Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann

The Fleadh is run by Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann and has been held since 1951. It is a competition first - musicians qualify through county and provincial fleadhanna to compete here on fiddle, flute, pipes, concertina, accordion, harp, in sean-nos singing, in dance and in group categories - and the All-Ireland titles awarded are the ones that matter in traditional music. Around six thousand competitors take part. What surrounds the competition has become far bigger: several hundred thousand visitors, street sessions running day and night, and pubs playing continuously for a week. The host town rotates, which means the experience varies enormously with the size and layout of the place; small towns are overwhelmed and large ones dilute it. Accommodation in the host town books out months ahead, and most visitors stay well outside and travel in.

What you actually see

• The competitions - All-Ireland titles across every instrument and category.
• The street sessions - continuous informal playing through the town.
• The scale - around six thousand competitors and a crowd in the hundreds of thousands.
• The rotating host - a different town each year, which changes the character.

When to go

August, usually the first two weeks. Check which town is hosting - it changes annually. Book accommodation months ahead or plan to stay outside and commute.

Honest expectations

The host town changes each year, so nothing about the location is fixed. Accommodation sells out very early. Small host towns are severely overcrowded. Competition venues and street sessions are two quite different experiences.

Nearby

Depends entirely on the host town for the year.