Music and dance fill Laois library for Laois Fleadh 2024 launch
Portlaoise Comhaltas will host the event this year
Portlaoise Library was the scene of music and dancing on Saturday at the launch of the County Fleadh.
The Laois Fleadh Cheoil will take place at St Mary’s CBS over the June Bank Holiday weekend and will be hosted by the local Portlaoise Comhaltas branch.
Looking forward to another outstanding Fleadh, County Chairperson, John Conway, expressed full confidence in the experienced Portlaoise committee who had hosted a number of County and Provincial Fleadhs in recent years.
The scale of the event can be imagined from looking at the more than 700 item medal inventory in addition to the numerous perpetual trophies.
Responding to the presentation of a new cup by Conway Scaffolding, Organising Chairperson, PJ Phelan, thanked the many sponsors over the past decades whose trophies are now a proud record of the hundreds of successful participants many of whom have gone on to forge a professional career in Irish music.
The three day Fleadh commences with dance competitions on Friday, May 31 from 6.30pm and concludes on Sunday with solo, duet, trio and vocal competitions running from midday to late evening.
Saturday will be the ideal day to visit the Fleadh, according to the organisers. This is when the musical arrangements by ensembles, comprising of up to 20 members, in Grupaí Ceoil and the contrasting lively dance music played by Ceili Bands, will be held at the large capacity Sports Hall on the Borris Road schools campus.
“A morning or afternoon visit on Saturday will enthral when the various age groups from Under 12 to adult take their audience on mood changing musical Odyssey’s at the nominal charge of €5 for adults and €3 for Under 18’s,” said PJ Phelan.
The claim of Co Laois as a reservoir of traditional culture was the subject of an event in support of Laois Hospice held at the Deadman’s Inn, Ballyfin later in the evening at which members of Portlaoise CCÉ helped recreate a scene filmed there in 1983 for a Channel 4 TV programme.
In ‘Pipes and Dreams’ Paddy Moloney played alongside his uncle Stephen Conroy on accordion, and Johnny Dunne, fiddle. John Phelan who played banjo, had a desire to witness a similar quartet in the pub showing that the tradition lives on and was present with family and friends to enjoy the occasion.
Introducing the event, harper Triona Marshall from Portlaoise recalled Paddy’s sad passing during Covid restrictions and welcomed the opportunity to play some of his favourite tunes.