The All-Ireland Fleadh, a week-long festival celebrating Irish music and culture, is concluding in Belfast, with organizers reporting visitor numbers are set to exceed expectations.
Festivities on the final day included performances at Belfast City Hall. The Gig Rig outdoor stage hosted acts such as Áirdan, the Shankill Road Defenders Flute Band, Celtic Roots, and Foy Vance. The day's events are scheduled to culminate with a closing ceremony beginning at 6:00 PM BST, featuring a performance by singer-songwriter and harpist Niamh Noade. The ceremony will conclude at midnight with a performance by the winners of the Senior Céilí Band Competition.
Earlier in the day, musicians and fans gathered at An Chultúrlann on the Falls Road and on Beersbridge Road in east Belfast. These gatherings formed processions that made their way to the city center, stopping along the route to invite the public to bid farewell to the Fleadh until its return to Belfast next year.
Among the participants celebrating were Padraig, Seán, and Amy from Lackagh Comhaltas in County Galway, who were crowned winners of the under 12s ceilí band competition. "It felt absolutely brilliant," said Padraig. "We get to make so many friends along the way, it's just brilliant." He also noted that his teacher was "absolutely stunned" by their win. Seán described the event as "one of the best Fleadhs he has ever been at" and expressed his fondness for Belfast as a host city, citing its size and the abundance of people and places to visit.
