1950’s
In January 1951, representatives of The Piper’s Club, based at Thomas Street in Dublin travelled to the midlands town of Mullingar for a meeting with traditional music enthusiasts from county Westmeath. Though none of the participants could have known it at the time, decisions made at this gathering that would help shape the cultural landscape of Ireland for decades to come.
Two ideas were discussed at this meeting. The first was the founding of an organisation to promote Irish traditional music, the other was to explore the possibility of organising an annual national festival of Irish music, song and dance. Progress was made and so a few weeks later, at a follow-up meeting, it was decided that, in conjunction wit Feis Lár na hÉireann (an annual Gaelic League event in Mullingar) a Fleadh Cheoil would be held in the town over the Whit weekend in May. The aim of the fleadh was to promote traditional music to a wider audience and to halt a decline in it’s popularity.
The first Fleadh Cheoil was a modest affair by today’s standards but the best of traditional musicians from all over Ireland were drawn to Mullingar and all who attended were energised by the experience, so much so that, before the end of the decade the Fleadh Cheoil would fulfil the ambition of it’s founders, becoming a great annual national festival attended by thousands from all over Ireland and overseas.
On October 14th, 1951, at Árus Ceannt in Thomas Street in Dublin, the first standing committee of Cumann Ceoltóirí na hÉireann was elected. However, a few months later, at a meeting in Mullingar, the name of the organisation was changed to one that, within a short time, would be widely known throughout Ireland and beyond; Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. In 1956, also in Mullingar, the first constitution of the organisation was adopted and the aims and objectives of CCÉ were outlined in the opening pages;
- To promote Irish Traditional Music in all its forms.
(ii) To restore the playing of the Harp and the Uilleann Pipes in the National life of Ireland.
(iii) To create a closer bond betwen all lovers of Irish Music.
(iv) To co-operate with all bodies working for the restoration of Irish culture.
(v) To establish branches throughout the country, and abroad, to achieve the foregoing aims and objects.
Comhaltas grew steadily through the 1950’s, with Branches being set up all around the country with the first overseas branch being founded in Glasgow, the Irish Minstrels Branch, in 1957. The decision to hold Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in a different venue each year also helped to popularise the organisation nationally so that, by the end of the decade, the Fleadh had been hosted by nine different towns spread throughout all four provinces.