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Date: 5 August 2026
Today marks the halfway point of the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast – and the energy shows no sign of waning!
With huge footfall into the city centre to experience all that the event has on offer, the music has continued on Day 4, with another packed line-up of live performances, family fun, lectures, talks, album launches and pop-up street sessions.
The roads directly in front of and to the sides of City Hall – Wellington Place, Donegall Square North, Donegall Square East and Donegall Square West – are now closed to all traffic until the end of the event on Sunday 9 August to support people to move around safely.
Hosts Belfast City Council, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Ards CCÉ are reminding visitors to make use of public transport, three official Fleadh Park and Ride sites at Eikon Exhibition Centre, Giant’s Park and Belfast Harbour, as well as walking and cycling, if planning a day in the city.
Everyone should plan their journey in advance, leave extra time for travel and follow the directions of event stewards and volunteers. The latest bus and train updates are available from the Translink website – translink.co.uk/fleadh – or from the Journey Planner app.
Elsewhere in the city, there are also 90+ events to enjoy as part of a vibrant city-wide Fleadh fringe programme.
Venues like The Commons on Ormeau Road, The Duncairn on Antrim Road, Banana Block in the east of the city and An Chultúrlann in the west are among those putting on community-based activities and live music sessions.
Highlights today included the Waterworks Stations Sessions with artist Clare Sands, inviting visitors to wind their way around the park as they met storytellers, traditional musicians, poets and dancers along the way.
The Ulster Museum hosted the New Generation – a celebration of emerging trad musicians and featuring past and present recipients of the Gradam Ceoil bursary awards, supported by TG4, Belfast City Council and the Duncairn.
Tonight, St Galls’ GAC hosts a fantastic night of music with Loch Lao from 7pm (free), while there is hedge poetry at storytelling at The Commons, inspired by modern Belfast and ancient Ulster, from 7.30pm.
A number of tonight’s musical performances, bringing the spirit of the Fleadh into local neighbourhoods, are now sold out, but tickets are still available for other unique musical events this week, all right on your doorstep.
They include Fuaimlaoi at St Peter’s Cathedral tomorrow (Thursday 6 August) at 7pm (tickets £5), Ríoghnach Connolly, Ellis Davis and Zoé Basha at The Commons (also Thursday, 7.30pm, tickets £8) and Trad in the Bullhouse at Bullhouse East on Upper Newtownards Road (Thursday, 8.30pm, free).
There’s also a North Block Night Market at Crumlin Road Gaol on Friday 7 August, from 7pm, street entertainment with Currach Circus at St Joseph’s Church, Sailortown on Saturday 8 August at 2.30pm and trad sessions in local alleyways and community gardens in south Belfast on both Saturday and Sunday.
Sunday will see another Super Sunday Session – this time in St Comgall’s, Falls Road from 10.30am to 1pm – inviting communities to come together and spend the morning with arts and music activities, followed by music trails from east and west Belfast to bid farewell to the Fleadh – until next year!
Further details of all fringe events happening this week are on the Fleadh website – fleadhcheoil.ie