Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann is entering its final day in Belfast after a week in which musicians, dancers and visitors filled venues and streets across the city centre. The event began on Sunday, August 2, and is due to conclude on Sunday evening, completing the first staging of the All-Ireland festival in Belfast.
Belfast City Council said the programme was expected to include more than 200 events alongside the formal music and dance competitions. Public stages, concerts and informal sessions have run throughout the week, with a pedestrianised area established across much of the city centre for the event.
Early measurements indicate that activity in central Belfast has been stronger than organisers first anticipated. BBC News NI reported that Belfast One recorded city-centre footfall of 900,020 between Sunday and Thursday. The original forecast had been for about 800,000 visits across the full eight days. Footfall measures journeys through the area rather than a count of individual festival-goers, but it provides an indication of the scale of the week.
The All-Ireland competitions continued on Saturday, with the BBC reporting that 5,000 musicians and dancers from 22 countries were involved. Performances have extended beyond traditional competition venues, with street music and fringe events adding to the main programme.
Sunday's published schedule includes the closing event at the Gig Rig beside Belfast City Hall. Organisers say the programme will feature the newly crowned senior ceili band winners before the final session brings the Belfast Fleadh to a close.
Temporary traffic arrangements remain in place during the final day. Belfast City Council says some city-centre roads and streets will stay closed to vehicles until 7am on Monday, August 10, and passengers should check their route before travelling. Additional late-night bus and rail services have also been arranged for Sunday evening.