Ulster Fleadh gets underway in Dromore

SOME of Ireland’s best Irish traditional musicians sparked the flame of the Ulster Fleadh in Dromore last night (Sunday), setting alight a blaze of music and dance that will burn bright for a week to come.

Appropriately, the week-long festival – which will see daily festivities take over the town until next Sunday – was kicked off by two of Ireland’s best fiddle players, Pomeroy brothers, Cathal and Stephen Hayden.

Cathal, whose ability on the banjo somehow manages to compete with his prodigious fiddle playing, was joined in the Central Bar by his brother, and the truly magnificent Sligo guitarist, Seamie O’Dowd.

And that was only the start of it.

There is not a spare night for the remainder of the week.

If Dromore sleeps between now and Sunday, it will only be because it had to!

So, without further ado, here are some of the big not-to-be-missed gigs to come.

Tonight (Monday) at 7.30pm there will be music and a quiz at the Beeswing Bar.

On Wednesday at 9pm, three All-Ireland winning ceili bands from down the years – Blackwater, Pride of Erin and Knockmore – will play at O’Connor’s Bar and Restaurant.

Then, on Thursday at 8pm in Dromore Sports Complex, classical and traditional music will be combined through the delightful Ulster Comhltas Orchestra.

But, at every second of every hour this week in Dromore, there will be something worth hearing and somewhere worth being… just walk round the streets and keep an ear out!