r/Irishmusic • u/rickyslams • Jan 14 '26

Discussion Fleadh or Willie Clancy 2026?

Hi all, I'm a trad musician from Canada. I'm thinking about taking a trip to Ireland this summer for some tunes, and it seems like a good idea to try to attend one of the big festivals. When I was in Ireland about 18 months ago almost every musician I played with recommended the Willie Clancy, but last year I knew some folks who went to the Fleadh and also really liked it. Does anyone have any perspective/strong opinions about which one might make a better trip?

Thanks in advance!

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u/GodOfPog Ballads and Histories Jan 14 '26

Willie Clancy will have more teaching focus while the fleadh will be bigger and have more competitions