Maureen and Brendan Moloy were highly impressed at the way the fleadh was organised - and praised in particular the arrangements put in place to accommodate people with disabilities.

Derry Fleadh organiser praises Mullingar counterparts

Mullingar has been praised for the facilities it put in place for people with disabilities attending Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.

"The disabled access was phenomenal," says Maureen Molloy, who uses a walking aid, but who was easily able to access all the events held locally.

Long-term resident in Derry, the Mullingar native was impressed when she and husband Brendan were directed to the carpark at Buckley’s SuperValu, which had been reserved for those travelling by car who are differently abled.

"People couldn’t do enough for us" she said, speaking of the kindness of all those they encountered.

Brendan, meanwhile, pointed out that a feature of Mullingar’s streets that made the town ideal for those with walking difficulties is the fact that there are no cobbles. He himself uses a walking stick.

Brendan is someone who appreciates exactly what is involved in getting such a mammoth event as Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann organised, for he was vice-chairman of the committee that organised the Derry fleadh of 2013.

He was highly impressed by the Mullingar event – and especially by the amount of street performance.

"I never saw so much music on the streets since the fleadh was in Listowel – and that was back in 2001," says Brendan, a musician himself and a long-time member of the Derry branch of Comhaltas.

What struck him was the fact that every age-group was represented – from youngsters just beginning their journey to proficiency to seasoned musicians.

"I was in Castle Street watching a group playing and not one of them was under 70 – and there were at least fifteen of them, and they were fantastic.

He was delighted too to see that there were massive crowds at the big gig rig for every gig – and indeed, he was himself was part of several musical performances from that stage.

Like everyone, he felt for the organisers when the rain teemed down on the bank holiday Monday: "You can legislate for everything – but not the weather! But we knew the people had the work done and it would be a success."

Touchingly effusive in his praise for the success Mullingar made of Fleadh Cheoil 2022, Brendan hopes the town is successful in its bid to host Fleadh 2023.

"This was a massive undertaking, and sometimes people don’t appreciate what has been done, the amount of work that had to be done behind the scenes – and all done out of a sense of civic pride."