With the countdown now down to just over three months, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is set to bring eight days of free live music, traditional performance, and citywide celebration to Belfast from August 2 to 9. The opening program will feature Sharon Shannon, Goitse, Blackwater Céilí Band, and a school choir project involving more than 100 children, while more acts and fringe events are still to come.
Belfast City Council and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann have marked the final countdown to Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann by unveiling seven new headline acts set to perform at the world’s biggest celebration of Irish music and culture.
As Belfast prepares to host the All-Ireland Fleadh for the first time from Sunday 2 to Sunday 9 August 2026, the newly announced line-up reflects the event’s core traditional music programming and the city’s contemporary creative energy.
Already revealed for the opening event on Sunday, 2 August, are the legendary Sharon Shannon and her Big Band, the award-winning group Goitse, and the former All-Ireland winners, Blackwater Céilí Band. The seven new acts announced will also perform on the iconic Gig Rig stage, located outside Belfast City Hall.
On Wednesday (5 August), audiences can look forward to performances from two dynamic quartet groups, Tempest Ceol and NxNW. The following evening, Thursday (6 August), acclaimed uilleann piper Conor Mallon will take to the stage, captivating crowds with his extraordinary skill, accompanied by band members.
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The weekend will be ushered in on Friday (7 August) with Glasgow ensemble TRIP, before Saturday evening (8 August) kicks off with rising talents Peter Street and the electrifying Mec Lir.
This main stage will host free live performances across all eight days of the event. Following a callout earlier this year, visitors can also expect to enjoy a diverse mix of multicultural performances and cross-community collaborations throughout the week.
To mark the 100-day milestone, it was also announced today that the opening celebration would include over 100 children from primary and secondary schools across North Down and Belfast as part of a School Choir Project.
There will also be a special collaborative performance from the host branch, Ards CCÉ, South Asian Dance Academy, Belfast Bands Forum, as well as an array of Champion Irish dancers led by Riverdance lead, Lauren Smyth.
Ulster Hall Stage.
In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Comhaltas and the 50th anniversary of Ards CCÉ, Fleadh 2026 will also see the return of a series of long-standing flagship events which celebrate excellence, creativity, participation and inclusion across the traditional arts. This will include a special anniversary concert by Ards CCÉ in the Ulster Hall, a famous live music venue in Belfast with an equally impressive musical legacy.
‘Ceol na Cruinne’, the Comhaltas International Showcase Concert, celebrating global connections and exceptional talent from Comhaltas branches worldwide, will also take place in the Ulster Hall, alongside a performance from the Comhaltas National Folk Orchestra, a 60-member ensemble of exceptional young musicians, singers, and dancers from across Ireland.
The Flanagan Award, which will take place in the impressive Assembly Buildings, will pay tribute to the great banjo players across the traditional Irish music world, whose artistic talents, intellectual gifts, and creative passions represent the very best of Michael Flanagan’s music and spirit. Comhaltas have announced that this year’s recipient will be Cathal Hayden. Cathal, who hails from County Tyrone, is an accomplished banjo and fiddle player with a distinguished career in traditional Irish music.
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Events will also be held inside Belfast City Hall, including the Gradam Inclusion Awards, an uplifting event which celebrates traditional Irish musicians with additional needs, helping to ensure the Fleadh is a place where everyone can share their love of music.
The 2026 Fleadh is set to conclude on Sunday, 9 August, with an impressive closing set from the 2026 winners of the prestigious Senior Céilí Band competition - a famous highlight which will bring the eight-day celebration to a powerful finale.
More details on closing events and wider plans for the eight-day extravaganza will be shared next month, including details of a fringe program that will help create a ‘Culture Night’ style feel to the festival. Taking in both the city center and local neighborhoods, the fringe activity will help to showcase Belfast’s diversity and musical heritage and encourage visitors of all ages to take part through instrument-making workshops, talks, and family activities.
Volunteering opportunities are still open, even though Volunteer Now reached a milestone of 1500 registrations this week. This interest reflects the scale of local enthusiasm for the event, with volunteers set to play a vital role in welcoming visitors from around the world and helping deliver a memorable Fleadh experience across the city for everyone.
Tickets for the Comhaltas events are now available for purchase on fleadhcheoil.ie, with more details on the wider program to be shared later in the month.
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