Comhaltas

Londonderry to host All-Ireland Fleadh in UK City of Culture year

Pete Baker on January 28, 2012, 3:41 pm

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After the application of some internal, and external, pressure the Ulster Council of Comhaltas reversed their earlier decision in time for the organisation’s central executive to select Londonderry to host their All-Ireland Fleadh during the UK City of Culture year in 2013. In the event, the only other candidate was Sligo… [Adds – Apparently Ennis withdrew their bid “for the greater good”.] Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the launch of a £1million Big Lottery fund for UK City of Culture celebrations, there …

“This further signifies the positive effect the City of Culture title is generating in the region…”

Pete Baker on January 23, 2012, 10:53 pm

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Whilst Comhaltas dither, and differ, over whether to hold their All-Ireland Fleadh in Londonderry during the UK City of Culture year in 2013, the UK’s Big Lottery Fund Chair, Peter Ainsworth, was in the city today to announce a £1million small grants programme to “support communities across Northern Ireland that want to play a part in the City of Culture celebrations in 2013.” From the UK’s Big Lottery Fund press release Shona McCarthy, Chief Executive of Culture Company 2013, said: “We …

“I am shocked, totally and utterly shocked.”

Pete Baker on January 23, 2012, 10:54 am

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After dithering by the Londonderry branches, about being associated with the UK City of Culture, it’s now reported that the Ulster Council of Comhaltas have declined to support the city’s bid to host the All-Ireland Fleadh in 2013. From the Derry Journal report Moves to bring the 2013 All-Ireland Fleadh will now not proceed after the Ulster Council said it had security fears about bringing the event to the city. The Ulster Council said it was with “deep regret and …

Londonderry’s bid for All-Ireland Fleadh in 2013 to go ahead

Pete Baker on January 19, 2012, 12:34 pm

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At the second tiime of asking, Londonderry branch delegates of Comhaltas have agreed to bid to host the All-Ireland Fleadh during the UK City of Culture year by 13 votes to 1. As the BBC report notes Some Comhaltas members, who initially opposed the move because of the UK link in Derry’s City of Culture 2013 title, did not attend. [Lost in traffic? – Ed] Possibly… Meanwhile, Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson has launched her campaign “to neutralise the U.K. prefix…” …

“The only way to neutralise the U.K. prefix…”

Pete Baker on January 9, 2012, 2:06 pm

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Nevin pointed at a rare tree of relevance in the comment zone yesterday. It’s the full statement from the former Sinn Féin “Director of Unionist Engagement“, now “Sinn Féin Junior Minister”, Martina Anderson, on the reluctance of some within Comhaltas to host the all-Ireland Fleadh in Londonderry during the UK City of Culture year. [That would be the Northern Ireland Executive Junior Minister? – Ed] Quite. It’s now being covered, 4 days after being issued, by the Derry Journal. How …

“we are a city of culture…”

Pete Baker on January 5, 2012, 3:36 pm

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More symptoms of that political psychosis in evidence in Londonderry. Sinn Féin’s Martina Anderson has informed the BBC that, at a meeting of the Irish music organisation Comhaltas in the city on Wednesday night, members failed to agree on a bid to host the all-Ireland Fleadh in 2013. From the BBC report “It is deeply disappointing,” [Martina Anderson] said. “My understanding is that County Derry branches are against it and the city branches are for it.” The problem? According to the report Sinn …