A Season of Success: The Midland and Scottish Regional Fleadhs 2026

Erin Watson
6 days ago
2 min read

Following the vibrant celebrations across our regions, we are delighted to share the incredible highlights from the Midland and Scottish Regional Fleadhs. It has been a season defined by extraordinary talent, youthful energy, and, most importantly, the unwavering spirit of our volunteers.

The Midland Regional Fleadh: A Community Effort

The Midland Regional Fleadh was a resounding success, and as Regional Secretary Carmel Burke noted, it was a true all-hands-on-deck weekend. In a heartwarming display of unity, every single branch in the region contributed volunteers to ensure the event ran smoothly.

From those who arrived early to set up the venue to the dedicated door stewards, clerks, and the team in the Fleadh Office checking adjudication sheets and trophies, the collective effort was evident everywhere. A special mention must go to the hospitality team who kept everyone going with tea, biscuits, and cakes, and the organisers of the Pop-Up Gaeltacht, which brought a beautiful Irish-language dimension to the day’s festivities.

The day concluded with a triumphant session of music, a fitting reward for the competitors—both junior and senior—who displayed such high standards throughout the weekend.

Music North of the Border: The Scottish Regional Fleadh

The Scottish Fleadh, hosted by the Irish Minstrels Branch at Woodfarm High School on Sunday, 26th April, was equally spectacular. The atmosphere was electric as friends from across the Comhaltas na hAlban family gathered for a day of fierce competition and fantastic craic.

There were some stand-out individual performances, most notably from Owen O'Connor of the St Patrick’s CCE Branch. Owen achieved a clean sweep, winning every competition he entered! His haul included titles in Whistle, Whistle Slow Airs, Uilleann Pipes, Pipes Slow Airs, and the Miscellaneous category, where he impressed the adjudicators on the Highland bagpipes.

Edinburgh Comhaltas had a ‘great wee haul’ of medals and trophies, most notably clinching the Senior Grúpa Cheoil title. Meanwhile, St James the Great CCE performed exceptionally, bringing home a staggering 46 medals and qualifying bands and groups for the All-Britain at every age level, from Under 12 to Senior.

We are immensely proud of all our Scottish qualifiers—from the young whistle players in the Under 9 category to our seasoned senior champions—who will now progress to represent the region in June.

A Massive Thank You to Our Volunteers

As we saw in the London and Southern Region, a Fleadh simply cannot happen without the boots on the ground. Whether you were selling raffle tickets, acting as a safeguarding officer, or helping parents sign in at the entrance, your contribution was the heartbeat of these events.

To the branches who put together beautiful raffle prizes, the teachers who spent months preparing their students, and the volunteers who stayed late to pack away: Go raibh maith agat. Your dedication ensures that our heritage remains vibrant and accessible for the next generation.