WHEN Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann was held in Derry for the first time earlier this year, the musical extravaganza attracted up to 500,000 people to the city.
A selection of the best stories to come out of the festival will be the focus of a new BBC NI documentary, Fleadh, screening this Monday. Director Sean McGuire follows some of the musicians hoping for All-Ireland glory on the long road to Derry, while composer Lorcan Mac Mathuna is filmed working with local talents to create a signature piece of music called From the River to the Sea, commissioned to mark the opening of the Fleadh.
Fleadh goes backstage to show us how various performers compete against hundreds of other hopefuls at county level and then at provincial level, in the hope of winning through to the main event in Derry.
Those featured include family band The McKennas, banjo player Tomas Quinn and a Leeds man who first tasted All-Ireland success aged 14 and who takes part in qualifying event the All-Britain Fleadh despite not having picked up his accordion in 20 years.
Viewers will also see Britain's reigning ceili band champions St Roch's from Glasgow as they go up against Enniskillen's Knockmore Ceili Band, in the fleadh's hotly contested closing event.
*Fleadh screens on BBC One NI on Monday at 10.35pm.
Brian Campbell