We'd like to spend 3 to 4 weeks in Ireland this Aug to Sep. The Fleadh Cheoil Festival is Aug 14 - 22 and the Galway Oyster Festival is Sep 22 - 25. We can only choose one then. We love music and have been to Orkneys' Folk Music Festival and to Cape Breton's Celtic Festival. The Fleadh Cheoil is more a competition and its schedule/program is not available yet. We need to book flights and accommodation asap and don't know if this festival is suitable for tourists rather than competitors, and whether we should stay all week, or just take in the last few days of the festival. If the festival is more for competitors, then we may try to do late Aug to last Sep and take in the Oyster Festival instead. I know they are two totally different events but we love music and we love to eat! Thank you for your advice on either event.
Posted by
317 posts
Greetings from Ireland, and from Galway as I write this.
To be brief. There is no comparison between these two festivals - you must try and attend the Fleadh Cheoil. Its the Olympics of Iris music, my brother is a well-known piper and adjudicator at 'The Fleadh' and we have been going or years, you wouldnt even know its a competition really, there is so much music on the streets and in the pubs and the most wonderful spontaneous sessions imaginable.
It'll be very very hard to find accommodation though, 500,000 people attend, and its in the small town of Sligo this year.
If it doesn't work out, the Galway Oyster festival is pretty good too, although I find Galway on any given weekend is almost just as good as it is on Oyster & Seafood Festival.
Slainte/Good health
Stephen McPhilemy
Rick Steves Ireland Tour-Guide
Derry and Dingle
Posted by
OP
White Rock, BC, Canada
5 posts
Thank you Stephen. Sounds very exciting. We will try to book asap. Is Sligo a town in Ennis? The Fleadh Cheoil website says it is in Ennis. Are the venues all in one area, or are they spread out in different towns? If we stay in one B & B or hotel, will we be able to walk to different venues? We will likely have a car, so we could stay on the outskirts as well. Would parking be a problem? Any suggestions as to whether to concentrate on the last few days or the first few days of the festival if we cannot make the entire 9 days?
Posted by
317 posts
My apologies. in my excitement to recommend the Fleadh, I told you to book in the venue for the last 2 years - Sligo!
This year, 2016. is most certainly in Ennis, and it'll be amazing, if you get there, Ill be jealous because I cant make it this year, Ennis is the ideal Fleadh venue!
Enjoy
Stephen Mc