Ards Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann (CCÉ)
Ards CCÉ is a long established Comhaltas branch since 1976 and during the past 50 years has been very proactive in promoting and fostering the love of Irish traditional music, song, dance and Irish culture throughout Belfast/Ards & North Down area, Ireland, UK, Europe and USA.
The branch prides itself by attracting students from all community backgrounds to enjoy learning traditional instruments/tunes in a fun, safe and friendly environment. All students also get the opportunity to travel abroad to perform at various cultural festivals and many go on to achieve amazing success at County, Provincial and All-Ireland competitions.
Since September 2023, they have also expanded their classes in traditional instruments into Belfast and are now tutoring scores of young students from Belfast at St Joseph’s College, Ravenhill Road, Belfast.
The branch has an extremely strong and dedicated committee with many committed volunteers and music tutors, many of whom have received the ‘Gradam Na Nog’ award from Comhaltas. This is the driving force behind our branch, making it possible to propagate and fortify the Irish culture within our local communities and worldwide through the organisation of regular music sessions, classes, concerts, fleadhanna, festivals and cultural tours abroad.
As well as hosting many county fleadhanna, Ards CCÉ also hosted Fleadh Uladh for the very first time ever in Bangor in 2016 and again in the following year. Both were enormous successes and set the goalpost for future provincial fleadhanna to a very high standard.
Find out more at www.ardscce.co.uk