‘This is the perfect time for the Fleadh to come to Belfast – Irish culture is booming’

The biggest Irish language arts centre on the island of Ireland is located inside a former Presbyterian church in West Belfast. This year, Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich marks its 35th anniversary of providing an arts and community based programme to the Irish language community.

On the Falls Road in the heart of the city’s Gaeltacht Quarter, the centre runs a year-round programme including concerts, workshops, art exhibitions, and community events. This year, with the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in the city for the first time, many more tourists will be stopping by Cultúrlann to soak up the culture, enjoy a meal, and find out more about the Irish language and culture.

Director of the centre, Cónall Ó’Corra, said the All-Ireland Fleadh arriving in the city is a huge achievement, and one that reflects decades of work. He said this is the perfect time for the huge event to be in Belfast, with a massive boom within the city’s music scene.

Speaking to Belfast Live, Cónall said this time of year is typically busy due to Belfast TradFest and the Féile an Phobail, but the Fleadh will bring with it huge numbers keen to learn more about the city’s Irish-speaking community.

“We’re a bustling building and I’ll be honest, it hasn’t stopped in here since January,” he said.

“This is one of the most densely populated areas with Irish speakers on the island outside of the Gaeltacht regions on the west coast. You can see the language as a living language.

“I do my business all day through Irish, and I hope if people call in they can see this is a grassroots, authentic take on culture.

“We have Irish classes here, as well as plays and concerts. People are coming to the Fleadh and we’re very happy to be part of the fringe programme as well as hosting our own programme.

“If anyone called up, they could expect to call in to get a bite to eat at Bia Loch Lao, to visit our art galleries which display art from all over the island of Ireland, to enjoy the bookshop or pick up a Cultúrlann hoodie. People can call in and see an authentic slice of the Irish language, and see what the community is about.”

Operating as a Presbyterian church until the 1980s, the building housing Cultúrlann became derelict, before becoming Meánscoil Feirste in 1991. The nine pupil Irish-medium secondary school was the first of its kind in the North, and is now Coláiste Feirste in the nearby Beechmount area.

Cónall said the building’s progression to becoming Cultúrlann was a natural development, with their mission statement focusing on promoting the arts through the Irish language, and the Irish language through the arts.

He said the Fleadh Cheoil coming to Belfast for the first time is a testament to everyone who worked hard over years in the Irish language community to make it a reality.

Cónall added: “There’s probably nowhere on the island right now where there’s such a boom around Irish traditional music as in Belfast. Cultúrlann in the 1990s played its part in delivering it, and the Fleadh coming to Belfast is testament to the work of thousands of people over the past 40 years to make it a reality.

“I think it’s a perfect time for the Fleadh to come to Belfast, and for us to showcase to the world what goes on in the city.

“There’s a real revival across the island and globally at the minute in terms of Irishness and what that is. I think for our part in that, we are very keen and passionate that the language takes centre stage in that.

“We operate when there are no festivals on here and provide that service, but we also lean into it when it is happening, so it’s a privilege for us all to be involved in that.”

As they mark 35 years serving the city’s Irish-speaking community, Cónall said for the next 35 years he would like the community to feel it’s a space serving them well.

He said: “We want to keep meeting the expectations of the Irish language speaking community in Belfast as regards artistic programme, concerts, and gigs. We’re looking to be a producing house but also a receiving house for Irish language musicians, for musicians in general across the city.

“We feel it’s our duty and obligation to give areas surrounding here, like Beehcmount, the Whiterock, Ballymurphy, Springhill and surrounding areas, a world class artistic programme. Whether that’s plays, concerts, dramas, and we hope to establish more of a youth music programme.

“If I wanted anything for the next 35 years here, it’s that we want people to feel like this is their building, it’s their asset. It’s the greatest show on earth in here, you get some absolute characters through the door.

“But we’re also the tourist information point for West Belfast, so when people come off the boats and go to the Visit Belfast office facing the City Hall and say they want to see West Belfast, they come here.

“Whether it’s the murals, the Connolly Centre, or whatever it is they like to see, they call here. If tourists are coming to Belfast and visit here they’re getting an authentic slice of the city.

“Authenticity is that we’re not doing this to impress anybody, it’s not because we’re looking people to fawn over Ireland or the language or culture. We’re doing this because it’s who we are, what we’re about, what we aspire to be, and what we seek to bring into the future.”

Cultúrlann has a wide range of events planned this week for the Fleadh fringe, as well as their own programme. This includes daily traditional music sessions and an art exhibition featuring artists from across Ireland. Click here for more details.

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