A Chara,
We are holding our annual Carlow Fleadh in Leighlinbridge between April 11th and 13th and are asking for your help in contacting all budding singers and musicians in your school!
On Saturday 12th April, we host our unique “fleadh na bpáistí ”. This is not done in many counties and is designed to give younger performers a chance to play in a supportive and encouraging environment. We have four categories of competition split into two age groupings. The categories are (1) WIND, (2) STRING, (3) REED and (4) SONG. These should be self-explanatory but you can contact me if you are unsure about an instrument.
The age groupings are- (A) up to and including 3rd class and (B) 4th-6th class.
The child will perform one song or tune and while not mandatory, we would prefer if it were Irish in nature. The entry fee is still €2 and we have lots of prizes to hand out!!
Children do not have to be members of Comhaltas to enter and this competition is for County Carlow only- winners do not qualify for Leinster events. We start at 10am in Leighlinbridge primary school. Please encourage any likely candidates to come along as we can also get a glimpse of the amount of musicians/singers coming up along the school system.
In the afternoon, beginning at 1.30pm, we host our competitions to select children to go forward to represent Carlow in the Leinster Fleadh which will take place in Dundrum, Dublin on July 12th/13th. We have competitions in every Irish instrument across many age groups (U-12, 12-15, 15-18, O-18). There are also singing competitions in both English and Irish. Children must play 2 tunes or sing 2 songs and must be members of Comhaltas (€6 for juvenile membership). There are duet, trio and group competitions and more details can be had on application. Entry fee is still €2 each for individual, duets and trios and €20 for groups. We would like to have all entries by April 4th.
I hope you can help us in our endeavour and I look forward to your contacting me if you have any query at all. There are many other events – sessions, concerts and workshops – and maybe you could help spread the word about the Fleadh amongst your community. We are not in this for profit, merely the love and promotion of our own traditional music, song and dance and depend on schools and similar bodies to aid our work.
Thank you for your time and I appreciate the pressure on schools to promote every cause that comes in the door! Please consider this worthy!!
Is mise le meas,
Dave Sheridan (cathaoirleach) 086-0877115, 059-9140979