Debate contribution: Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann

Debate contribution by Mr Matthew O'Toole on 19 January 2026.

MLA

Mr Matthew O'Toole

Party at the time

Social Democratic and Labour Party

Date

19 January 2026

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Opposition Business

Heading

Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 5322738

Read the official Assembly record

Text

I beg to move

After a day of heated and, sometimes, fairly oppositional debate, I trust that we can have a debate on something that can hopefully not just unify us around a simple issue but inspire us. I hope that the debate can unify us in our diversity and allow us to celebrate the diversity of the cultural traditions in this part of the world, on this island and, indeed, further afield. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann has never been staged in Belfast before. This year is the 75th anniversary of the fleadh. It has come north of the border just once: an extraordinarily successful trip to Derry when it was the City of Culture in 2013. That was an extraordinary experience for anybody who participated in it: performers and attendees alike. I happened to be in Derry at the time; in fact, I was on holiday nearby and had some English friends with me. I insisted that we all go to experience the fleadh and soak up the atmosphere in Derry in that week in August 2013. To say that it was inspiring and enjoyable is the understatement of the century. The fleadh in Derry was amazing. Part of why it was amazing was that we saw the richness of Irish traditional culture: dance, traditional music, language and all of that cultural diversity. As part of it, we also had the participation of the Apprentice Boys and, more broadly, the band tradition in this part of the island. That is what gave the fleadh a particular note of resonance and, in a sense, what made it so inspiring. We have the opportunity not just to repeat that success in Belfast but — no offence to Derry — to do even more. Although it is important to say it, I do not want to labour the point, but, too often in this part of the world, it goes without saying that our culture — how we express ourselves, how we express what makes our communities and how we express our sense of place and belonging through art, music and song — can be a source of division or, at least, political debate. It really does not have to be. In the real world, most people do not live with cultural binaries; they live in a world where they embrace the richness of their own cultural inheritance and the world more broadly. On this island, we have an extraordinary and unique cultural inheritance that stretches across Irish traditional music, the language and song. The band tradition in this part of the island is an integral and important part of that cultural inheritance, as are some of the things that will be celebrated tomorrow at the Speaker's event to mark Burns Day and the Scots tradition. Hundreds of thousands of people will attend Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in this city. The current estimate is that there will be 800,000 people, but up to a million people could arrive in the city. That will have an extraordinary economic impact for people and businesses in Belfast. It is an extraordinary tourism opportunity, and I welcome the fact that the Minister for the Economy is here to talk about it. As well as being 75 years since the first all-Ireland fleadh, it is 50 years since the first branch in this part of the world of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was set up in Ards. Along with other agencies, it has spearheaded delivery of the fleadh, and it will spearhead it in Belfast. There are specific issues that will need to be worked through by statutory authorities. We will not divide on Mr Carroll's amendment. He draws attention to some important points that people will be thinking about. It is important that we get this right to maximise the economic opportunities and the extraordinary cultural opportunities that the fleadh can bring to us. At the core DNA of our party — I hope that it is true of other parties — is a belief in celebrating difference. It is not about being imprisoned by a belief that difference has to divide but about a belief that difference is not just natural but can be wonderful and inspirational. As we are talking about the fleadh, there are, hopefully, lots of music lovers in the Chamber. Van Morrison, who was born about half a mile from here in Orangefield, produced an album in 1988 called 'Irish Heartbeat', recorded with The Chieftains. It includes a version of 'I'll Tell Me Ma', which is a famous Irish folk song associated with this part of the world. About two thirds of the way through, Matt Molloy, the famous flautist with The Chieftains, starts playing a reel, and the reel is 'The Sash'. If you ever listen to that bit of music —.

It is inspiring, and it can be inspiring. Culture can bring us together in its diversity.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to finish that thought, Mr Deputy Speaker. I really appreciate it.

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

Assessment

Not flagged

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 14:17 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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