Fleadh Cheoil Finale: Young Musicians Shine & City Comes Alive!

Belfast is truly alive with the sounds and spirit of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann as the world's biggest celebration of Irish traditional music heads into its thrilling final weekend! From today, Thursday 6 August, right through to Sunday 9 August, the city centre is set to be bustling with even more energy, drawing crowds as All-Ireland competitions kick off tomorrow.

If you're planning to immerse yourself in the Fleadh's magic over the coming days, remember there are fantastic late-night travel options available to ensure you get home safely. Translink is running additional bus and train services from tonight (Thursday) and through Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. You can find all the route details and departure points on translink.co.uk/fleadh. For those using taxis, dedicated pick-up and drop-off zones are located conveniently around the pedestrianised event area at Corporation Street, Little Donegall Street, North Street/Royal Avenue junction, King Street, Adelaide Street, and Chichester Street. Major taxi operators are aware of these arrangements. And for our Park and Ride users, shuttle buses from the Eikon, Sprucefield, Giant's Park, and Belfast Harbour Estate sites will run until midnight tonight, extending to 2 am from tomorrow until Sunday.

Today's action on the Gig Rig main stage at City Hall kicks off with Newcastle CCÉ at 11 am. As evening approaches, prepare for a captivating performance from uilleann piper Conor Mallon and his band at 8:50 pm, followed by the enchanting SíFiddlers – a group of 13 talented female fiddlers from Donegal – at 10:10 pm. Best of all, no tickets or booking are required for the Gig Rig!

A real highlight for North Belfast residents and families will be the Seisiún Mór na hÉigse at Belfast Cathedral steps at 2:45 pm today. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the emerging talent of young musicians who have been honing their skills at Scoil Égise this week, based at Ulster University. Elsewhere, the Linen Hall Library will host Reverend Gary Hastings, fresh from his Ard Ollamh accolade, presenting a lecture on 'Traditional Music, Orange and Green' at 12 noon (tickets £5). The Ulster-Scots Centre at the Corn Exchange also offers a packed schedule from 10:30 am, with Lambeg drum workshops throughout the day, music performances, talks, and children’s activities extending into the weekend.

Beyond these main attractions, the city is brimming with other events today: Kate Nash at The MAC (5:30 pm, tickets £26.50), the Ulster Marching Bands Showcase at Titanic Slipways (7 pm, some walk-in tickets), Ryan McMullan at The Empire (7 pm, tickets £35), and the Comhaltas International Showcase at Ulster Hall (8 pm, tickets £15). For a more intimate experience, check out Trad in the Bullhouse at Bullhouse East (8:30 pm, free) or Fuaimloai at St Peter's Cathedral (7 pm, tickets £5).

Families won't want to miss 'The Belfast Gingerbread Girl' storytelling at Whiterock Library (10:30 am, free) or magical bedtime stories with Liz Weir at Ormeau Library (6:30 pm, free). And don't forget the lively New Lodge Street Party from 12 noon to 2 pm (free)! There's also the Stendhal Festival Takeover at 2 Royal Avenue (6 pm-11 pm, tickets £10), featuring Tessio, Paddy Nash & friends, Alana Henderson, Polar Bolero, and Balcony Sunrise. The Irish Language Hub at The MAC hosts Late Night Art from 6 pm-9 pm (free). You can also explore 'The Persian, Kurdish, Celtic Connection' with Beyond Skin (7 pm, tickets £8) and enjoy Ríoghnach Connolly, Ellis Davies and Zoé Basha at The Commons (7:30 pm, tickets £8).

With so much to see and do, the Fleadh promises an unforgettable final weekend for everyone. Keep up to date with all the happenings by following Fleadh Cheoil on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, or visit their official website.