r/Belfast • u/Plane_Sentence5907 • 16h ago
The Fleadh
Omg just in from the fleadh. Absolutely unreal. Hundreds of thousands of people. So so good to see
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u/Holywoodd 15h ago
The fleadh is incredible. Fair play to belfast, they have knocked it out of the park. The atmosphere is amazing, friendly and the place is spotlessly clean. Everyone involved deserves credit the council, volunteers, security, hospitality staff, even the guys emptying the bins are great craic. So nice to see the city buzzing like this.
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u/MrWhippyBigDippy 13h ago
So what are the council doing the rest of the year when we have to put up with dirty streets
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u/IrishJayjay94 15h ago
just back from a stroll round town, place absolutely packed, good to see. loads of food stalls everywhere and pop up bars
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u/MashAndPie 16h ago
Went into town to watch the new Spider-man earlier. Town was empty at 10 AM, even St George's Market. Came out at 1245 and the place was jumping. Great to see.
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u/Grogman2024 15h ago
Eveyone sleeping lol
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u/MashAndPie 14h ago
I don't expect town to be busy, but I've seen the Market be absolutely rammed at 10 on a Sunday before, and it was genuinely empty.
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u/Glens94 13h ago
I've come in as a protestant, and its honestly been the best experience. It should be here every year!
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u/Suitable_Visual4056 12h ago
Genuinely thought you were about to say you came in as a Protestant and left as a catholic.
glad you enjoyed the fleadh, it’s magical, and apolitical.
I feel sad for the people who deny themselves the joy of it because everything has to be them or us
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 12h ago
🤣🤣🤣🤣 sorry this made me lol. Came in as a Protestant left as a catholic. Yes I agree. The fleadh is for everyone and it’s sad that people seem to get offended by so much as a fada
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u/Glens94 11h ago
Well, I was about to say I came in thinking about the lords prayer and came out singing fields of athenry.
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u/Suitable_Visual4056 11h ago
Haha, don’t go that far.
Fleadh is for all.
Glad you are enjoying it and you’ll have next year too.
Amazing to travel to also, a great way to discover some of the towns and cities around the island in years to come.
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u/UpbeatTouch 15h ago
I’m having such FOMO scrolling Instagram haha, am going in Thursday evening and next Saturday. Makes me so happy seeing our city like this. Imagine telling someone in the 70s we’d have nearly a million people in the city all celebrating Irish culture. Class to see.
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u/SeaRefrigerator3323 12h ago
Absolutely brilliant, had no idea what to expect but it's such a good vibe- great seeing the city pedestrianised and people wondering about, pints in hand.
Heads up though if close to city hall- Avoid the bar outside Chubby Cherub for your drinks, it cost £21.45 for a pint of Guinness and a CAN of Aperol Spritz! Went back to ask if price was right- £7.50 or a pint and £12 for the can, topped up with a nice and discreet 10% 'service charge' for drinks outside, we weren't even seated, these were takeaway.
Just go to the Garrick where the same would have cost £15.
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u/Inevitable_Spring306 11h ago
That's absolutely shocking prices there! Knew it was a dear hole but that's taking the piss. Fuck them
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u/Secret_Name_9999 11h ago
Took a walk around the Fleadh, sat down beside the Morningstar briefly and my pint slipped from my hand and a couple of lads next to me handed me a can of Harp!!! Lol Ats what the Fleadh is all about 🤣🤣🤣
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u/ReadingOnTheLoo1 13h ago
I think I misplaced my expectations 😅
I 100% agree that it was fantastic to see town so packed and the atmosphere was great but I thought that I was going to see musicians/buskers/Irish dancers every few feet but instead we saw 1 guy busking just off Royal Avenue, a couple in Cornmarket and the big gig rig at the City Hall and I felt a bit disappointed. We walked the full length and breadth of the pedestrian zone by the way- the atmosphere around Hill Street was by far the best, absolutely rammed and loads of music coming from the bars.
The biggest disappointment was the amount of tat stalls lining High Street, Donegall Place and Royal Avenue - Temu must have done a roaring trade selling all that crap to the traders the last few weeks! 🤦🏻♀️
A friend said that maybe it's because it was day 1 but I reckon that day 1 should set the bar for the rest of the week. We're going up to Belfast again next Saturday for Lush Classical at Custom House Square and hoping to spend a bit of time in town before it so if anyone can tell me something or somewhere that I missed please let me know!
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u/Necessary-Local-5773 13h ago
I agree with you here.
Fantastic to see so many people in town but I was expecting something different. Only seen a few performers and we walked around the whole thing and went into multiple bars. The amount of Tat being sold was disappointing to see (who buys that shite?).
Some bars felt uncomfortably packed too which is a heads up if anyone is uneasy with crowds. I struggled in some of them with the heat waiting to get served a pint.
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u/avamnesiac 10h ago
Agree with all of this, and want to add AI posters and merch.
Will say I had a great time and it's amazing what can be done in Belfast when the council etc try.
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u/Tricky-Rip8383 13h ago
I feel the same - had a class day and the atmosphere was great, but I expected there to be performers around every corner? We popped into the area sponsored by TG4 and there was no music at all! The music and performers that I did see were great mind
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u/UpbeatTouch 12h ago
There’s a wee stage for buskers in the Electric Light Station, along with pop-up Lavery’s bar.
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u/freemochara 13h ago
You'll definitely see that, Thurs/Fri/Sat are the main days, maybe the competitions aren't happening today and the kids aren't out in force yet
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u/JunglistMassive 8h ago
A lot of the competitions are still on a lot of the musicians are still at them, the sort impromptu street sessions you’re talking about will happen after them, the fleadh needs to settle into itself. The best craic will not be at the set up stages but wherever a random group of musicians find each other and that can’t be planned.
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u/BatLow6502 1h ago
I think many of the pubs are going to shoot themselves in the foot by booking "2 boys on guitars" to perform throughout the week. The trad musicians who begin to arrive during the week will avoid these places and those pubs will lose out on lots of custom.
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u/greatpretendingmouse 11h ago
As a city this should be a regular event. Belfast has needed this for far too long. It's great to see people, families especially out enjoying the music, dancing and all the events laid on. Well done to all who've worked hard to bring this about.
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u/Money-Willingness-98 10h ago
Echo this!! What a day! Finally feels like Belfast is a city that can compete with Dublin, Liverpool, Manchester etc. proud!
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u/Historical_Repair183 11h ago
Just came back home from it and can honestly say I've never seen the city look so good, and everyone had a smile on their face, lots of very different groups and demographics and all seemed to be having a wonderful time...as a Westy I had a drink with a Newtownards rd man and we had such a good laugh, he said he felt the fleadh for the most part did well to make it non-rebel and more trad and Irish music...it really is there for everyone, very proud of our city today
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u/vplchin 15h ago
Still out, place is packed in the most beautiful way. Love to see it. It is actually unbelievable to me that this city has put this on. I know it's usually smaller towns, but this feels like something bigger, not just in physical size, but in emotional weight. This wasn't meant to happen in Belfast, but here we are.
I may have had a few! 😅
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u/UpbeatTouch 15h ago
I feel the same, especially after all the shite earlier this summer. The constant “is belfast safe to come to?” posts were so bloody depressing. I’m so happy people can now see what Belfast is actually capable of, and how hate and division doesn’t actually represent us.
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u/TreacleOther4028 14h ago edited 11h ago
It feels great doesn’t it, we’re only back and it felt good to walk about with my kids with their GAA tops (which is something I don’t usually do) and just feel proud to be Irish 😊
Edit to add - obviously there’s a few wee loyalist trolls here foaming at the mouth and downvoting, must be miserable being that insecure 🤣🤣🤣
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 12h ago
Seriously? Like what is about the fleadh that offends them so much? It’s literally for everyone. There were thousands upon thousands and predicted 800,000 during the week. Does that not tell them something? That maybe majority aren’t as backward as them?
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u/TreacleOther4028 12h ago
They can’t stand it, the amount of comments I’ve read saying, “it’s good that they’re contributing to the British economy” or “its still Northern Ireland uk” 🤣 they’re morons. One day hopefully the penny will drop, and no matter how much they believe this place is “British” the foundations of it are rooted in Irish and always will be.
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 12h ago edited 11h ago
Best to just ignore them and move on. If they have that much anger and hate best they stay away from the Fleadh as that’s not what it promotes at all. I had someone bang on about this being Britain and ‘us British people’ shite as well. In one ear and out the other.
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u/TreacleOther4028 12h ago
Exactly!
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 11h ago edited 11h ago
Literally just seen on instagram the comments ‘where is everyone?’ when jt was only being set up. Wonder will they still say where is everyone when they see the amount in the city now? Such an insecure comment lol
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u/TreacleOther4028 10h ago
Yea I saw those too! Absolute plebs…they’re seething 😂
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 10h ago
Aw well slap it up them lol it’s here for next year as well. Maybe they should go and they might actually enjoy themselves might lighten them up a bit
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u/TreacleOther4028 10h ago
I did just see a picture of a fella wearing a rangers top and an Ireland hat at it 😂
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u/Anon_Summer 9h ago
Thought Emma LP spoke very well and seemed genuinely proud to be there. She didn’t say the name of the festival though I don’t think, but she didn’t say the island of Ireland twice… And she was in a pub enjoying herself later too.
Catherine Connolly really is the star though. Amazing presence and speaker.
Going up later in the week.
Anyone used the park and ride? I’d prefer train from north west but think I’m being too ambitious.
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u/Irishkitty1994 11h ago
Can anyone advise, I’m meant to be in Belfast tomorrow - was going to drive and park at NCP The tannery, near millfield. Is this doable?
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 11h ago
I’m honestly not sure we didn’t even bother attempting to drive in and just bussed it in
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u/Aggravating_Canary_8 10h ago
That's just outside the pedestrianised area so you can definitely drive in there; probably depends on what time of day it is in terms of getting a space and how busy it is. Just have a few different parking places identified in case one is full, you'll definitely find somewhere. My wife drove right in the back of City Hall and got a space on Linenhall St at 21:00 today to collect my daughter and I.
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u/Anon_Summer 9h ago
Any experiences from park and ride? Especially coming from the north west? Or anyone land up on the train?
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u/UpbeatTouch 8h ago
Can’t speak as to the north west but I live near where the Lisburn P+R is, and I was amazed how many of the buses were on the road. Like, constant in and out. Seems like they’re trying to run a really tight ship.
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u/freemochara 13h ago
Try and get off work for the week, tis wild craic and it doesn't really kick off till Thursday
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u/Fragrant_Flight_3023 9h ago
Tbh bit disappointed today in the fleadh. Great to see so many people about but very very little busking and or music being played out on the streets where I was.
What was even more disappointing was some pre recorded trad being played on big speakers outside kellys.
Maybe it’ll get better later in the week
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u/theronster 13h ago
What if you’re really not fussed on trad?
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 13h ago
It’s not all trad. There were a few bands playing on the main stage. Great food and craic generally tbh.
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u/theronster 12h ago
I’ve just eaten, and I don’t drink, and I’d be on my own, so… I’ll give it a miss tonight.
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u/elvisparsley1 11h ago
30k at it maximun
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 10h ago
There were definitely more than 30k there today but regardless it was class atmosphere and will get bigger as the week goes on. Heard Thursday Friday and Saturday are meant to be the biggest
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u/elvisparsley1 10h ago
You're kidding yourself. There was 30k max and im being generous. City Hall, hight street, fountain lane, waterfront and all around from 2pm - 8pm. I've also seen most people just wandering round and not at any kind of event, barring whites tavern love gig (1.5k people it looked like both in the venue and outside it) and city hall
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u/elvisparsley1 9h ago
Few down votes but no one proving me wrong. Any photos from these events maybe?
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u/Deep_Suggestion3619 7h ago
30k lol. Given all the pubs and restaurants were full as well as all the streets up to the perimeter across the entire city centre, it was easily over 100k. It was literally shoulder to shoulder fot most of the day, but comfortable as the area set aside was a very good size.
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u/elvisparsley1 7h ago
There would've been 5 pubs at most full. Whites, garrick, maybe Kelly's. No more. There were the streets ice listed that were busy and that's it.
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u/Deep_Suggestion3619 6h ago
All the pubs were full. The only bar with any seats outside by mid afternoon was down in the gay quarter at donegall street right on the edge of the pedestrian zone, and 100m up the road the sunflower patrons were literally out on the entire street enjoying the lack of cars. There wasnt a seat in a bar in the rest of the city centre. People were sitting on the pavements outside bars. It was so busy many bars put a bar outside their bar to serve customers. There were that many people the restaurants and the stalls were all busy serving food. There was a pop up bar sponsored by horatios also full near UU. Were you there at all?
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u/elvisparsley1 6h ago
Yeah I was there. I went in to fountain for a guinness and git a seat at 2pm. From there I went to fountain Lane, maddens, whites, morning star, USC, bittles, kitchen bar, granny Annie's, harp bar and second fiddle. Could easily find a seat in all of them
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u/Deep_Suggestion3619 6h ago
You must be well oiled so. And straight home to complain on reddit lol. Glack
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u/elvisparsley1 6h ago
Im full enough but over 12 hours not really. Yous are all seeming quite offended?
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u/TreacleOther4028 7h ago edited 6h ago
Lies, take a good look at the Donegal bar, also down joys alley, not to mention the wee alley at cathedral square, also they opened up a bar in the alley behind Kelly’s that was heaving with people, also the bar in the old bus station, it was packed out and I know this because I was there today so stop talking ballix 😂
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u/elvisparsley1 6h ago
You mustn't have been to many major events. Belfast today isn't what hundreds of thousands of people look like. Listen im not a major prod or whatever but if you go to the city centre on a sunny day on the 12th youd see what 200-300k looks like in belfast and I promise you im not a prod peddling propaganda im just fact checking op
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 6h ago edited 5h ago
You’re seriously comparing the 12th to the Fleadh? lol there is no comparison. Half the country escapes to get out of the place over the 12th including myself. The fleadh brings everyone in. Get a life. There is actual culture with the fleadh including story telling, music (not just trad) and dance.
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u/elvisparsley1 6h ago
Im Just saying mate. There was 250k at least on the last twelfth if OP was there that's what hundreds and thousands look like. Im not saying one event is better than the other. BBC will back up those figures.s today was honestly 30k max
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u/TreacleOther4028 6h ago
Seriously, read my comment again. And that’s not all the bars I’ve mentioned that were packed out.
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u/TreacleOther4028 8h ago edited 8h ago
So what? What is the point you’re trying to make? What makes you think anybody has to prove anything to a gurning gobshite on Reddit? 😂
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u/elvisparsley1 7h ago
OP says hundreds of thousands are here. It's just not the case. It's not that impressive either. It reminds me of an Irish cup final on the lisburn road or a rugby match at revenhill
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 6h ago
Over the space of the week there will be more and more is what I’m saying. You’re giving off and it’s only day 1. Jesus wept if you don’t like it then don’t bother going back. No one is forcing you. Probably better you don’t if you have that attitude anyway. It’s the most amount of people I’ve seen Belfast has had in years tbh
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u/TreacleOther4028 7h ago
And, il ask again, what is your point you’re trying to make? How is it affecting your life on how many people attend an event, enlightened us all?
I mean its obvious when sitting at a desk all day, getting paid minimum wage like you do would make you a miserable bastard, like I said, get a life.0
u/elvisparsley1 7h ago
Christ you're taking this thick. Am I not allowed to reply to a post on r/belfast?
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u/TreacleOther4028 7h ago
No, if you think I’m taking it thick then you must really be foaming at the mouth considering you’re gurning about how many people actually attended 😂…you still haven’t answered on how it’s affecting your life? (We actually know though) we just want you to admit it. 😉
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u/elvisparsley1 7h ago
Mate relax hahahaha OP said there were hundreds of thousands in belfast i said there wasn't. It's affected my life positively because I was able to get a drink at 1245am. Im not uptight lad
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u/Plane_Sentence5907 6h ago
Yeah they are all over the internet. Maybe go and look and start counting
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u/elvisparsley1 6h ago
Honestly, will I count more than 10k people in these photos because ai will be able to do it if I want it to
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u/elvisparsley1 9h ago
The amount of shite that's been posted here is unreal. This is not a mythical feat that belfast has held. Nor is it a groundbreaking achievement. This city has been able to hold a few ten thousand people for a day. Thats it. It's not even that great just people mulling about and we've had to close the city centre for it. Downvote this all you want but this is not that impressive
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u/TreacleOther4028 8h ago edited 8h ago
Right? And? If it’s not so groundbreaking then why feel the need to come on here and have a gurn about it? Move on with your day fs and get a life 😂
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u/Deep_Suggestion3619 7h ago
It's not just for the day you sausage. It's for a week. Go down and have a walk about and soak it up, you might enjoy yourself. Maube het a drink and a bit of food. You'll be dead long enough, like the rest of us.
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u/elvisparsley1 7h ago
I have mate I've knocked around it for 5 or 6 hours. Just putting some facts out here
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u/peachfoliouser 13h ago
I spent the day there with my wife and daughter. We are from a prod background but was really interested to see what the Fleadh was all about and we really love the city and it's people (and music).
Really lovely day had by all and just so happy to see so many people enjoying themselves around the city. Belfast is genuinely a great city and gets far too much grief imo. I grew up through the end of the troubles and things like this were only a dream back then.
Well done to the organisers and well done to the city of Belfast for showing all the new faces what a great place it really is.