The timetable for the competitions at the Derry Fleadh on Saturday, 19th May, can now be viewed by clicking here. The timetable for the Antrim Fleadh is available at the Glens of Antrim Comhaltas website - click here.

 

We had a very successful session on Thursday, 3rd May, to complete our season's activities. It included a performance by the All-Ireland Scor winning Instrumental Group from Wolfe Tones GAC, Bellaghy (below).

Classes finished on Saturday, 12th May, and we're hoping to resume on Saturday, 15th September for another 12-week term. Our next session will be on Friday, 28th September, in the Sean O'Leary GAC centre. We'll be using a space at the front of the premises, so patrons will need to use the front door of the hall from now on.

 

 

Our last session of the season will be held in the Comhaltas Room on Thursday, 3rd May at 7:30pm (junior) and 9:00pm (senior). We hope as many people as possible come along as it will be the last session to be held in the room. After a residency of 35 years, we'll be relocating to another part of the premises when the sessions resume in the autumn. We also propose move the sessions to a Friday night instead of Thursday - more details to follow.

 

A very successful and enjoyable table quiz was held in The Elk on Friday, 27th April. The grand sum of £590 was raised for Newbridge CCE, so thanks to all those who came along and supported the event.

 

Although our music classes finish on Saturday, 12th May, there are plenty of local fleadhanna and feiseanna coming up for our pupils and members to continue to practice for.

First up are the Derry and Antrim fleadhanna, both being held this year on the weekend of 19/20 May. Although entries for competitions at both Derry and Cushendall are now closed, anyone can go along to observe.

On Saturday, 26th May, the traditional music section of the Yew Tree Feis is being held in The Acorn Centre, Crosskeys Road, Ahoghill beginning at 10:30am. This feis is for primary school age children and competitions in whistle, fiddle and miscellaneous instruments are split into three smaller groups according to class (P1-P3, P4-P5 and P6-P7). Click here to see the entire feis programme.

This year's Feis na nGleann is being held in Cushendall Parish Centre on Sunday, 10th June, starting at 11:00am. As well as fiddle, whistle and miscellaneous competitions, there are competitions for flute, accordian, slow air, instrumental groups and singing in both English and Irish. The age groups here are U-8, U-10, U-12, U-14 and O-14. Visit the feis website for more information.

Closer to home, Feis Charn Tochair 2012 will be held at An Carn outside Maghera on Saturday, 16th June. Fiddle, whistle, miscellaneous instruments and singing in Irish competitions are available to solo performers and there are group competitions at various age levels as well. Entries need to be submitted by Tuesday, 29th May, and a programme will then be worked out and distributed to those taking part. Click here for more information. 

 

 

This year's County Derry fleadh will be held in Derry City on Saturday, 19th May at the Culturlann Ui Chanain premises at Gt. James' St. in the city. Any member of Newbridge CCE wishing to enter any of the competitions need to submit their entries through a committee member before Wednesday, 25th April. Also, anyone who won a trophy last year needs to return it to a committee member by the same date. Once entries are processed, a timetable will be made available which we hope to publish here.

 

Music classes were due to finish on Saturday, 31st March. However, we have decided to run an extra five classes between Easter and the fleadh, so classes resume after Easter on Saturday, 4th April and finish on Saturday, 12th May. Fees for the new term will be £15 and additional family members pay £10. Fees are payable at registration which will be between 10:00am and 10:30am on Saturday, 4th April. As before, classes in tin whistle, fiddle and banjo/mandolin are available and new students are always welcome.

 

As a result, we have also decided to have an additional monthly session this year on Thursday, 3rd May. Not only will this be our last session before the summer break, it will be our last ever session in the "Comhaltas Room" at the Sean O'Leary GAC centre as the football club, who have been our hosts since the formation of the branch 35 years ago, need the room for other purposes. We're hoping for a good turnout on the night as the venue has seen many memorable nights over the years - an announcement on a new venue will be made at a later date.

 

A fundraising table quiz will be held in The Elk on Friday, 27th April, at 9:00pm. Admission is £5.

 

 

 

  

 

Our first session of 2012 was one of our best attended in recent years (see pictures below). A total of approximately 40-50 musicians participated in the junior and senior sessions, and there was also a sizeable audience to enjoy the music and singing. We hope to build on this success for the February session which takes place on Thursday, 2nd February.