The Irish will paint Crawley green as the Fleadh kicks off on 18 November. The Crawley Fleadh (pronounced “Flar”and meaning festival) is a celebration of Irish culture that includes music, theatre, sport and a brand new schools programme.

The Crawley Fleadh 2006 is the third annual event and the first year the events will be held in November to coincide with the academic term. The event is organised by the Celtic and Irish Cultural Society who organise a number of events including the Crawley Saint Patrick’s Parade in March and the Crawley Irish Festival in August.

The Fleadh will bring qualified Irish sports coaches into local secondary schools: it will give local schoolchildren the opportunity to play Gaelic Football and Hurling, the oldest field sport in Europe, for the first time in Crawley’s history.

John Nolan, Celtic and Irish Cultural Society chairman:

“The brand new schools programme forms a major part of this year’s Fleadh. We’re very excited that we can showcase Irish sports plus literature and art workshops in local schools. We hope that youngsters will take the opportunity to find out more about Irish traditions and get more involved in the future.”

For adults, Irish language classes, set dancing classes and theatre in the form of the award winning “Rare Oul’ Times” performed by the Nomadic Theatre Company. There will also be plenty of activities for the whole family including Irish dance shows, live music and much more! More details are available online at: www.celtic-irish.co.uk/fleadh

SAT 18 NOVEMBER 2006, 8pm: OPENING NIGHT OF FLEADH £5

Live traditional and ballad music, Irish dance and poetry at The Conservative Club, Three Bridges, Crawley

MON 20 NOVEMBER 2006, 7.30pm: CEILI AND SET DANCING CLASS – £3

Live Music from Wraggle Taggle and a chance to try set dancing at The Emerald Club, Southgate Avenue

MON 20 NOVEMBER 2006, 7.30pm: PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD – £12.50

Irish Playwright JM Synge’s magnificent comedy classic at The Hawth Theatre, Hawth Avenue, Crawley

TUES 21 NOVEMBER 2006, 7pm: IRISH COOKERY CLASS – £3

Ryder Cup head chef, John Coughlan, teaches the secrets of Irish cuisine at Oriel High School, Maidenbower

WED 22 NOVEMBER 2006, 7.30pm: IRISH GAELIC LANGUAGE CLASS – £Free

A chance to learn Europe’s oldest language at The Emerald Club, Southgate Avenue, Crawley

THUR 23 NOVEMBER 2006 7.30pm: IRISH KARAOKE @ WHITE HART – £Free

Classic Irish tunes with a twist at The White Hart, High Street, Crawley

FRI 24 NOVEMBER 2006, 7.30pm: THE RARE OULD TIMES – £5

Award winning Irish theatre as Patrick Kavanagh meets Brendan Behan at The Friary Hall, Haslett Avenue West

SAT 25 NOVEMBER 2006, 7.30pm: CLOSING NIGHT OF THE FLEADH – £5

Live music and dance that the dance halls would be proud of at The Emerald Club, Southgate Avenue, Crawley

SAT 18-26 NOVEMBER, Multiple Venues/ Times: ADDITIONAL EVENTS- £Free

Irish Sports, Art and Literature at local schools and introductory dance classes for boys and girls

Notes to Editors:
The Celtic and Irish Cultural Society organise a number of major events throughout West Sussex including the Crawley Irish Festival and the Saint Patrick’s Festivities which includes the Saint Patrick’s Parade. In addition to funding the insurance costs associated with the free events, cultural and educational events such as Irish Language classes are also funded. The Celtic and Irish Cultural society is funded through business sponsorship, a grant from the Irish government and nominal admission charges. The majority of the costs of operation are met by corporate sponsors including Accurate Developments, Cappagh Group, Coinford Construction, Foundation Developments and LF Nugent Group. Crawley is centrally located in the southeast of England and is an ideal location to celebrate its population’s Irish traditions.

Further press information is available at www.celtic-irish.co.uk

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