Grand Opera House

As part of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann programme, join Glór na dTonn Céilí Band and Pádraig McGovern & Sabina McCague for a double bill album launch at The Studio, Grand Opera House. Glór na dTonn Céilí Band are the reigning All-Ireland Senior Céilí Band Champions, having claimed the title in Wexford last year. They recently released their debut album, Come West Along the Road, and have been in high demand for Concerts, Céilís and CD launches nationwide! Padraig McGovern and Sabina McCague have recently released their highly anticipated duet album, The Starry Lane to Monaghan. This deeply personal collection is a curated gathering of melodies that have soundtracked the duo's lives. The album features a rich variety of material - from tunes learned in local sessions and rediscovered archival gems, to original compositions written within the walls of their own home.

Foinneóg: 75 Bliain Ag Fás Live at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 As Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann celebrates its 75th anniversary, Foinneóg: 75 Bliain Ag Fás brings young voices together for a special live event at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 in Belfast. This one-hour live finale explores the youth experience within Comhaltas, highlighting the friendships, opportunities, traditions and communities that continue to shape the next generation of traditional musicians and cultural leaders. Featuring young representatives from across the Comhaltas network, the event offers a lively and thoughtful reflection on what it means to grow, learn and lead within Ireland's living traditional arts community. Looking Back, Looking Forward Recorded for audiences both near and far, Foinneóg: 75 Bliain Ag Fás celebrates the remarkable legacy of Comhaltas over the past 75 years while shining a light on the future of Irish music, culture and community. Through conversation, reflection and shared experiences, the event highlights the important role young people continue to play in carrying traditional arts forward for future generations. A celebration of 75 years of Comhaltas and the young people shaping the future of Ireland's musical and cultural traditions.

The Musical History of Parading Traditions in Ulster Join Gordon Ramsey, former lecturer in Social Anthropology and Ethnomusicology at Queen's University Belfast, for a fascinating exploration of the rich musical history of parading traditions in Ulster and across Ireland. Drawing on over fifteen years of research into traditional music, with a particular focus on marching bands in Northern Ireland, Gordon examines the remarkable diversity of parading music and its connections to musical traditions both on and beyond the island of Ireland. The lecture also explores how changes in parading music have been closely intertwined with the social, economic and political history of the communities in which these bands developed. Includes 🎓 Lecture by Gordon Ramsey 🎶 The history and evolution of parading music 🌍 Connections to wider Irish and international musical traditions 🏛️ Insights into the social, economic and political context of marching bands 🎺 Live performance by the Shankill Road Defenders Flute Band