My Fleadh: Shane Barkey

How was your fleadh? Was it busy?

“Very busy, I did bar work for the week in Mullingar Arts Centre, which was a first for me and a bit of a shock to the system. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though. I got to speak to so many new people and still felt very much part of the festivities.”

Did you get to see much music?

“I didn’t get to see as much as I would have liked due to work, but I did see a few performances at the main gig rig and at Mullingar Arts Centre. I also got to see a couple of the street performers, everything I saw was superb. I would have liked to have seen some of the events in the cathedral but there’s always next year hopefully!”

How do you think Mullingar coped?

“I think the town coped extremely well. It was exceptionally organised and I think next year will be even tighter and better. There seems to be little to no reports of any trouble or hassle, which is fantastic. A lot of people who travelled to Mullingar from other towns and countries who I was speaking to, couldn’t praise the Mullingar people enough for their hospitality and friendliness. Regular fleadh goers were saying it was the best one they ever attended.

“The huge presence of An Garda Siochana was excellent and made everyone feel safe and at ease. The gardaí were very friendly and really set the tone for the week. The town was also cleaned up and returned to normality very quickly which was very impressive. It is a credit to the council, workers and volunteers.”

What are you standout moments?

“The standout moments for me were seeing all the streets, and in particular the Market Square and Mount Street, full of life and vibrancy for the week. The weather was a blessing, the atmosphere was electric, everyone was in good form. President Michael D Higgins opening the event was also a standout, as well as the presence of global superstars Niall Horan and Lewis Capaldi in town.

“The entire event in itself was a standout for me. It’s a week none of us will ever forget. Here’s to next year.”