Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann makes historic debut in Belfast this August

This August, the streets of Belfast will come alive with the sound of fiddles, flutes and céilí bands as Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann sets up in the city for the very first time in its history. For members of the Irish diaspora who cannot make the trip home, TG4 is bringing the festival straight to screens around the globe.

From August 6 to 9, TG4 will air four spectacular nights of live entertainment from Belfast City Centre, right in the heart of the festival action. The broadcasts will showcase Ireland's most beloved musical stars alongside a new generation of talent making waves on the traditional music scene.

It is a landmark moment for the festival, which has never been held in Belfast before. The UNESCO City of Culture will welcome hundreds of thousands of visitors for a week-long celebration of Irish heritage, offering a rare opportunity to showcase Belfast's cultural richness to a global audience.

The live shows, produced by the award-winning Power Pictures, will be hosted by three broadcasters with deep roots in Irish traditional music and culture. Doireann Ní Ghlacáin, Peadar Ó Goill and Gráinne McElwain will present each night at 9.30 pm from the Fleadh26 stages, set up between Fountain Street and Castle Street. Audiences at home and abroad can expect performances from top traditional artists, rising stars, international guests and freshly crowned competition winners.

A selection of competitions will also stream live on TG4.ie from Friday, August 8 through Sunday, August 10. Among the highlights is the ever-popular Senior Céilí Band competition, taking place on Sunday. Between the nightly stage shows, live competitions and family-friendly Cúla4 content, the Fleadh will unfold across TG4, the TG4.ie player and the broadcaster's social platforms, including @TG4TV and @TradTG4.

The lineup across the four nights reads like a who's who of Irish traditional and contemporary music. Thursday's opening night features Brian Kennedy, The Hothouse Flowers, Tim Edey, Talisk, Jessica Willis Fisher and the Music Generation Cavan/Monaghan Cross Border Youth Folk Orchestra, among many others. Friday brings Lúnasa, Clare Sands, The Kilfenora Céilí Band, Project Smok and David Keenan to the stage, along with a tribute to the late Dolores Keane.

Saturday's bill includes Foy Vance, Dónal Lunny, Zoë Conway, Kevin Burke and Windborne, while Sunday closes out the festival with Andy Irvine, Karan Casey, Joshua Burnside, actor Stephen Rea, and a tribute to Moya Brennan.

TG4's Commissioning Editor Proinsias Ní Ghráinne said the broadcaster is proud to partner with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Belfast City Council on the historic broadcast. "TG4 is delighted to be live broadcast partner of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 and work with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Belfast City Council, and the wider artistic community of Northern Ireland to bring the very best of the Fleadh across the globe on all TG4 broadcast platforms. Broadcasting live from a newly built Fleadh village, the Waterfront Hall and across the streets of Belfast, we look forward to four days and four nights of the very best of entertainment."

She added that viewers will have plenty of ways to follow the action. "On TG4 TV, TG4's trad YouTube, the TG4 player and all social channels, audiences can plot their way through non-stop entertainment."

Ní Ghráinne also highlighted the role of TG4's youth programming team in documenting the festival for years to come. "TG4's social channels will also come ablaze, and our Cúla4 team will be on the streets capturing the fun and performances of our youngest festivalgoers, bringing the Fleadh to audiences here and now, while creating an invaluable archive for generations to come. TG4 and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann are immensely proud of the collaboration we have built to ensure that everyone, everywhere gets a taste of Ireland's premier cultural festival."

Dr. Labhrás Ó Murchú, Ardstiúrthóir of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, said the partnership with TG4 continues to play a vital role in keeping Irish traditions visible both at home and among the diaspora. "As we look ahead to Fleadh 2026 in Belfast, our partnership with TG4 remains crucial in showcasing Ireland's rich cultural traditions. Through the dynamic and engaging programming, our partnership is not only making our cultural traditions accessible to all but ensuring they remain a vibrant and visible part of our society. The widespread audience drawn to the Fleadh TV broadcasts reflects both the quality of the productions and the enduring appeal of Irish culture across the globe."

Beyond the main stage broadcasts, TG4 and Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann will also stream a full slate of competitions under the banner Fleadh26 Na Comórtais, presented by Freda Nic Giolla Chatháin. These will air live on the TradTG4 YouTube channel and at www.Comhaltas.ie, and will be produced by Telegael. Notably, this will be the first year that the Junior and under 12 Céilí Band competitions are livestreamed, giving families a new way to watch the festival's youngest musicians compete.

The competition schedule kicks off on Friday with uilleann pipes at 2.30 pm and miscellaneous-instrument judging at 5pm. Saturday features duets at 2.30 pm, banjo at 1.30pm and harp at 5pm. Sunday wraps up with the under 12 céilí bands at 10am followed by the senior céilí bands from 5.30pm to 9.30pm.