A number of students from a newly-formed music school in Nashville, Tennessee, have qualified to participate at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Mullingar later in the summer. 

Nine students from the Nashville Irish Music School placed either first or second at the recent Midwest Fleadh Cheoil in St. Louis, Missouri, qualifying them for the upcoming Fleadh Cheoil in August. 

The Midwest Fleadh Cheoil is the primary traditional Irish music competition held in the region and featured more than 300 participants from St. Louis, Chicago, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Nashville. The regional event is hosted by the Midwest branch of the Comhaltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. 

Founded in 2019 by musical director Claire Shirey and board president Ashleigh Bunn, the Nashville Irish Music School is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Irish music and culture in the Nashville community. 

The School performs regularly throughout Nashville at various cultural events and festivals and also works to strengthen local Irish culture by hosting bi-monthly Ceili Dances to bring the community together. 

Nashville students who placed first or second at the recent Midwest Fleadh Cheoil performed a number of traditional Irish instruments, including the Tin Whistle, Fiddle, Mandolin, Piano, Concertina, Bohdran, and Ceili Drums.

Students will be hosting fundraising events through June to support their trip to Ireland for the Fleadh Cheoil in August. 

The Fleadh Cheoil 2023 will take place between August 6-14 in Mullingar, attracting up to 500,000 Irish music enthusiasts from around the world. The festival includes live music events as well as competitions and is by far the biggest national celebration of traditional Irish music. 

You can follow all  Nashville Irish Music School events by following on their Facebook page. 

The school is accepting new students of all ages and abilities from August 2023.