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Help: What's a 'Fleadh'?
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Subject: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 21 May 01 - 05:20 AM Puzzled. I thought the expresion looked Irish and seemed sort of folky but have just seen the following advert which leads me to believe that, not for the first time, I am barking up the wrong tree. Or barking mad. Any of the linguists out there know what the expression realy means. Full advert (From Radio 2 web site) RADIO 2 - THE OFFICIAL RADIO STATION OF THE LONDON FLEADH Neil Young & Crazy Horse - The Waterboys - Gary Moore - Aimee Mann - Starsailor - The Gypsy Kings - Afro Celt Sound System This year Radio 2 is proud to announce that it will be the 'Official Radio Station' for the 12th annual Fleadh. The event will be taking place on Saturday 16 June in Finsbury Park, London, and will be headlined by Neil Young and Crazy Horse - "the greatest rock and roll show on the planet" - their first UK show since 1996. With the Fleadh's strongest line-up ever, this will also include some of the best Celtic, British and American songwriters around. Joining Neil Young on the Main Stage will be Mike Scott and the newly rejuvenated Waterboys making a stunning return to the 'big music', guitar hero Gary Moore, and NME tips for the top - Starsailor. Headlining on the Mojo second stage will be Fleadh favourite Billy Bragg & The Blokes, with maverick US indie star and rediscovered songwriter par excellence Evan Dando, alongside Scottish songsmiths and festival favourites Teenage Fanclub. Also performing will be Glenn Tilbrook & The Party, Victoria Williams, Mark Olson & The Harmony Ridge Creekdippers, Cousteau, and Andy White. Cheers Dave the ignorant Gnome |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler Date: 21 May 01 - 05:30 AM I suspect they've just gradually widened the range of bands on offer to increase the attendance. I think it was mainly "Celtic" when it first started (but what do I know about anything folkie?). The band lists for a lot of jazz festivals are a puzzle to me , but for the same reason, I expect. RtS |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler Date: 21 May 01 - 06:23 AM Of course if they wanted to restore a Celtic flavour, encourage US participation and get droves of UK people to come, they'd fly in Sorcha Dorcha, NY's premier Celtic band with songs old and new.....(was that OK, Larry?) RtS |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Wolfgang Date: 21 May 01 - 06:43 AM To the best of my restricted knowledge a 'fleadh' is a 'feast' (festival), nothing else. In combination with another word, 'Fleadh Cheoil', you may safely expect traditional Irish music. Since 'Fleadh Cheoil' has sometimes been shortened to 'Fleadh' (as if there would be no other feast possible) people have started expecting a 'Fleadh Cheoil' when they saw the word 'fleadh'. Look e.g. at 13th Galway Film Fleadh to see how wrong such an expectation can be. All in all, you should be glad that the London Fleadh is still about music of some kind and not about something completely different which would still be covered by the word's meaning. On the other hand, when I see the list of bands and musicians and with the additional information that it once was about 'Celtic' music, I can understand your frustration. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Big Mick Date: 21 May 01 - 09:49 AM The word actually references a festival or a party. A feast would be referred to as "féasta". A musical feast would be "féasta a cheoil". A fleádh cheoil would be a musical festival or party. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Noreen Date: 21 May 01 - 09:51 AM Interesting line-up, Dave...hmmm... This festival started when a local branch ofComholtas Ceoltoiri Eireann (the local branches of which operate on a shoestring and a button) applied to the GLC for a grant and were given several thousand pounds to spend. It has been sponsored by Guinness and various other people since, and was always Irish music-based, with the Pogues, Sharon Shannon, Van Morrison, Christy Moore, Mary Black, the Cranberries, being involved at various times. It would seem from this year's line-up that the current organisers are not interested in that any more- shame. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Mikey Joe Date: 21 May 01 - 09:56 AM Fleadh literally means orgy. Although it is commonly used in the sense of festival Fleadh Cheol - Orgy of Music There you have it at last "So long dear I'm off to an orgy" Mj |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Sales trick? Date: 21 May 01 - 10:12 AM Looks like th UK is still the same old same old bs... The Advertiser is exploiting the ignorance of the Public! A Fleadh is heretofore and Festival and Competition of Irish Traditional Dance Music and Folk Song. Presumably the advertiser hopes to entrap uninformed puters to a Rock Concert on the false impression it will be real KeWl and hOt hand etc etc.., since the Fleadh Ceol has aquired a reputation for excellence. The real Fleadh is free for the most part where a visitor will hear in the Streets Parks etc superb music, the player can easily find and join in with great sessions and if in Ireland get spoiled with hospitality not to metion a decent pint of *G*. Final point to be aware of, there is very little amplification, or you do not need to bring ear plugs lol. The Rock Fleadh on the other hand costs for admission, is restricted to teenagers and younger adults, is in a Stadium not an entire Town, is very loud - bring ear plugs - is a rip off where food is sold from ramshackle stands of inferior and often unhealthy materials, beer etc is vastly overcharged but can be a better variety. is weather dependant where crowds often have NO where to go if it rains - very likely -. This one sounds like a major con - IMHO |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Big Mick Date: 21 May 01 - 10:42 AM Mikey Joe, you are going to have to source that for me. The Collins Gem Irish Dictionary is the source I used. It does not list a specific word for orgy, and is very specific in that the word means festival or party. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 21 May 01 - 10:55 AM Thanks folks. Very informative. I guess Fleadh will start to mean different things to different people, same as ceilidh. The English ceilidhs I attend are usualy different from the Irish or Scottish ones. No 'calling' of the dances for one and a different 'feel' in general. Mind you I have only been to one of each of the latter so perhaps they were not representative? Anywho. Thanks again and I shall watch for the time when all festivals become Fleadhs. Now then. How do you pronounce it properly. I have only just mastered Bodhran! Cheers Dave |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Big Mick Date: 21 May 01 - 11:11 AM It is hard to get exact phonically, but flah will do. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Noreen Date: 21 May 01 - 11:14 AM flah, Dave. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Clinton Hammond Date: 21 May 01 - 11:19 AM What's a 'Fleadh'? It's a party... go there... have fun... and don't worry about what some bonehead is gonna try to tell you is the REAL meaning!! ;-) |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Steve Parkes Date: 21 May 01 - 11:20 AM I always thought an orgy wass the same as a party, only more ends up on the floor (including the gusts) ... Steve |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Big Mick Date: 21 May 01 - 11:24 AM Clinton, quit being an asshole. I realize that is hard, but at least try. The guy asked for the meaning to a word in Irish. People are not boneheads for trying to answer his question. Keep this load of shite up and by the time I let you buy me a Guinness, you are going to owe me a keg.... Mick |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Fibula Mattock Date: 21 May 01 - 11:41 AM so what's the difference in connotation/definition between a fleadh and a feile? |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Clinton Hammond Date: 21 May 01 - 11:50 AM I don't owe nobody nothin'! |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Big Mick Date: 21 May 01 - 11:56 AM féile, as I understand it, is generally is used to denote a festival/feast day of a Saint or in a religious context. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Fibula Mattock Date: 21 May 01 - 12:00 PM Ahhhh! I see. There were some very excellent annual rock/pop music festivals in Semple Stadium, Thurles, Tipperary, known as the "Trip to Tipp" or more commonly as "Feile 92" or whatever year it was (I went to Feile 92 and 93). Perhaps they use "feile" for that because of the traditional music connotations of "fleadh" in Ireland. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Big Mick Date: 21 May 01 - 12:07 PM Fib, I don't understand how they would use "féile" in the context of a music festival. Perhaps one of our more learned scholars can help us here. I know that is not how the references I am checking would define it. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Peter K (Fionn) Date: 21 May 01 - 06:27 PM I think our guest, Sales trick, has picked the wrong target to have a poke at. The Finsbury Park fleadh was always cracking good value when I lived in London (up to 1995). And Noreen, why bemoan the range of the line-up? It's still not broad enough in my view, given that Finsbury Park is now a hugely cosmopolitan community. Calling it a fleadh does not mean it has to be exclusively Irish, any more than calling it a festival would mean it had to be exclusively English-language. Once in a while some language throws up a word (eg rendezvous) that's so damn useful it gets poached, and I reckon fleadh is a good candidate for that. But there are limits. For instance I once saw Barney McKenna playing mean banjo in the Mean Fiddler and had to get the Trades Descriptions people involved. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Matt_R Date: 21 May 01 - 06:58 PM Always loved that line in "Trip To Jerusalem" by Christy Moore (originally by Joe Dolan) that says "We met some Paddies and we had a fleadh/ Marched through the streets of Elat-town/ Sang "Sean South of Garryowen"... |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Magician Date: 21 May 01 - 07:11 PM basically a pissup. After this weekend I think you could manage one of them. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Noreen Date: 21 May 01 - 10:40 PM Fionn, I wasn't bemoaning the range of the line-up, I think it's wonderful to have diversity in a festival. I would have liked to see them keep on the tradition of having significant Irish influence there, though, as it was the distinctive point of the Fleadh. Noreen |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Ella who is Sooze Date: 22 May 01 - 03:17 AM Well, I don't know about you lot, but I'm off to the Fleadh Cheoil Na Eireann this year again, in Listowel. Can't wait! loads of music EVERYWHERE! Hey Mikey.... what do you reckon - will we actually get round to bumping into each other this year!. Lol E |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Dave the Gnome Date: 22 May 01 - 03:45 AM Ooooh - I'm jelous, Ella. Spent a wonderful fortnight in Listowel a few years back. Be sure to visit Finuge and pay homage to the home of Sean McCarthy! Cheers DtG |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Frankl Date: 22 May 01 - 07:19 AM In my Ó Dónaill's Irish-English dictionary which has the standardised spelling, the word is "fleá",it has two meanings: 1.(Drinking)feast, 2."fleá cheoil, festival of music. Its pronounced "flah"or perhaps "flaah". |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Pinetop Slim Date: 22 May 01 - 10:08 AM Here's what the 1999 Cuckoo Fest (Fleadh na Cuach, in Kinvara) was like, sort of: 1.There's a digeridoo, from the land of the kangaroo, and it's hummin' while some rasta man plays ska; It's a waste of space, says the smiling guitar ace, why's this dredlock rhythm bash at the fleadh? But the drone drones on 'til the sun goes down; No one's saying No to music here. Cho: Around Kinvara Bay, first weekend in May, for three days this is where the cuckoo sings; To the pubs along the quay, the great ones come to play; for three days we feel the cuckoo's cheer. 2. At the Merriman Hotel, Carson's playing bloody well, but the horny crowd wants no hornpipes tonight; So he cuts loose with some pop, his trio gives 'em what they got; kids are waltzing as we fall out the door. Woozy feet waltz on 'til the last pint's gone; No one's sayin' no to boozin' here.,br> 3. Across the silver strings of his magic mandolin, Colfer's offtoCalifornia touch is gold; here's some songs from Mulligan, then all join in the jam; concertina, bodhrans and a piper bold; Ancient songs play on 'til the day is done; No one's saying No to music here. 4. We know Jackie Daley's name, from Patrick Street acclaim; around here he's a neighbor, he's a friend; And it's a pumpin' squeezebox scene at a tiny pub called Green's; we're all hopin that the session never ends. Slides and reels play on til the night is gone; No one's saying No to music here. Coda: From Connolly's to Flatley's, from the Pierhead to the Shawl, and don't forget good Winkles, where Moylan* rolled this ball. It's the Cuckoo Fest, and you'll get no rest. Your ears say you've got to hear it all. Your ears say you've got to hear it call. (*Tony Moylan is the pub operator credited with starting the Cuckoo Fleadh) |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: mooman Date: 22 May 01 - 10:32 AM Good to known my old friend from London (some 20+ years ago), John Colfer, is still going strong Pinetop. A true magician on the mandolin and banjo! mooman |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Mikey joe Date: 23 May 01 - 08:46 AM I'll do my best Ella. I reckon I'll have to start with a quiet pint in John b's on the Wednesday night and hit dingle the day after before coming back for the reel thing. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,Claymore Date: 23 May 01 - 11:06 AM At the risk of being redundant from other threads in the same vein, 13 of us (musicians and cloggers) from Shepherdstown, WV will be attending the Fleadh in Listowel. We will be staying at the Dillanes Farmhouse B&B, while some of the younger folks attend the Scoil Eigse during the opening days of the Fleadh. Some of these kids have qualified for the competitions, so we'll stay for that. As I have noted before, any and all Mudcatters, please make yourselves known while we are there. With four top-notch cloggers, one of the best fiddlers in the area, with a hammered dulcimer, autoharps, banjos, mandos, squeezeboxes and the like, we should be easy to pick out. And blessings on the Irish who have helped plan the trip. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Ella who is Sooze Date: 12 Jun 01 - 03:24 AM Hey Joe... Only just getting back to checking this thread out, been off line for bit since changing offices... Your're going there from Wednesday! I think we are going on the Thursday or Friday going home again on the Tues. Can't wait, went over for my birthday to stay with my friend in Listowel had a great time. Spent my birthday morning on Ballybunion beach, then driving over the Connor Pass to Dingle. LOVELY! Dave... We're staying in Finuge with a friend, heard all about Sean McCarthy there. We went into the Fishermans pub - had a great laugh there too. Dingle for a real reel... hmmm... Only problem is that once I get to Listowel, I'm not counting on being able to drive for a couple of days. Ella |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Mrrzy Date: 12 Jun 01 - 10:07 AM And how do you pronounce Cheoil? Sale? |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Noreen Date: 12 Jun 01 - 11:22 AM Key-ole or Kyole, Mrrzy. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Noreen Date: 12 Jun 01 - 11:40 AM (with the stress on the 'ole' ! |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,JTT Date: 13 Jun 01 - 01:58 AM What arrant nonsense! A fleadh is, of course, an insect found only in the mountains of Baile Mhuirne; it is green, with eighteen legs, 127 small red spots and a piercing cry like uileann pipes badly played. |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Crazy Eddie Date: 13 Jun 01 - 02:10 AM Guesst JTT, Does this mean that the town of Ratsio is in Ballyvoorney? "And one of the men began to sneeze, And woke up half a million fleas The night we spent in Ratsio...... |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: Snuffy Date: 13 Jun 01 - 08:18 AM Rothesay-o? |
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Subject: RE: Help: What's a 'Fleadh'? From: GUEST,in ole cape breton Date: 13 Jun 01 - 06:31 PM in cape breton gaelic it means generally party, but usually implies fiddle music and dance as opposed the seissuin where there were rarely dancers, but not as formal as a grand barn dance with hundreds if not thousands of dancers. in the general sense the word is used just for party. some times it was also used the mean competitive dancing but that's rare. now some say it's scottish for an annoying insect pest that keeps you wiggling and writhing like a dancer. |
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