A musical celebration in Roscrea

Round-up on County Tipperary Fleadh Cheoil

Roscrea Comhaltas pulled out all the stops to host a week-long programme of activities as part of the Tipperary County Fleadh Cheoil 2026.

The committee, led by Carol Thompson (chair), commenced their planning in September 2025 and worked tirelessly since then, ably assisted by members of the Tipperary County Board. In previous fleadhanna in Roscrea, the committee organised a week of events and 2026 was no different.

There was a requirement to raise funds to cover the costs of the event. Businesses in Roscrea (and some further afield), helped by taking ads in the printed Fleadh programme. Major financial contributors included the Arts Office of Tipperary Co Council, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann through the Department of Culture and Sport, Roscrea Heritage Society and the Main sponsor The Premier Credit Union.

Coláiste Phobal was the sole competition venue and it received many favourable comments, not least because bunting that had been in place on Sunday, May 10, for their 5k fun run was still in place, courtesy of Ger Maher, caretaker.

Aifreann Gaeilge

On the same day, the first event of the fleadh programme involved the celebration of an Aifreann Gaeilge (Irish Mass), composed and directed by Roscrea Comhaltas branch member Colm Brussels, for pipes and string, and for soprano Yvonne O Toole. This was a powerful performance and the participants were Colm Brussels, Yvonne O Toole, Cillian Roche, Gary Doherty, Dan O Brien, Eimear Gleeson, Daniel Coonan, Sarah Burke, Claire Quinn, Karl Sweeney, William Holmes, Irene Ramos Alvarez, Jennifer Sargent, Kathryn Browne, William Cullough, Niamh Floyd and Clare Kavanagh.

On Monday, May 11, the local leisure centre broke new ground by hosting an ‘Aqua Céilí’. Curiosity was eased when attendees saw that it was not too taxing and involved ‘aqua-aerobics’ to the sound of traditional music. Later that evening, singers and enthusiasts of Irish singing came together in Phelans Market House where Bill O’Brien launched his book titled Lost Songs of Tipperary. This was followed by an evening of singing under the stewardship of Tadhg Maher as ‘Fear a’ Tí’. A total of 36 songs were sung and the enthusiasm was only curtailed by the approach of midnight.

From the outset, the fleadh committee set about holding an event, that was inclusive of all communities in Roscrea. An inclusive event titled Céiliúradh (Celebration) was organised by Mairéad Keevey and Ronan Kenny. On Tuesday, May 12, various Roscrea communities came together to present multicultural performances of music, song and dance. All performers truly enjoyed their time on stage and sharing their talents.

The Keevey family graciously sponsored a school art competition in recognition of their long-standing connection with Comhaltas in Roscrea (Jack Keevey was one of the founder members of the Roscrea branch in 1962). The winners were Edelweiss Mulbah, St Cronan’s NS (Junior and Senior Infants), Daoiri Douglas, Clonlisk NS (First-Third Class) and Anna Rose Jinu, Sacred Heard Primary School (Fourth-Sixth Class). The overall winner was Nahiya Chowdhury, Scoil Eoin Naofa (Sixth Class).

10 years of Age friendly

Roscrea Comhaltas was delighted to celebrate 10 years of Age Friendly in Roscrea, continuing a community element to the Fleadh. This was in stark contrast to the events of Tuesday and Thursday when all young people participated. On Wednesday, May 13, a Rambling House was held in the Courthouse where the more mature musicians, singers and dancers performed to their hearts content. Age Friendly Roscrea is the brainchild of Anne Keevey and to honour her achievements, Comhaltas made a presentation of a Genesis piece titled The Session which carried the aptly worded slogan ‘Where Words Fail, Music Speaks’. The Premier Credit Union promoted, and sponsored, a (traditional) Shop Window Competition which was won by Patterson’s Hardware and two runner-up prizes were presented to John McQuaid Barber and St Vincent de Paul.

Thursday, May 14, was the night for Gaeilge. Three local primary schools (Gaelscoil Shlí Dala, Scoil Eoin Naofa and Scoil Crónáin Naofa (Dromakeenan) participated in a Comórtas Drámaíochta (Drama Competition) in the Abbey Hall. The titles of the shows were Luaithríona (Cinderella), Teach Altrannais Mt Carmel (Mount Carmel Nursing Home) and An Bille Leictreachais (The Electricity Bill) respectively. This was a great night of entertainment with the Seosamh Mac Gabhann Cup being awarded to Gaelscoil Shlí Dála, Ballaghmore and all participating children were presented with a medal. On the same night, local line-dancers were not to be out-done when they gathered in the Dunkerrin community hall to strut their stuff as part of the fleadh programme. The large crowd enjoyed dancing to well selected Irish traditional music and ballads. Huge thanks to Bernie Corbett and Tipperary Line Dancers for spreading the Fleadh spirit far and wide.

Performance in town centre

Friday, May 15, brought a change of tempo when trad musicians and singers led by Tadhg Maher and Theresa Larkin performed in mid-afternoon at the Roscrea Town Centre, thereby setting the tone for the weekend. Later that evening in the Muintir na Tíre Hall, people travelled from all over Tipperary for the official opening of the Fleadh. Speakers/guests included Barbara Farrell - County Chairman of Comhaltas, Carol Thompson - Chair of the Roscrea Fleadh Committee, Shane Lee – Tipp County Councillor and Pat McCabe representing Premier Credit Union, the main Fleadh sponsor. In the course of the evening, awards were presented to Teresa Shelly, Cashel, and to Ann Feehan and Pat Flanagan Roscrea for their unstinting work on behalf of Comhaltas, and to Anne Keevey for her unbelievable achievement for, and on behalf of, Age Friendly, Roscrea.

On Saturday, May 16, while competitions were getting under way in Coláiste Phobal, the Comhrá Gaeilge group led by Dé Máirt musicians gathered in the Gantly Way restaurant chun cúpla focal Gaeilge a labhairt. Huge thanks to Paud O’Reilly who organised the biachlár for all the engage in píosa Gaeilge. Meanwhile, in Coláiste Phobal, while competitions were taking place all round her, Caoimhe Flannery ran a Seomra na Gaeilge, helped by her sister Saoirse and her good friend Enya Hogan.

Later that evening, music sessions were organised throughout the town, leading into the final day on Sunday, May 17. Theresa Larkin and colleagues joined Seamus Dyer and the church choir with music and dance, marking the closing day of the fleadh. It was wonderful to have Theresa and her friends to add so meaningfully to Aifreann na Fleidhe. Competitions continued in Coláiste Phobal late into the evening and when the result of the ever-popular senior céilí band competition was announced, it was time to return Coláiste Phobal from a fleadh setting to a school setting for classes next morning. The Fleadh committee wishes to thank Coláiste Phobal for the use of their premises.

In the lead-up to the fleadh and during the event itself, social media platforms carried up-to-the-minute updates of events, all managed by Pamela Aitken, PRO.

Great team effort

All matters pertaining to finance, door entries, programme sales etc were managed by Deirdre Bergin and her team assisted by Valerie Sargent, Michael McEvoy, Anne Crowe and John Quinn. Catering for officials, adjudicators, clerks, stewards and volunteers was managed by Marion Flanagan, Ann Feehan, Kay Browne, Kathleen Maher, Judy Carroll and Ann Parlon. Competition venue management and stewarding was overseen by Carol Thompson and Kathryn Browne, while car-parking was overseen by Pat Flanagan. Stage erection and preparation (for dancing) was undertaken by Tommy Feehan, John Carroll and Paul Mac Partlin. At all stages, members from other Comhaltas branches in Tipperary came to help and their contribution was hugely appreciated. Likewise, members of the Garda Siochána and the Red Cross Ambulance Service contributed to making the entire event a safe experience for all.

The high-quality, 136-page souvenir programme was designed and compiled by the branch and sent to Dimma Print Roscrea for printing and binding. It has many interesting features of archival value for the future. It also carries images of the key heritage sites of Roscrea together with business ads. Many thanks to Roscrea Historical Society who ran a great competition in the clár.

Running a fleadh requires cooperation and commitment from local volunteers to steward competition venues, car parking etc and all (too numerous to mention here) were delighted to give of their time so willingly, that it made all the effort worthwhile. Some returned on a second day to help out without being asked, such was their delight to be involved. And so, the curtain has come down on another successful fleadh in Roscrea.