Mayo town to stage prestigious traditional music event in 2023

The Connacht Council of Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann has awarded the 2023 Connacht Fleadh to Ballina to coincide with the 300th centenary of the town.

A local Ballina committee has been ratified by the Connacht Council of Comhaltas.

The Moy Valley and Bofield branches of Comhaltas have joined forces to stage the event which will be held on the week-end of July 7 – July 9, 2023.

Around 2,000 competitors will compete in the Fleadh competitions in the qualifying stages of the All-Ireland Fleadh.

A major Fleadh Festival street programme of events is planned for the centre of the town headed by Mark O’Donnell from Bofield branch of Comhaltas during the week leading into the Fleadh and will be unveiled at a later stage.

PRO Eamonn Walsh has thanked Declan Turnbull, head of Ballina Municiple District, and Councillor John O’Hara for bringing the local Comhaltas branches together last November, which has now resulted in a successful application to host the 2023 Connacht Fleadh.

This a stepping stone to another All-Ireland Fleadh for Ballina which was last staged in the town 24 years ago.

He has also thanked John McDonnell from Moy Valley CCE, who has been elected Chairman of the Connacht Fleadh, and Michael O’Donnell, chairman of Bofield CCE, for coming together in a joint effort to ensure that the Fleadh competitions are run smoothly and to stage a spectacular cultural extravanganza in the centre of the town.

Annette Maughan, CEO of Moy Valley Resources and members of the Ballina 2023 committee, have also given their full backing and will be actively involved in the running of the Fleadh.

The cost of staging the event is in the region of €65,000.

Messages of congratulations have been pouring in from traditional music lovers all over Ireland including a message from a Mayo musician living in San Francisco who have all indicated that they will come to Ballina for the Fleadh in 2023 with many expressing fond memories of the All-Ireland Fleadhanna in Ballina in 1997 and 1998.

Walsh believes that due to Covid, and the cancellation of the Fleadhanna over the past two years, musicians are eagerly looking forward to attending the Fleadhanna and he believes they will be greater and better.

“We will make this a mini All-Ireland Fleadh in Ballina."