Fleadh decision set for Saturday

WHO will host Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2013 is no longer a two-horse race, with Derry back in the running alongside Ennis and Sligo.
Hopes that Ennis would become the host town for the prestigious competition were given a lift when the Ulster council of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann decided to reject Derry’s bid. However, at a meeting of the Ulster council on Tuesday evening, the decision not to endorse Derry’s bid was reversed. The Derry branch of Comhaltas had appealed against the decision of the organisation’s Ulster Council not to put the city forward as host.
Saturday marks the decision day for which bid will come out on top and be named the host town, with the Ennis group optimistic that the Fleadh will be brought back to the Banner.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann delegates from across the country will gather in Dublin on Saturday for the secret ballot vote to decide on where Fleadh 2013 will go.
Ennis lost out on its bid to host Fleadh 2012 last September, having just been pipped by Cavan in the ballot.
Micheál Ó Riabhaigh, chairman of the Fleadh Cheoil working group in Clare explained, “The decision will be made on Saturday and we will have a good contingent in Dublin. I’m hoping that we don’t get the same disappointment we did the last day. With Derry back in it changes the dynamic slightly, but we will go up and see what happens.”
He went on, “We are hopeful, it’s down to a secret ballot of 29 or 30 members of the Ard Comhairle but it still remains to be seen. I think Ennis would be a wonderful place and anybody coming, visitors and musicians and competitors, I’m sure they would have a tremendous experience if they came to Ennis.
“We had two groups from Comhaltas down last year, for the initial presentation and also down to look at venues in late August and the feedback that we got was they were very, very impressed with what they saw. We made a very strong case and they were impressed with that. I’m sure the others have done as much work as we have in that regard so it will be a difficult decision for them to make.”
If successful in their bid, 2013 will be the first time since 1977 the fleadh is held in Ennis. And it has been estimated that the event could be worth more than €30 million to the town, attracting more than 200,000 visitors.
Speaking this week, Ennis town clerk Leonard Cleary commented, “Ennis Town Council and Clare County Council are keenly awaiting a decision on Saturday by Comhaltas nationally on the local Comhaltas bid for Fleadh Ceoil na hÉireann (All Ireland Fleadh) for Ennis in August 2013. I view this as a major tourism, economic and cultural opportunity for Ennis,” he said.