ESB car park opposite Cusack Park and both will be free. TG4 will have a marquee on the Fair Green.

More than 180 competitions will cater for some 6,000 competitors in venues such as schools and churches – that side of the fleadh will culminate in the ceili band competition on Sunday August 7.

Some 700 students will receive tuition from more than 60 master performers at Scoil Éigse in Loreto College, Presentation Schools and Coláiste Mhuire over the week.

Seachtain na Gaeilge 2022 will be based in Áras an Mhuilinn and the week-long events there will include a singing club and marching bands.

There will be award ceremonies for people who have served Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann over the years and cultural tours to places like Dun na Si and Belvedere.

Members welcomed Ms Corroon’s report and applauded the fleadh committee and council staff. Cllr Denis Leonard proposed that when it is all over, certificates of recognition be presented to all who helped. He was supported by Cllr Ken Glynn, who said the organisers are “on your game”. He was assured that businesses and the people of the town had been given a say in new bye laws relating to the fleadh – which are due to come before the members for approval this month.

Cllr Hazel Smyth has already volunteered to help and she urged anyone with a few hours to spare to sign up – “you don’t have to do every day”. She called for more storage on trains for bikes, paperless tickets for events and water refill stations around the town. She asked that shuttle bus services be extended to places such as Uisneach and Fore.

Cllr Mick Dollard asked that signs be erected highlighting places of interest, Cllr Tom Farrell appealed to anyone with accommodation to let or time to give volunteering to do so. In his area of Drumraney and Walderstown, it is hoped to honour Willie Reynolds, a founders of Comhaltas and its first treasurer.

Cllr Vinny McCormack hopes that some of the fleadh visitors will “ramble out” to Ballymore for the county music festival on Monday August 1 and take in sites such as Uisneach and Dun na Si.

Cllr Aengus O’Rourke asked that the fleadh be extended to places like Athlone, Moate, Kilbeggan and Kinnegad and that professionals be engaged to photograph and video the hundreds of thousands of people enjoying themselves during the week.

He was assured that professional videography and photography will be done and it is a condition of The Fáilte Ireland grant that the essence of the event be captured for future marketing of the town.

Cllr Bill Collentine has been to 38 fleadhs and is delighted to see it coming home to Mullingar, but is worried that there will not be enough accommodation and volunteers.

Cllr Aoife Davitt asked that an Eircode for the camp site be provided and that is to be investigated. She also asked that attractions and amenities be highlighted on community noticeboards and that storyboards be erected giving historical facts. She complained that someone visited Lilliput recently and found there was little information about the area and its name .

The cathaoirleach, Cllr Frankie Keena, suggested that an app be created on which people could book tickets and get information. That, he was told, has been examined and found to be cost prohibitive.

The council chief executive, Pat Gallagher, said the fleadh will be one of, if not the, biggest events ever in the town and county. The history, heritage, amenity and recreational facilities and the events of the town and county will be promoted, particularly through the Westmeath tourism app, which is regularly updated. It will be linked closely with all publicity and advertising material.

Mr Gallagher said they could never have enough volunteers, but urged people not to leave it until the last minute to sign up. He also urged people to support fundraising events, saying that while the council had made a substantial allocation, there are significant costs.

If you have a room or two, offer them up for the fleadh, he said. People who come to the fleadh are decent people who come to fleadhs every year and are easy to please. All they want is a bed for the night.

Members were told that shuttle buses and tours to places like Athlone Castle, the Shannon, Dun na Si and Fore will be running throughout week in a bid to promote all Westmeath has to offer. There will be a big screen displaying what’s on and promoting visitor attractions.

Outlying towns and villages are encouraged to put on attractions in their areas as the organisers have to concentrate on Mullingar and stretching out to other areas would not be feasible.

David Jones said that road closures will have a significant impact, but are necessary. He promised that businesses and residents who fall within the exclusion zone would be fully appraised.

Mr Jones assured the members that the executive would be keen to recognise all who help and will explore this idea in association with the fleadh committee.