Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2026 is a celebration of the “universality” of music, Irish President Catherine Connolly has said at its opening ceremony.
Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill told the hundreds gathered outside City Hall that the Fleadh is for all “who calls this place home”, while deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said “culture need not divide us” as she invited visitors “to listen, to learn, and to discover”.
The festival was officially opened by Belfast mayor Róis-Máire Donnelly, kicking off a week of song, dance and culture as part of the world’s largest celebration of traditional Irish music.
More than 200 events and 180 traditional music competitions are taking place in venues, pubs and streets, with 800,000 people expected to visit Belfast over the week-long celebration from August 2-9.
It is the first time the annual music festival has been held in Belfast and only the second time it has been held in Northern Ireland, after being hosted in Londonderry in 2013.
The 2026 event has been billed as one of the most culturally diverse in its history, with cross-community participation and a celebration of traditions from across Northern Ireland and beyond.
The opening event included a special collaborative performance entitled Sharing Traditions from host branch Ards CCÉ, South Asian Dance Academy, Belfast Bands Forum, as well as an array of highland pipers and champion Irish dancers led by Riverdance lead Lauren Smyth.
The multi-cultural performance took place at the Gig Rig set up outside City Hall, where musicians and dancers will play from 11am to 11pm every day of the week.
On Sunday the outdoor stage also saw performances from more than 100 children from primary and secondary schools across North Down and Belfast as part of a schools choir project, continuing to the evening with Goitse, Blackwater Céilí Band and accordion virtuoso Sharon Shannon and her Big Band.
Ms Connolly praised the opening ceremony, saying it brought together “musicians and dancers from different traditions”.
“I wish the Fleadh every success over the coming days, and indeed, what lies ahead is the celebration of what we all have in common, and the universality of music, sound, and dance,” she said.
“And it’s that universality and that sharing that we celebrate over the coming week.”
Ms O’Neill said the Fleadh “belongs to each and every one of us who calls this place home”.
“It is our Fleadh and we celebrate our tradition together,” she said.
“There is strength in our culture, and I think that’s the magic of our culture also.
“It brings people together. It gives us a sense of who we are and also where we come from.
“From as far back as 1792, in the Belfast Harp Festival, Belfast has been a city of music, creativity, and storytelling, and this week gives us the opportunity to showcase all of that to the wider world.”
The Sinn Fein vice-president added: “I think the true value of Fleadh goes beyond this.
“It’s about the welcome the people will receive.
“It’s about showcasing the richness, the diversity, and the talent and the culture of this city.
“It’s about showing the world that we are proud of our heritage and we are confident in our future.”
Ms Little-Pengelly said Belfast would be “filled with music, words, poetry, and companionship”.
The DUP MLA spoke about her constituency of Lagan Valley, referring to it in a number of languages including Irish and Ulster Scots.
“A city is its people, and for all of our complexities, we are strong, resilient, curious and contrary,” she said.
“Complex, yes, but deeply proud of all of our cultural traditions, our music and our poetry.
“It tells a story of who we have been and who we are, and it reminds us that we are all deeply connected.
“Confidence in who we are gives us the freedom to celebrate the richness of others.
“Culture need not divide us.
“At its best, it invites us to listen, to learn, and to discover.”
She concluded her speech saying: “May every visitor to this city leave with a wee bit of Belfast in their heart.
“May the music and memory linger long after the performances end, and may we always have the confidence to celebrate every tradition that enriches our shared home, knowing that respecting another’s culture never diminishes our own, but it strengthens the place we all call home.”
Presentations were awarded to Sinn Fein mayor Ms Donnelly, as well as to former mayor, the DUP’s Tracy Kelly, and Alderman Frank McCoubrey, the High Sheriff of Belfast.
Also in attendance were PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher and Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant.
Musicians and dancers from across the world flock to the host city to compete in the All-Ireland Fleadh music competition, with hopefuls from Ireland qualifying from county and provincial Fleadhs to earn their place.
But many others come for music workshops as well as open music sessions that will emerge in a variety of venues and spaces across the city.
