Fleadh a ‘dream come true’ for local hospitality sector

The fleadh has been "a dream come true" for Mullingar and the local hospitality sector, according to the manager of the Greville Arms Hotel.

Speaking to the Westmeath Examiner on Sunday evening, the tired but very happy manager of the Greville Arms, John Cochrane, said that the positive economic spin-off from the eight days of the fleadh will last for years.

"The fleadh really has been a dream come true, it's been fabulous. All the international visitors coming into the town and even people all over Ireland coming to Mullingar. I think it's not just this week, it's for the future for the town, people will come back again and again. The county council and especially the fleadh committee, they have done such a wonderful job. The town is looking so well and there is such a positive vibe around the town."

John said that the feedback from visitors has been universally positive.

"I haven't heard one negative thing at all in any part of it. It's fantastic, every part has been positive. People are in great humour. If you're walking up the street there's children playing music everywhere and everybody has a smile on their face. It's lovely to see."

The Greville Arms put in a lot of work to get itself ready for the influx of visitors and was rewarded with huge crowds each day and night.

"We are thrilled with it. People have been in such good form and the staff are delighted. The atmosphere has been great."

Berty Dunne, proprietor of The Annebrook Hotel and Dunne's Guinness Store, the pop up bar in the old Dunnes Stores building on Austin Friar Street, says that thanks to the fleadh more people than ever now know about the "hidden gem" that is Mullingar.

"It was an absolutely fantastic week. I have to say well done to all of the organising committee of the fleadh and their leaders Willie Penrose and Joe Connaire.

"It was a huge success and the town went all out; the shops, bars and restaurants, to cater for the crowds. They did a fantastic job. Walking up the town I couldn't believe how well it looked. The Tidy Towns and everyone, it was an exceptional effort from everyone."

There is a huge expectation locally that Mullingar will be awarded the 2023 fleadh when the announcement is made on September 3. Berty says that it would be richly deserved.

"We put in such an effort to cater for the fleadh and I think - fingers crossed - it will be here again next year. From the hospitality sector's perspective I don't think we could have done any more for them. We pulled out all the stops.

“I have been chatting to people from all over the world and they said that they didn't realise what a beautiful place Mullingar is. I think it is a hidden gem that needs to be marketed more."

The president of the Westmeath branch of the Vintners Federation of Ireland, Liam Gilleran, said that the fleadh week had been "crazy, but crazy good" for the towns' bars.

"It was just phenomonal. If any publican has a complaint about the fleadh they should hang their head in shame. But I know there is no publican who has a complaint because it has been absolutely unreal for our business.

"I was chatting to Justin Kerrigan [from Kerrigan's Bar] yesterday and the two of us were on a high. I really can't put it into words. For all of us in business in town, while you prepare for it, you really don't know what you are preparing for. When that tsunami of people hit it was unreal. To see and hear people talk about Pearse Street and Mount Street and Dominick Street and Austin Friar Street and even up our end has been unreal. Hats off to the committee that brought the fleadh to town. I was speaking to the director general of Comhaltas Labhras Ó Murchu yesterday, he came in for a tea and sandwich. I was so proud to hear that he was blown away by Mullingar."

Like his fellow publicans, Liam was full of praise for the organising committee.

“What Joe Connaire [organising committee chair] and Willie Penrose [vice chair] have done for Mullingar is incredible. If anyone needs the freedom of the town it's those two guys for bringing the fleadh back.”