This weekend should be the biggest weekend for Kerry CCÉ as we would normally host Fleadh Cheoil Chiarraí, which was due to be held this year in Milltown. Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 outbreak it was one of the major festivals in Kerry to be cancelled. Not to be defeated Kerry CCÉ has decided to host their own virtual fleadh on Facebook and YouTube.
It has been alot of work putting our programme together because of the restrictions but with some proper planning we have managed a comprehensive programme for the weekend. In total we will be posting over 90 videos from last years winners from County, Munster and National level as well as special guests. These videos will be uploaded during Friday, Saturday and Sunday. On Friday evening we will also have an online family quiz with prizes for the winners. On Saturday we start uploading from 11am to 5pm and after a little sos our special guests slot will kick off at 7pm.
Included will be Mike Jack Cronin Fossa CCÉ, Realtaí naTodhchaí A group of young musicians from the following branches – Grace Heffernan and Daibhín Laide Ballydonoghue/Lisselton, Colleen Angland Glenflesk, Conor Brennan and Sarah Murphy Lixnaw and Michael Healy Kilcummin come together online to be part of this fantastic occasion. Social media sensations The Neville sisters from Ballylongford will sing a song for us. Their last upload recorded over 10,000 video views. Neart na hÓige consisting of Aideen Quinlan Lixnaw Grace Angland Glenflesk, Kirill Healy Kilcummin and Ruby Falvey and Hamish O’Carroll both Ballydonoghue/Lisselton CCÉ will perform a piece specially put together for the weekend. And we finish off Saturday night with a special piece from Sharon Shannon for the weekend as she was the headline act for this year’s Fleadh Cheoil.
Proceedings will kick off on Sunday from 11am to 5pm with more of last year’s prizewinners and after a well earned cup of tea we will return at 7pm with our special guests to end this year’s Kerry CCE Virtual Fleadh Cheoil. Included on Sunday evening’s entertainment will be All in a days Play. A senior group of All Ireland winning musicians come together to start us off, these musicians Ali Cahill, Katie Purcell, Aoife Trench, Kevin O’Neill, Tom Trench and Conor Heaphy will be followed by last years All Ireland winning Storyteller Sonny Egan of Lixnaw CCE. Last year’s Street Entertainers winners the Evans Family will follow and Kerry CCE County secretary Karen Trench will entertain us with her beautiful voice. Anne and Nickie McAuliffe from Castleisland will perform a piece written by Nickie himself. Strings and Things from the Ballydonoghue/Lisselton and Lixnaw branches include Aoife Murphy and Peter Doyle from Lixnaw CCÉ and will be joined Aibhín O’Neill, Emma Heffernan, Caoimhe Laide, and Leona Sheehy from Ballydonoghue/Lisselton. CCÉ Strings and Things are a new group and will entertain us with a couple of tunes and this will be followed by Uí Bhriain Ceilí band who will get your feet tapping to finish of our weekend. We hope you can join us on Facebook @fleadhcheoil.chiarrai and on Youtube @ Kerry CCÉ
Included in photo: Aideen Quinlan Lixnaw CCÉ dancing to the beat of Grace and Emma Heffernan Ballydonoghue CCÉ in Listowel on Saturday las
