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The 98th Newry Musical Feis opened today, 13 February at Newry Town Hall. It marks the start of 48 days of performances across music, dance and speech.
The feis kicks off with Irish Dance (Open) running from 13 to 15 February in Newry Town Hall. Ballet and Theatre Dance follows from 16 to 21 April, also in the Town Hall, whilst Speech and Drama (Open) takes place from 13 to 18 April in The Canal Court Hotel.
Heaney at the first day of Newry Musical Feis.
Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
Traditional Irish Music will be held at a number of venues in St Colman's College, Newry on Sunday 19 April. Music classes begin on 23 and 24 March in St Paul's High School, Bessbrook, with the remainder running concurrently in Newry Town Hall and The Canal Court Hotel from Saturday 11 April until Saturday 18 April. The date and venue for the Organ Classes will be announced soon.
Speech and Drama (Open) runs from 20 April to 25 April in the Canal Court Hotel, immediately followed by Speech and Drama (Schools) from 27 April to 1 May in two venues in The Canal Court with a few evening Drama productions taking place in Newry Town Hall.
Almost every day features morning, afternoon and evening sessions that have to be organised, adjudicated and stewarded. Members of the public are welcome to come along to watch the competitions.
Newry Musical Feis is indebted to Newry native Peter Rice who, being deeply impressed by the impact taking part in the festival has on the development of young people, has chosen to secure the continuation of the Newry Musical Feis bursaries far into the future. The development has generated international interest in this year's competition. Entries have been received from performers who hail from places as far afield as Canada, China and Japan. The bursary is designed to further the progress of exceptionally talented performers who are aiming to follow professional careers in the arts.
At one of the planning meetings in autumn 1928 a comment was made that "it was necessary to have secretaries who knew not the meaning of the word failure" and this is still a very necessary requirement, not only for the Section Leaders and the whole team of office bearers, committee members and voluntary helpers who help keep the 2026 festival running smoothly.
The 98th Newry Musical Feis concludes with Irish Dance (Confined) which will run in Newry Town Hall on Saturday and Sunday, 2 and 3 May.
