*Doireann Glacken and Donal Cullinan playing music in Knox’s Bar at the Fleadh Cheoil na Mumhan in Ennis. Photograph by Eamon Ward
Comhaltas are proposing to rebrand the Fleadh Nua festival.
Since 1974 Fleadh Nua has developed from a three day event to a festival spanning eight days with more than 120 separate events. Dublin hosted the first Fleadh Nua with Ennis welcoming the festival to the county town in 1974.
A proposal has been put before the Tourism Department of Clare County Council by Comhaltas to rebrand the Fleadh Nua festival as ‘The Fleadh Down in Ennis’. As well as the name change, it is intended to move the event from May to the June bank holiday weekend.
Speaking at Monday’s meeting of the local authority, Cllr Mark Nestor (FF) reminded the Chamber that the Fleadh Nua has been providing a constant boost to the town in recent decades. “There is no getting away from the success that has been in the town of Ennis with Comhaltas, not alone has it hosted two Fleadh Cheoil but also the Munster Fleadh.
“I would be very cautious that we don’t forget what has gone before, for years in this town the Fleadh Nua has been very successful, it was originally up in Dublin but came to Ennis for one reason because they knew our love of music would sustain it. My one regret is that the hosting of the big Fleadh has hindered the Fleadh Nua. When there was nothing happening in town, there was members of Comhaltas putting their shoulder to the wheel making sure something successful was happening in the town with the Fleadh Nua”.
