Close to 300,000 people went west for the 2014 All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil na h-Éireann, which was held over eight days in Sligo. Thousands took part in the official competitions and two Westmeath competitors returned home victorious.
Ballymore’s Donál Ó Beoláin took first place in the Fiddle Slow Airs with his moving playing captivating the judges. The young musician was delighted with the win.
Audrey Ní Mhurchú from Moate was second in the Feadóg Mhór/Flute Slow Airs Over 18, sandwiched between two Cork competitors. The same talented musician was also placed third in the 4D Feadóg/Whistle Over 18’s category.
The official competitions are the pinnacle of years of practice and performance for the local musicians and dancers.
Over 30 individual Westmeath musicians and dancers and eight ‘teams’ took part in a myriad of competitions in Sligo. To get to the All-Irelands these traditional musicians, dancers and singers of all ages and backgrounds had already gone through local and regional competitions.
Hundreds of Westmeath musicians took part in other performances over the eight days, formal and informal, with many featuring on TG4’s excellent Fleadh TV show which was beamed internationally to an audience of millions.
One of the most talked about performances of the weekend was the unique pairing of Westmeath’s accordion legend Mick Foster and country and western star Nathan Carter.
The dueling accordionists teamed up for the festival’s spectacular closing ceremony and they also performed on Fleadh TV.
Mick also performed at several other events, and on Tuesday last he teamed up with some of Westmeath’s best-known musicians to launch a new CD called ‘Crooked Road’. The new recording sees Mick joined by Moyra Fraser (keyboards), Noel Battle (mouth organ), Siobhán Ni Chonnaráin (flute) and Martin Murphy (drums and percussion). It was launched at a packed show at the Gillhooley Hall.
This year’s Fleadh attracted some criticism, particularly when it emerged that Shell were one of the main sponsors, but by and large it has been viewed as a huge success.
Responding to criticism and protests by supporters and competitors, Fleadh organisers handed back a five figure to Shell. At the closing ceremony, beamed live to millions around the globe, Saw Doctor Leo Moran and Waterboys star Anto Thistlethwaite got a rousing reception for an anti-Shell song in support of the Rossport Five.
Large numbers of attendees took the train to the event, which meant significant extra traffic and carriages on the Dublin-Sligo rail line passing through Mullingar and Westmeath. The use of the rail line led to much debate among the Westmeath attendees that surely Mullingar’s time has come to host a Fleadh Cheoil.
