Episode 2 Féilte is Fleadh

We're over in Glasgow the last few days,

basically promoting the Fleadh at Celtic Connections,

which is Scotland's biggest traditional music festival.

It attracts 100,000 people every year,

so we just see it as a really good opportunity to tell people

who are interested in music about what's going to happen in Derry.

'We've had the Fleadh bus over, and that's been putting

'the message out about the Fleadh. It was a really good spectacle to have.

'It ended up being featured on a local newspaper,

'you know, in their photographs of the festival as well,

'so I think that...it all helps.'

-Will you be coming home for the Fleadh?

-I am, yeah, definitely.

'We got a really brilliant spot, right outside the Royal Concert Hall,

'which meant that we were able to catch people coming in and out

'to some of the bigger concerts.

'I suppose it's an outdoor ad wherever it goes,

'so it's done really well.

'There was a lot of interest. A lot of people signed up for the newsletter.'

-We're trying to get as many people across to Derry as we can.

-Smashing!

See the craic.

# My young love said to me

# My mother won't mind... #

'I'll be going to the Derry Fleadh myself this year.

'I'm completely overwhelmed that it's come to Derry finally.'

And I'm going to be performing there in the Millennium Forum

with an orchestra, so I'm very, very excited.

# She stepped away from me

# And she moved through the fair. #

'I feel like the Fleadh coming over the border is so positive.

'It's just one of those things that maybe might have been unheard of a few years ago,

'and I think it's just a great thing for everybody involved.'

Like, Derry is one of the most beautiful walled cities there is,

one of the nicest cities in Europe. You know, with its great walls

and some of the beautiful streets that we've got and all the history.

And I think lots of people will use it as an opportunity

to explore our city and what it's all about.

JAUNTY MUSIC Whoo!

While you're here...

Some of my pupils will want to go ahead and compete this year.

And they'll have to work very, very hard

if they want to get through to the All-Irelands.

And everybody got tuned up with either myself or Ciaran?

The All-Ireland Fleadh is happening in August as well, in Derry.

So we're here to give you a wee taste of what we do and, hopefully,

get yous off to a good start on this St Patrick's Day.

APPLAUSE

We kind of practised a set list for the last couple of weeks,

and we all went up on stage and played some tunes for about an hour.

And the young people loved it. It was a great experience for them,

being able to play in front of a large audience

and to add to the city's festivities for St Patrick's Day.

I mean, it's an honour for them,

to be so young and be so involved in the traditional Irish music scene.

LOUD THWACK

So I think I'll be busy for that week.

-All right. Hopefully, we'll see there.

-Oh, you most certainly will.

LAUGHTER

Thank you...

I was in the first Fleadh.

-Is that right?

-Years and years and years ago.

THEY SING IN IRISH

-OK?

-SHE SPEAKS IN IRISH

The county Fleadh is a chance for local people

to start on the road for qualification for the All-Ireland,

so it's a very important and, you know, event for us. We...

we, in Derry, obviously we want to try get as many people as possible

competing at the All-Ireland, whenever it comes,

so it's great to see today

so many entries in from Derry and at such a high standard.

BELL RINGS

APPLAUSE

..and the walls being built in this area,

ideally located to protect yourself from attack.

..in the 1640s. Sieges of various sorts of descriptions.

But then, 1689 is a big siege.

BELLS RING

MAN SPEAKS IRISH

..Giving orders...

THEY TRANSLATE WORDS FROM IRISH TO ENGLISH

'You can greet someone in the morning by saying...

' "Maidin mhaith" - "Good morning". "Maidin mhaith".

'In the afternoon...'

'.."Good night" - "Oiche mhaith"...'

I think the podcasts will remind us

of the sounds of what's written down,

cos we've got it all written down.

And obviously, it also might help us to repeat after the people,

so it'll gives a bit of practice in saying the words, you know, so...

And, you know, we should be up to scratch,

hopefully...by the time September comes around

and we're moving up to the next class.

TRANSLATION OF WORDS CONTINUES

-HE SPEAKS IRISH

-That's it for today.

-Slan!

-Adh mor ort!

THEY SPEAK IN IRISH

We play... It's a mixture of everything

from Irish jigs to country songs

to pop songs. Everything. So...

And Orange traditional tunes as well.

So hopefully we will be involved in it too.

Cos we want to show off our music to everybody.

Cos we put the work in

and we're good!

You know...if I say so myself.

Linda's group, the East Belfast Mission,

this is my favourite picture so far of them.

Marching on St Patrick's Day in Belfast.

I think, because, like ourselves,

Derry unfortunately has segregated areas, and people, even 15 years

after the Good Friday Agreement, are not just quite there yet.

And there's a lot to learn.

And again, people here, like in Belfast,

tend to associate the Irish language

with the nationalist community, with republicanism.

Yet the Irish language is much bigger than that and it transcends politics

and it transcends religion.

SHE SINGS IN IRISH

SHE SINGS IN IRISH

SHE SINGS IN IRISH

SHE CLEARS HER THROAT

Fags!

# ..Well, I'm so tired of crying But I'm out on the road again... #

SHE SINGS IN IRISH

APPLAUSE

APPLAUSE

THEY CHEER

So that would be that down there, and we'll face this way.

But these issues were resolved

because the dance was important.

And all issues can be resolved because culture is important.

BELLS TOLL

And because music is important.

And you must always have respect for the bells.

LAUGHTER

Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing by Red Bee Media Ltd