Belfast to host Irish music festival again in 2027

The world's largest festival of Irish music and dance is set to take place in Belfast for the second year in a row. Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann - the All-Ireland Fleadh - is held for a week during August and, in the past, has welcomed up to 600,000 visitors to the host town or city. The event had already been confirmed for 2026 in Belfast and will run from 2 - 9 August. Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann confirmed on Saturday that Belfast will again host the All-Ireland Fleadh in 2027 becoming the first location in Northern Ireland to host the cultural music festival twice. Organisers also announced on Saturday more details about this year's event. Sharon Shannon and her Big Band will headline the main stage on 2 August 2026. Belfast City Council said other acts performing on the gig rig stage for the opening ceremony in 2026 will be award-winning group Goitse; former All-Ireland winners, Blackwater Ceili Band; and Belfast ensemble McPeake. It added that it will also include "a range of school choirs, as well as cross-community and multi-cultural performances". Deputy lord mayor of Belfast, Councillor Paul Doherty, said it was a "tremendous honour" for Belfast to host the event again in 202