Newport prepares to host Tipperary Fleadh Cheoil

Strains of traditional music and song will echo across the hills along the Tipperary-Limerick border next month as hundreds of enthusiasts flock to the area for a celebration of their talent and love for the traditional Irish.

After a break of 13 years, the Tipperary County Fleadh Cheoil returns to ‘Dear Old Newport Town’ on the banks of the Mulcaire, an area steeped in generations of love for the traditional style of song and dance.

The area is recognised as a natural home to several composers and singers of songs about the locality and its people, many made famous across the world, not least among them, Newport native, Denis Ryan of ‘Ryan's Fancy’ fame in the United States.

His wonderful renderings of the local anthem ‘Dear Old Newport Town’ at venues throughout the world, making the locality and its people known worldwide.

Such local numbers including ‘Dear Old Newport Town’, ‘Where the Mulcaire River Flows’, ‘The Bullock Fair Day’ and ‘The Rose of Keeper Hill’ are sure to get an airing in the pubs or the other assemblies of traditional singers as the comprehensive eight day programme of celebration of

Fleadh Cheoil Thiobraid Árann spirit descends on Newport on Sunday, May 12, and continues to Sunday, May 19.

Most famous of the Newport-born composers is the prolific Michael Burke, who was born at Main Street in 1879 and died in 1954 leaving behind him a legacy of local songs about the locality, its people, sporting activities and their ways of life.

The opening verse of his composition ‘Dear Old Newport Town’ runs - ‘Here by the Mulcaire banks I sit mid the lovely flowers in June, The birds are singing merrily and the meadows in full bloom, When on my boyhood days I think, the tears come rolling down, For it’s the morning I must leave you, dear old Newport town’.

LAUNCH EVENT

Officials of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Munster Council, Tipperary County Board and Newport branch attended the formal launch for the 2024 Tipperary County Fleadh at Lee's Bar, Newport on Friday night where local young musicians provided the backdrop entertainment for the evening.

The formal launch was hosted by the Newport branch under chairperson, Mary McAuliffe.

As a forerunner to the Fleadh Cheoil, Scoil Foinn Workshop was held at Newport College on May 13.

The eight-day fleadh programme commences with the celebration of Mass in Irish at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer, Newport on Sunday, May 12, at 11.30am and a Trad Ult (Aline) Session at Ryan's Bar, Newport from 4 to 6pm in the afternoon.

On Wednesday evening Cooper's Bar, Birdhill becomes the venue for a singing session.

Newport Historical Society host an evening at O'Sullivan's Lounge, Newport on Thursday at 8pm.

The official opening takes place at the Freigh Inn, Newport, on Friday, May 17, at 8pm.

On Saturday and Sunday hundreds over 500 musicians and singers will compete for county medals in the competitions at St Mary's Secondary School, Newport, while the dancing competitions take place at the Community Centre, Newport.

Speaking at the launch, John Delaney, representing Mulcair Credit Union Board said that they were delighted to present a sponsorship cheque to the organisers of the County Fleadh Cheoil in Newport and he was confident that it would be a great event.

Barbara Farrell, Chairperson, Tipperary County Fleadh Cheoil Board, said that she was delighted that the County Fleadh 2024 was being held at Newport.

“There are a lot of free events during the week. There are charges for the competitions, but all other events are free and we are looking forward to a large attendance to enjoy the events throughout the week,” she said.

She thanked Mulcair Credit Union for their financial support and said it was great to see the different sections of the community working together.

“They are looking for volunteers to help out and so are we. It is not only the County Fleadh in Tipperary this year, but we are also having the Munster Fleadh in Thurles in July and we need a lot of volunteers to help out with the running of that too which is a huge event compared to the County Fleadh,” she said.

She pointed out that over the Saturday and Sunday more than 500 competitors will be taking part in the competitions and they range in age from seven years to seventy years plus competing for the county awards.

The winners will go on to represent the county at the Munster Fleadh at Thurles and hopefully some of them will progress to the All Ireland Fleadh in Wexford.

“More importantly when they are finished the competitions, they will all sit down together and play together and provide a lot of entertainment,” she concluded.

Tadhg Ó Maolcatha, Chairman, Munster Council CCÉ, said that the competitions at the County Fleadh will be the start of a journey for the participants for those who want to on to Munster and the All Ireland Final.

He congratulated the organising committee on the hosting of the Fleadh Cheoil in Newport.

He wished the organisers well with the running if the event and felt assured that the community would appreciate what they are doing for the area by taking on the hosting of the County Fleadh which is a big undertaking for the local committee.

The launch was also attended by Sonia Bonelli, Tipperary County Secretary; Paul McPartlin, Tipperary County Treasurer and Ann Crowe, Tipperary County Board, CCÉ.