CCÉ aim to echo fleadh success with 75th anniversary event

Westmeath Comhaltas aim to echo the success of the 2022 and 2023 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann when they host a weekend of music and events in August to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the organisation.

The Westmeath CCÉ committee hosted a launch at Áras an Mhuilinn on Thursday of last week, when they presented plans for what should be a great weekend of music and culture in the town where Comhaltas was founded in 1951.

The feature event is a concert by the Kilfenora Céilí Band at St Paul’s Church on the evening of Saturday August 29, and there are highlights from the Friday evening, August 28, through to a céilí by local performers Rise the Dust at Áras and Mhuilinn to close the weekend on the Sunday evening, August 30.

Brendan Doyle, chair of Westmeath County Board CCÉ, welcomed the attendance and performed the important duty of introducing his colleagues at the top table – the people who put in the long hours to make Comhaltas events happen.

They are: Enda Seery, vice-chair, Barbara Reynolds, secretary, Linda Price, treasurer, Nicole O’Brien, PRO, Joe Connaire, former chair, Fleadh Cheoil na Éireann Executive Committee 2022 and 2023, Willie Penrose, former vice-chair, Fleadh Cheoil na Éireann Executive Committee 2022 and 2023, and Colette Glynn, former secretary, Fleadh Cheoil na Éireann Executive Committee 2022 and 2023.

“So that’s the committee for this event,” said Brendan. “We will be, of course, calling on many other people for help in various parts of the weekend as it unfolds, so anybody who’s interested in helping, please let us know.”

That’s a call that was repeated by other speakers during the launch, particularly Willie Penrose and Joe Connaire, who with Colette Glynn, led the hugely successful fleadhanna of 2022 and 2023, and know just how much help is required to run a major event.

The 75th anniversary celebration won’t, of course, be on the scale of the all-Ireland fleadh, but Westmeath Comhaltas are distilling the spirit of those events for the weekend at the end of August.

There was no commitment on whether the all-Ireland fleadh could ever return to Mullingar, as it has become such a big event, and it’s a massive challenge to put together the team needed to run it, Joe said: “We have the memories of the fleadh in 2022 and 2023, and this weekend is more of that. We want to encourage people to come to this weekend to, I suppose, relive a small part of the memory of the fleadh in 2022 and 2023.”

“Would we like it back in Mullingar sooner or later?” he mused, and continued: “No question. This town is probably the best town in the world (to host a fleadh). The cost… now, even a few of years after we had it, you’re looking at €1.7 million – it’s too big an issue with money and manpower.”

Joe and Willie (Penrose) agreed that it would be great to have the all-Ireland fleadh back home where it all began, especially as Mullingar is an ideal venue, thanks to its layout, venues and transport links – but no one can say if or when it will happen.

In the meantime, the 75th anniversary celebration will be a major event as the summer of 2026 winds down and the September routine returns.

Opening the weekend are the Ox Mountain Quartet with elite musicians, singers and dancers from Westmeath at the arts centre; then the Saturday (August 29) will include, among other events, the performance of a play telling the story of the foundation of Comhaltas, and the unveiling of a plaque on the Market Square to commemorate the 2022 and 2023 fleadhanna.

There will also be an event to honour the local families whose members were among the founders of Comhaltas, the Moynihans, the Seerys and the Reynoldses, and some of the senior CCÉ executives are expected to attend.

Also on over the weekend will be an inclusive céilí, a youth performance, pub sessions, a Comhaltas Mass at the Cathedral of Christ the King, a history lecture, Mullingar Town Band performances, Westmeath céilí bands and an open session, as well as the Kilfenora Céilí Band and the céilí with Rise the Dust.

Concluding the launch, Brendan said: “We are thankful for the support we’re receiving from Westmeath County Council, from Áras an Mhuilinn here, from the arts centre, and all the venues we’ve approached, Mullingar Town Band and the Bandhall, Bishop Tom Deenihan and Fr Phil Gaffney.

“Without all that help, this wouldn’t be possible.

“Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann have been very supportive, and in fact are supporting this in lots of ways, financially and non-financially, so there’s a big team behind this event.

“It will be a fantastic weekend’s entertainment, and we, and everybody here, and everybody in Comhaltas, want the whole town to be part of it, to enjoy it, and, as Joe said, to echo the success of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, to commemorate 75 years of Comhaltas.”

The final remarks were reminders that volunteers will be sought to help over the weekend, and that tickets are available from committee members and via Mullingar Arts Centre.