Fleadh fever has arrived in Belfast as businesses gear up for the eight-day Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann festival, which kicked off this week. The event, billed as the world's largest celebration of Irish music and culture, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to the city.
Local businesses have invested heavily in preparations. Michelle Downey of the Downey Group described the atmosphere as "Fleadh fever" and likened the daily preparations to planning for St. Patrick's Day. John Lavery of Fish City reported feeling "excitement in the air" and a "vibrancy" in Belfast, noting "substantial" investment of "tens of thousands of pounds" to prepare for the festival, stating, "It needs to be successful."
Peter Keegan's Bar has made a £60,000 investment and hired 25 additional staff to accommodate the expected crowds. "We are expecting a very big week, everyone is buzzing, can't wait," said Emily Sparling, who noted that approximately 100 kegs of Guinness had been loaded in preparation.
Dominic Lavery from Lavery's Bar highlighted that planning for the event has been ongoing for "five or six months." He anticipates "hundreds and hundreds of people" will attend the festival, creating an atmosphere akin to a "normal Saturday night" from Monday to Wednesday, escalating to "Paddy's day on steroids" for the remainder of the event.
The festival runs until August 9 and is expected to significantly boost the local economy. Road closures are in effect in the city center to facilitate the event, with further pedestrianization and adjusted bus routes in place.