Swinford, Co. Mayo
Ireland
The Swinford-based Michael Davitt Branch of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann is set to host Fleadh Cheoil Chonnachta from Monday 1- Sunday 7 July.
“We are very proud to host Fleadh Cheoil Chonnachta in the year that Swinford is celebrating 250 years of its existence. In addition to the formalities of the Fleadh competitions we see this as an exciting opportunity to showcase our local talent through fringe events while providing entertainment to the hundreds of visitors that will descend on our town in early July,” according to Máirin Noone, a spokesperson for the Michael Davitt Branch.
These will include various musical sessions and ‘Rambling House’ events. In addition two concerts have been arranged for the evenings of 2 and 6 July featuring some well-known groups in the traditional music scene.
This Comhaltas branch was formed in 1958, the first such branch in Mayo, and hosted Fleadh Cheoil Chonnachta the following year and hosted Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in 1961. Since then many County and Provincial Fleadhanna have been held in Swinford, most recently the very successful Mayo Fleadhanna of 2013, 2014 and 2015.
At local level, due to widespread community support and many volunteers, the Branch has greatly expanded in terms of membership and diversity of activity., which has been achieved through weekly sessions of traditional music and song hosted in turn by one of seven of the pubs in Swinford Town.
Mayo Association Dublin’s Executive Committee member and former secretary Grace Heneghan was delighted to recently present Máirin Noone with a donation of €1,000 towards their upcoming Connacht Fleadh Cheoil.