Fleadh 2005, Official Launch Speech
July 19th, 2005Mo chairde uaisle, go mo leithscheal ach nil moran gaeilge ar bith agamsa. Mar seo, ba mhaith liom cupla focal bearla a ra…
As Mayor, It is a great honour to welcome you all to Letterkenny on behalf of Letterkenny Town Council, and the people of this great town.
For the first time in almost 30 years, the Fleadh Cheoil visits the North West of Ireland. It is with great pride that I welcome the Fleadh to Letterkenny.
Letterkenny has worked long and hard to get to this stage, where we now stand a few weeks away from the start of (what is considered) the largest cultural festival in all of Europe. With venues ranging from An Grianan Theatre, to An Danlann at Letterkenny IT, and with the growth we have experienced in recent years in supporting infrastructure such as hotels, restaurants, and even road networks, Letterkenny is perfectly suited to host such a major event.
To give some sense of scale, I like to compare the Fleadh Cheoil to the largest event we currently see in Donegal, the Donegal International Rally. To get the size of the Fleadh, you need to take the Rally, add an All-Ireland Football Final, a concert at Slane, and the Oxegen Music festival, and you’re still not there. Letterkenny has worked hard in preparation for this event.
Perhaps most importantly, the people of Letterkenny are looking forward to extending the hand of friendship to all the students, competitors, supporters and followers who will visit our town at the end of August.
Letterkenny Town Council has been to the fore in supporting both the Fleadh bid and the preparations for the festival itself, both as a major financial sponsor and by supporting the organizing committee in their endeavours. Cllr Neil Clarke and I are members of the committee, committee chairman Paddy Tunney has briefed the council, and even tonight the council and organizing committee held a joint meeting.
Much has been made of the commitment of Paddy Tunney to the Fleadh. I would like to echo those sentiments, and add my thanks to the rest of his family. For example, his son, Cathal, has done much graphic design work for the Fleadh, and his wife Feena has worked extremely hard, particularly in the Accommodation office. I would like to pay tribute to their outstanding commitment to the Fleadh.
The Fleadh Cheoil has brought together all aspects of Letterkenny, from sporting organizations, to the council, to the chamber of commerce and right down to the proverbial man on the street. We look forward to welcoming you all in a few weeks’ time and, god willing, in August 2006 as well. I hope Letterkenny can be as good for the Fleadh, as the Fleadh has been for Letterkenny.
Related: Fleadh Cheoil: 1 Week To Go
Related: Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann Launch