This article is from page 37 of the 2008-05-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 37 JPG
ORGANISERS are confident this year’s Fleadh Nua will exceed the standards set by previous events.
There is a strong international di- mension to the programme as well a renewed emphasis on education.
Some 54 events are scheduled to take place over eight days includ- ing performances from a Congolese drum band and the Ulster Scots band, the Hounds of Ulster.
Focus in recent times has also switched to incorporating a more ed- ucational aspect to the festival. This is reflected in the growing popularity
of Scoil Fleadh Nua, which this year takes place in St Flannan’s College on May 24.
Rory Casey is a long time member of Fleadh Nua who is credited with pioneering Scoil Fleadh Nua. He is also the man responsible for publish- ing Nasc, the Fleadh Nua electronic newsletter.
According to Casey, the workshops are an integral part of the Fleadh Nua experience. He said, “Each year we are saying this year will be the biggest and the best, but this year it’s shaping up definitely, to be one of the biggest ever.
We have added to the programme
and there is something happening every night in the town.
“There is a lot of street entertain- ment, sessions, storytelling, Irish nights.
“We have the workshops for young- er musicians and they have become a really important and very popular element of the Fleadh Nua.”
A series of workshops in some of the more popular traditional music instruments forms the backbone of Scoil Fleadh Nua.
Teachers for this year’s event in- clude All-Ireland winning accor- dion player Damien O’Reilly, Caitlin Nic Gabhann (concertina), Siobhan
O’ Donnell (bodhran/singing), Anne- Marie Grogan (flute), Jack Talty (concertina), Aine Bird (fiddle) and Michael ‘Blackie’ O’Connell (uil- eann pipes).
It’s fitting then, Casey believes, that this year’s Fleadh Nua, recognises the career of one of Clare’s most respected music teachers, Frank Custy.
He said, “I suppose the main thing and perhaps one of the biggest high- lights is the tribute night to Frank Custy. Frank is recognised as a leg- endary teacher in Clare and around Ireland, so that should be a great night in Cois na hAbhna”.