Roslea Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and the Fermanagh Comhaltas County Board are delighted to launch the Fermanagh Fleadhfest 2021 online production which will be available on Facebook from 3pm on Friday, June 25.

The Fermanagh Fleadhfest '21 performance has been created as a testament to the rich and unique heritage of traditional Irish Music in Fermanagh as well as a showcase of some of the exceptional musicians and singers in our county.

The Fermanagh Fleadhfest '21 will be a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Fermanagh Fleadh. Fermanagh Fleadh with its competitions, sessions and céilithe cannot go forward this year, the spirit of Comhaltas and our beloved County Fleadh has been curated into a two hour production showcasing local musicians performing the music they love.

Tune in to hear two generations of the McDermott family discuss the history and growth of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann in Fermanagh, Damian McKenna sings 'Lovely Fermanagh', a song which was composed by John and Valarie McManus from Derrylin. John McCann and Gary Curley give a fine example of the accordion playing for which Fermanagh is gaining a reputation. All this and much more will be free to view on our Facebook page Fermanagh Fleadh @fermanaghfleadh from 3pm on Friday, June 25.

The Chair of Fermanagh Fleadh 2021 Gerry McMahon stated: “I would like to thank all the performers who provide us all with wonderful music and song over time and who surpassed themselves in this recording.

Behind it all is a love of the tradition and a drive to make sure that future generations will carry on and improve our wonderful tradition”

The musicians and singers who contributed to Fleadhfest ’21 hail from all over County Fermanagh and some like Rose Connolly from Newtownbutler, now live abroad but filmed and recorded themselves to tell their musical journey. Many of the artists were filmed during lockdown in the Ardhowen Theatre, Aughakillymaude Mummers Centre and Derrygannon Hall and will have picturesque scenes from the county played behind them in the finished performance.

The Fermanagh Fleadhfest ’21 has been kindly supported by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Arts Council NI and Comhaltas Head Quarters who together have made it possible to take a snapshot of the incredible work of all eight of the Comhaltas branches in our county.

The Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Errol Thompson stated: “I commend the musicians, singers, and volunteers on the hard work of creating this programme during such a difficult time. The Roslea Comhaltas branch with support from the Fermanagh County Board have compiled a tribute to the often unseen work of preserving and promoting traditional music in County Fermanagh”

The Fermanagh Fleadhfest ’21 online concert will follow in the footsteps of all the Fleadhs before it with a small army of volunteers planning, organizing, booking, setting up stages, and a multitude of other unseen but essential work required to bring you some of the best highlights from Fleadhs of the past with a hint of the joys to come. Ní neart go cur le chéile, there’s no strength without unity.