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This year's Iúr Cinn Fleadh is one of the best events ever – with so much accessible to everyone – well done!’
That was just one of many positive comments received by the Iúr Cinn Fleadh team at the nearly 100 events and activities that made up Newry’s spectacular citywide music festival.
Supported by Newry BID, Newry Mourne and District Council and Narrow Water Events, the fun five-day fest swept through Newry’s warm and welcoming venues from 21-25 August.
The craic was mighty from the start with Poetry And Pancakes at Newry Library when more than 30 poets met to share stanzas and launch a brand new anthology Harvest The Light. Local writers’ group the Wordsmiths hailed the event as ‘inspirational’.
Poetry was promptly followed by Trad Trail sessions with accomplished musicians of all ages from around the locality – such as Pearse Larkin – treating punters to traditional tunes and contemporary covers throughout the Bank Holiday weekend at local cafes and bars.
A whole stream of venues – including Canal Court Hotel, Buttercrane Shopping Centre, Nan Rice’s, Railway Bar and Bellini’s hosted their own wonder-filled weekend-long programmes as part of Iúr Cinn Fleadh, from Irish dancers to a DJ.
Daytime trad sessions were held at such places as Finegan and Son, Caring Coins, Synge and Byrne, Grounded, The Oliver, Snaub’s, Cozy Corner and The Phoenix. Evening sessions ran at venues like The Bridge, St John Bosco, Brass Monkey, McCoys, Larkins, Magee’s, Courtney’s Steakhouse, Catholic Working Men’s Club and McSwiggans.
There was an otherworldly atmosphere to some events – like the Ghost Walk, the Old Newry Society’s walking quiz through historic Newry and Sammy Horner’s Irish folklore workshop – which showed how our island’s ancient morality tales teach us how to have a meaningful life.
One of Ireland’s most exciting bands, Kíla, and Rostrevor-born singer-songwriter Matt Benson filled Newry Town Hall with trad/world sounds and meaningful melodies.
Local churches became Fleadh venues - Dundalk’s Beki Hemingway played at St Mary’s Church Of Ireland, Wexford’s The Sweet Sorrows performed at Newry Methodist, Newry Baptist Centre ran bodhrán workshops and a photography exhibition an of course the Cathedral Gardens had a puppet show, music and childrens garden exploring.
Iúr Cinn Fleadh secured a new boat for their unique Trad Cruise. An eleventh hour crisis set the team spinning and phoning round Ireland in search of a replacement vessel. Just when they thought they’d run out of options, the Sea Quest appeared on the horizon. Fresh from another festival, owners Cunningham Charters were able to fit in Iúr Cinn Fleadh, too.
Photograph: Columba O'Hare/ Newry.ie
While the Trad Cruise took music lovers for sailings with wine and song, the Fleadh’s Water Festival enabled other families and individuals to go canoeing and paddleboarding.
Newry’s champions of children, Sticky Fingers, added three events to the festival mix - the wonder of kite flying in McClelland Park and the Wee Bee storytelling session with arts and crafts at Newry Museum.
Newry Record Fair brought the ‘vinyl revival’ into our community. Stallholders from across Ireland offered records, CDs and cassettes for sale – from classic rock to contemporary pop.
Foodies were able to join the Newry Food Tour to sample the best of the city’s cuisine. This popular event took people on a three-hour digestive track across multiple venues.
County Meath musician Brenda Castles and her band presented The Plight Of The Bumble Bee, took festivalgoers into the world of bees – and showed them how to help bees survive.
Comedy as well as music became therapy for our burdened hearts and minds. Lianne McCooey, Darren Matthews, Ro Boyle and Paddy McDonnell gave us some healthy laughs.
Iúr Cinn Fleadh has been running for ten years, hosting top Irish bands and artists including Horslips, Hothouse Flowers, Altan, Paul Brady, Sharon Shannon and Frances Black.
"This was a Bank Holiday bonanza celebrating the arts," said local writer, musician and Wordsmiths member Rosemary Tumilty. "Many thanks to Iúr Cinn Fleadh for an amazing weekend of activities - a veritable feast for the senses.
"There was everything from wonderful music in our clubs, venues – and on the waterways – to Bikes & Beats on our streets, and something close to my heart, the Poetry & Pancakes event which celebrated oral storytelling, scintillating stanza and invigorating verse, co-ordinated with a book launch and readings to the gentle sound of harp. Thanks once again to all who made this happen."
Newry BID, Newry Mourne and District Council and Narrow Water Events supported the 2025 Fleadh with the backing of local volunteers. Visit www.iurcinnfleadh.com
