Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026
What a Week for Belfast and Ards CCÉ
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 brought Belfast to life in a way the city will never forget. From Sunday 2 August to Sunday 9 August 2026, the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture arrived in Belfast for the first time, filling streets, venues, pubs and public spaces with music, dance, song, language, friendship and pure Fleadh magic. Belfast City Council confirmed that 1.65 million people visited the city during the week, more than double the original estimate of 800,000.
For Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, this was more than a major event. It was a milestone moment in our branch story. Belfast City Council delivered the Fleadh in partnership with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, local branch Ards CCÉ, city partners and other authorities, placing our branch at the heart of one of the biggest cultural events ever hosted in Belfast.
Across the week, our members, tutors, families, young musicians, volunteers and supporters helped bring the Fleadh spirit to life — from the opening celebrations and performances to Bangor’s Pre-Fleadh activity, our 50th Anniversary Concert, competitions, sessions, street music and countless behind-the-scenes moments.
This page brings together the highlights, memories, images and videos from an unforgettable Fleadh week.
Belfast Fleadh 2026 in Numbers
The festival welcomed 1.65 million people into the city between Sunday 2 August and Sunday 9 August 2026, more than doubling the expected 800,000 visitors. The event was also Belfast’s first time hosting the Fleadh, making it a landmark week for the city and for traditional music across the north.
Media coverage described the week as a huge celebration of music, culture and community, with more than 200 events and 180 traditional music competitions taking place across venues, pubs and streets throughout Belfast.
Comhaltas also reported that the competitions drew thousands of competitors, with results published for the 2026 Fleadh and competitors taking part across All-Ireland categories in traditional music, song, dance and language.
Ards CCÉ at the Heart of the Fleadh
Ards CCÉ was proud to serve as the local host branch for this historic Belfast Fleadh. It was a huge honour for our branch and a tribute to everyone who has helped build, teach, support and grow traditional music in Ards, Bangor, Belfast and beyond.
The week showed exactly what Comhaltas is all about: music passed between generations, young people stepping onto big stages, families supporting one another, volunteers giving their time, and communities coming together through culture.
For our members, the Fleadh was not just something we attended. It was something we helped create.
From rehearsals and planning to performances, competitions and the constant work behind the scenes, Ards CCÉ members played their part in welcoming the world to Belfast.
The cornerstone of any Fleadh is our young musicians showcasing their skills on the streets
Ards CCÉ members, families and volunteers helped make the 2026 Fleadh a week to remember.
A unique opportunity to perform a specially commissioned piece with the Ulster Orchestra, live on BBC Radio
Bangor Pre-Fleadh Day
Bangor helped set the rhythm for Fleadh week, with music, dance, pipe bands and community celebration bringing the city to life.”
Before the Fleadh officially opened in Belfast, Bangor set the tone with a brilliant day of music and celebration.
Bangor hosted major music activity on Saturday 1 August 2026, including city-centre entertainment and the 73rd Ulster Pipe Band Championships at Ward Park. Ards and North Down Borough Council promoted the day as part of a wider weekend of entertainment, with live music, dance, local talent and a festival atmosphere across the city.
Earlier coverage also highlighted Bangor’s Pre-Fleadh / Fleadh Fringe plans, with Ards CCÉ and other artists expected to perform as part of the build-up to Belfast’s first Fleadh.
It was a perfect start to the week — music by the sea, a strong local turnout, and a proud moment for the wider Ards and North Down area.
Ards CCÉ 50th Anniversary Concert
One of the proudest moments of Fleadh week was the Ards CCÉ 50th Anniversary Concert at the Ulster Hall on Monday 3 August 2026.
The concert celebrated 50 years of Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, bringing together generations of musicians, dancers, singers, families, tutors and supporters. Discover Northern Ireland listed the concert as part of the Fleadh programme, with The Priests and leading traditional performers featured.
For our branch, it was a powerful reminder of how much has been built over five decades — not just in music, but in friendships, memories, learning, confidence and community.
The concert brought the past, present and future of Ards CCÉ onto one stage. From our youngest performers to experienced musicians and special guests, it was a celebration of everything the branch stands for.
Opening Celebrations and Shared Traditions
The opening day of Belfast Fleadh set the tone for the week: joyful, inclusive, energetic and proudly cross-community.
Media coverage reported that the opening celebrations included a special collaborative performance from host branch Ards CCÉ, the South Asian Dance Academy, Belfast Bands Forum, Highland pipers and champion Irish dancers led by Riverdance lead Lauren Smyth. The Gig Rig outside Belfast City Hall became a major focal point, hosting performances from 11am to 11pm each day.
This was one of the defining images of the Belfast Fleadh — different traditions sharing the same stage, with music and dance bringing people together in the heart of the city.
For Ards CCÉ, being part of that opening celebration was a huge honour and a memory that will last for years.
Competitions, Sessions and Street Music
At the heart of every Fleadh are the competitions, and Belfast 2026 brought together musicians, singers and dancers from across Ireland and around the world
The Irish News reported that over 5,000 competitors from 22 countries took part across 180 categories, with judging held at venues including the ICC/Belfast Waterfront Hall, Assembly Buildings, The MAC and Ulster University.
But the Fleadh was never only about formal competitions. Across Belfast, music spilled into streets, pubs, hotels, public spaces and corners of the city where people gathered for tunes, songs and spontaneous sessions. The free Gig Rig programme at Belfast City Hall showcased national and international performers, Comhaltas branches, youth orchestras, community collaborations and local talent throughout the week.
That mix of competition, performance and informal music is what made the week so special. One minute you could be watching a polished stage performance; the next, you could stumble across a group of young musicians playing reels on the street with a crowd gathered around them.
That is the Fleadh at its best.
Photo and Video Gallery
We captured so many moments from Fleadh week — the big performances, the quiet rehearsals, the family smiles, the nervous tuning-up, the proud tutor moments, the packed stages and the spontaneous tunes that appeared when nobody was expecting them.
This gallery brings together some of our favourite memories from Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026.
Thankyou
Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 would not have happened without an enormous amount of work, goodwill and community effort.
Ards CCÉ would like to thank our members, tutors, parents, young musicians, dancers, singers, volunteers, committee members, supporters and friends. Your time, energy, patience, talent and enthusiasm helped make this historic week possible.
Thank you to everyone who performed, rehearsed, stewarded, organised, encouraged, travelled, carried instruments, fixed last-minute problems, welcomed visitors and kept the tunes going.
Thank you also to Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Belfast City Council, Ards and North Down Borough Council, venues, partner organisations, visiting branches, competitors and everyone who helped make Belfast Fleadh 2026 such a success.
Most of all, thank you to the young people who stepped forward and played, danced, sang and represented the branch with such pride. You were at the heart of it all.
Looking Ahead
The music does not stop here.
Following the success of Belfast Fleadh 2026, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann will return to Belfast from Sunday 1 August to Sunday 8 August 2027.
For Ards CCÉ, the next chapter begins now. We will continue teaching, learning, performing and sharing Irish traditional music across our community. New classes, sessions, events and opportunities will follow — and we would love more people to be part of it.
Whether Fleadh week inspired you to pick up an instrument, return to music, join a class, volunteer, or get your child involved, there has never been a better time to connect with Ards CCÉ.
The Fleadh gave Belfast a week to remember.
Now let’s keep the music going.