Debate contribution: Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann

Debate contribution by Ms Sian Mulholland on 14 September 2026.

MLA

Ms Sian Mulholland

Party at the time

Alliance Party

Date

14 September 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5685925

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Before I start, can I just say how lovely it was to hear Mr Brooks's contribution? That, for me, is the spirit of the fleadh. That is what that sort of culture has meant to me in a non-imposing, non-threatening way. It is really lovely to hear the Member say that someone celebrating their culture does not impact his, because that is the entire essence of the arts. That is why I am so passionate about the arts, so I thank you for your contribution, Mr Brooks. The fleadh was a truly brilliant week for Belfast but also for Northern Ireland. There was music everywhere on the streets. As Mr O'Toole said, I was one of those walking around agog at what I could see. I want to share a tangible outcome for my family. My nine-year-old is involved in the Comhaltas. He got through to the Ulster fleadh but, unfortunately, did not make the cut for the all-Ireland with his accordion. As we walked through the streets, however, he was able to see young people his age and younger playing instruments. That bolstered his confidence to the point where, two weeks later, he busked for the first time at the Lammas Fair. I will say that the money he made for the amusements definitely encouraged him, and he will to do it again next year, but, genuinely, it was seeing children his age and younger on the street playing music. That had such an impact on his perception of what is possible for musicians and artists, even at his age. Like others, I pay tribute to Belfast City Council, the Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, the artists themselves and the staff and volunteers who made it happen. As others have mentioned, the most encouraging aspect of the fleadh was the spirit of inclusion and connection that it created. The involvement of bands from the unionist tradition and the Belfast Bands Forum was particularly important. I had a powerful moment, standing at the Gig Rig in the grounds of City Hall, listening to the Parkinson Accordion Band play "The Sash" and people cheering and clapping, because I think people — those around me anyway — understood the significance of what they were experiencing. That positivity was infectious, and seeing the Irish fiddle and the Lambeg drum sharing a programme sent a powerful message about Belfast and Northern Ireland. It showed that culture can bring pride and connection rather than division, and we in the Alliance Party have talked about that for an awfully long time when it comes to our arts community. In so many ways, our arts community is far ahead of our politics. As the motion suggests, the question is not whether the fleadh was a success — it clearly was — but the challenge is what comes next. The benefits of the fleadh this year and next must extend beyond Belfast. For the people in my community in North Antrim and in rural communities, success cannot mean simply travelling into Belfast for gigs and events. It has to mean investing in grassroots community arts, local workshops and schools programmes. When we think about the arts, we are too often city-centric, and we need to move beyond that. Too often, the arts are talked about as an optional extra, a luxury. The fleadh reminded us that it is part of the social infrastructure of our communities.

Well, the Member will know that in my next paragraph

I literally say, "The fleadh did not appear from nowhere, and it did not happen by accident". It is nice to see that we are on the same page. Artists, freelancers, technicians and community organisations have spent decades building the skills, audiences and relationships that made it possible, so, if we are serious about building on the success of the fleadh, we need long-term investment and for the Department for Communities and the Arts Council to be on the same page. We need multi-year funding, and fair pay and conditions for those who create our culture. Fleadh 2026 showed us what Belfast can do. I really hope that, in 2027, success will not be measured just by visitor numbers or the number of bus journeys.

It has to be measured by how many more people feel that events like this are for them; how much more fairly and adequately we support the people who make those events possible; and how many more nine-year-olds look around and think that they can achieve what was achieved during that week in August. The arts community has shown us again and again that it has moved ahead of politics. It is now time for our politicians, our Departments and all involved to catch up. I support the motion.

791 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

Not flagged

Jev’s structured answers

Assessed 21 October 2026 at 16:16 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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