Westport resident to front TG4's online coverage of Fleadh Cheoil in Mullingar

Fleadh Cheoil returns to Mullingar for 2023, back to where it all began in 1951. TG4 will be ‘Fleadh Cheoil Central’ broadcasting four live shows starting tomorrow, Thursday, August 10 and for the three following nights over the weekend.

The shows will be full of the very best of Irish song, music, and dance and the station will also be livestreaming some of the competitions on its player www.TG4.ie.

Fleadh 2023 Comórtais Bheo will be presented online by Westport resident Freda Nic Giolla Chatháin, who is well-known across the county for her involvement in the traditional music scene.

Freda is currently Stiúrthóir na gClár Aistriúcháin (Director of Irish Translation Programmes) at Maynooth University. She has played music all over the world, winning the All-Ireland Harp Championships at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. She also composed and performed with Branar Téatar do Pháistí and presented the programme Geantraí on TG4. Freda has worked for many years on various festival committees, including the Westport Folk and Bluegrass Festival, the Westport Arts Festival and the Achill Harp Festival.

She will be joined by co-presenters Darren Ó Dubhgháin and Fiona Ní Fhlaithearta throughout the weekend as they live stream some of the main competitions at this year's Fleadh Cheoil. Follow the live streams on facebook.com/fleadhcheoil and on www.TG4.ie. Fleadh 2023 Comórtais Bheo is produced by Omedia for TG4 and facilitated by Telegael.

To compete at the All-Ireland finals, you must first qualify through your province. Over the past four weeks presenters Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Peadar Ó Goill have been travelling the length and breadth of the country, meeting some of the country’s finest musicians.

Among those musicians are some of Mayo's finest including, Gráinne Hambly from Mayo Abbey and Billow Wood from Ballina.

Fleadh 2023 will be broadcast live for four consecutive nights on TG4 from Thursday through to Sunday from 9.30pm to 11pm. Presenters Peadar and Doireann will be joined by co-presenter Aoife Ní Thuairisg, along with the cream of Irish musical talent from all over Ireland, and beyond.

Gráinne Hambly is among the acts due to appear tomorrow (Thursday night) alongside Natalie MacMaster, Donnell Leahy and Family, Taobh na Mara Céilí Band, Tim Edey, The Gardiner Brothers, Síomha, Ger O’Donnell, Trevor Sexton with George Murphy & Meadhbh Walsh, D’Bize and Craobh Pheig Úi Riain CCÉ.

Friday night see the following take to the stage: Dolores Keane, Téada, Méabh Ní Bheaglaoich, Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich, Emmet Cahill, Paul Dooley and Kseniya Rusnak, The Dublin Lasses, Antóin MacGabhann & family.

On Saturday night entertainment will be by Cherish The Ladies, Máire Ní Chathasaigh & Chris Newman, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Ultan O’Brien, Enda Scahill and Mick Conneely, Strange Boy, Meitheal Orchestra, Fusion Fighters, The Melbourne Céilí Band, and Tempest.

For the final night on Sunday, Ballina's Billow Wood will be performing alongside T With The Maggies, Liz Doherty and Fiddlesticks, Ryan Molloy and friends – The Piano Summit, Mark Redmond and Pipers of the World (feat Pamela Schweblin, Liam Winnett and more), Dan McCabe, Tura Arutura, Tara Howley, Tulua and Doon Road.