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A Newry grammar school student who hasn’t designed anything since a Powerpoint assignment at primary school has created a stunning poster for this year’s Iúr Cinn Fleadh.
Fifteen-year-old Katie O’Brien of Sacred Heart Grammar School came up with a 70s retro design, pointing to Celtic prog band Horslips being on the Fleadh programme.
Bassist and frontman Barry Devlin and keyboards, pipes, whistles and flute player Jim Lockhart are being interviewed at Hall For All at 5pm on Saturday 26 August. Oriel Traditional Orchestra will reimagine some of the band’s hits.
‘I was inspired by psychedelic colours and a lot of summery vibes,’ said Katie, whose mum Teresa is part of the Fleadh committee. ‘I did it on my phone using the Canva app.’
The committee were delighted with Katie’s concept and got it ready for print. The result is a vintage and vibrant design that has already won praise from local people – as the poster has been put on display in Newry shops, pubs and library.
Excitement is mounting about the Fleadh, which features sessions, concerts and workshops around the city from 24-28 August. Trad Trail will see Irish music sessions at local pubs. Trad Cruise will fill the air with music and merriment along the historic Newry Canal. Concerts are being held at a range of venues from community halls to churches.
Dancing On The Greens will seek to revive the old Irish tradition of ‘crossroads dancing’ – at community locations around Newry. Street Feast will present the produce of farmers, foragers and food preparers from the city and its surrounding area. Bikes And Beats will take trad and rap to the streets. There are many more events and activities that can be viewed on the Fleadh website – www.iurcinnfleadh.com.
Civic and business leaders have voiced their support for Iúr Cinn Fleadh – as well as providing sponsorship. Newry BID Manager Eamonn Connolly described the Fleadh as ‘an important event’ for local businesses to attract visitors into the city.
Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Councillor Valerie Harte, said the Fleadh has grown to become ‘a very popular event’ for music across Ireland – ‘attracting a rath of national and international visitors to our beautiful area’.
A full event guide and background stories can be found on the Fleadh website www.iurcinnfleadh.com
