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At this year’s All Ireland Fleadh there will be ten bands competing this is a record low for the competition and it’s even down from last year’s figure of 13. There are some new band at the All Ireland this year but six bands from last year are not a the All Ireland this year which is a worry figure. But anyway we’ll look at who is here and what their chances are of getting g their hands on a Gerry Wheelan Memorial Cup.
Pipe Bands
In this section we have the Ulster and Connacht winners. The Longstone Pipe Band were last year’s All Ireland winners under the Fleadh rules they should have qualified straight through to the All Ireland and shouldn’t have been competing at the Down and Ulster Fleadhanna but either way they’d still be at the All Ireland. They will really want to achieve back to back All Ireland’s for the first time ever but interestingly the last time they attempted to win back to back All Ireland’s, their competitors on Sunday beat them in 2012 after they won the All Ireland in 2011. The Batafada band have previously won the All Ireland in 2012 when they returned to the Fleadh in 2015 they only placed second so this year they will want to go one step further at the expense of the County Down Band once more.
Junior Accordion
This year there is just one competitor in this competition again, it hasn’t been competitively contested since 2014. K and S accordion Band will be bidding for successive All Ireland titles for the first time since they won back to back titles in 2008 and 2009. But that was a much more competitive time and on Sunday they should secure this with ease provided they attend the competition which they have chosen not to do in previous years even though they’d qualified, this happened in 2016. 
Senior Accordion
There was no entries in this competition at any county or provincial Fleadhanna this year. The only band who did qualify were last year’s All Ireland Champions but they have decided they won’t be competing on Sunday. This is a huge disappointment, this was one of the biggest competitions at the Fleadh for so many years and played host to so many interesting rivalries and contests hopefully more bands will compete in this competition again.
Junior Flute
Once again there are no competitors in this competition and none have qualified.
Senior Flute
The Maghery Band return once again this year to routinely collect the All Ireland Trophy, it’s become a formality over the last five years. But that doesn’t diminish their achievement in winning, it’s not their fault they have no competition, this is only the second year this band has faced no one in the All Ireland but it is a problem. Although this should not take away from the Maghery Band who are arguably one of the best bands in Ireland right now and even though they have no competition I think they would beat them anyway they are so good! 
Junior Miscellaneous
This year in this competition we will have a new All Ireland winner no matter who wins. The first band is an experienced competitor and has won so many of these Junior Miscellaneous All Ireland titles. Cloich Cheann Fhaola will be looking to extend their long list of titles this Sunday and will have a great chance of success after their exemplary performance at the Ulster Fleadh. Their competitor Blanchards Town Marching Band I know nothing about to be honest, I’ve tried to research them but I’ve found nothing. They are probably a new band starting up and will lack experience at this high level but we will find out on Sunday.
Senior Miscellaneous
This is arguably one of the closest competitions of the day and with four bands in it, it could be anyone who lifts the All Ireland cup at the end of it. The new band to this section is the Foxford Brass and Reed Band, they’ve kept their cards close to their chest and will want the other bands to not know what to expect. But I’d say their performance will shock everyone and will stand out from the rest with their unique style which may benefit them and help their chances of winning the All Ireland. The next band in this section is the Ramelton Town Band they will be hurting from the last few years at the All Ireland from placing runner up at the last two All Ireland’s and placing second at the Ulster this year. It should be noted they did beat one band on each occasion but they will want to go one step further this Sunday at regain their All Ireland title for the first time since 2016.
The other two left in this section have the best chance at winning the All Ireland in my opinion. Donegal Town Band put on an immense performance in Castlewellan and it stunned everyone. I think if the Ulster Champions can replicate that on Sunday they will have a real shot. Them and Cloich Cheann Fhaola have really similar styles of music and drill so it will be interesting to see who will come out on top. Last year’s All Ireland Champions are bidding for three in a row and the Cloich cheann Fhaola Senior Band will attempt to make more history this year. They haven’t competed against anyone all summer but I don’t think this will affect them. It’s set up to be an exciting competition.
Tomorrow we’ll look at five taking points ahead of the All Ireland and on Saturday we will release our predictions!