Beyond the Winners: Celebrating the Bands of the 2026 All-Ireland Fleadh

Much of the attention following the All-Ireland Fleadh marching band competitions naturally falls on the bands who return home with the first-place trophies.

But a results sheet can only tell a small part of the story.

Behind every band that took to the competition arena at Titanic Slipways in Belfast on Sunday were months of rehearsals, travelling, organising, fundraising and commitment from musicians, instructors, committee members and families.

For many, simply reaching the All-Ireland stage represented a significant achievement in itself.

Across the different marching band competitions, several of this year’s second and third-placed bands had particularly significant stories behind their performances.

MULLAGHDUFF SHOW THEIR PROGRESS ON ALL-IRELAND RETURN

Mullaghduff Flute Band’s return to the All-Ireland Fleadh was an important occasion for a band with such a proud history in the competition.

Their appearance in Belfast marked their first All-Ireland Fleadh performance since 2017 and represented another major step forward for a new generation within the band.

There was also a noticeable step up from their performance at the Ulster Fleadh, with Mullaghduff producing a much stronger showing on the All-Ireland stage.

Against a Maghery side chasing history, Mullaghduff gave a performance which demonstrated the progress being made within the band and the work that has gone into rebuilding towards competing at this level again.

For a band once so accustomed to All-Ireland success, Sunday’s result may not have brought another title, but returning to the competition and producing a performance of that standard was an achievement in its own right and something they should be proud of.

RAMELTON’S RETURN MEANS MUCH MORE THAN A RESULT

Few stories from this year’s competition carried as much emotion as Ramelton Town Band’s return to the All-Ireland Fleadh.

The band only returned to playing music around nine months ago. For some members, Sunday was their first time performing at an All-Ireland Fleadh in 23 years.

Their return followed the sad passing last year of their drum instructor, Conor Porter.

As Ramelton explained following Sunday’s competition, members meeting again to honour Conor at his funeral ultimately provided the motivation to reform the band.

Their All-Ireland performance was dedicated to his memory.

That makes Ramelton’s journey to Belfast about much more than a competition placing. In less than a year, a band which had been absent from the scene has regrouped, returned to rehearsals and marching and made it all the way back to an All-Ireland Fleadh.

It was a significant achievement for everyone involved and a fitting tribute to someone who had played an important part in the band.

DUN NA SÍ REACH THE ALL-IRELAND FOR THE FIRST TIME

For Dun Na Sí Moate, Belfast represented another type of milestone – the band’s first ever appearance at an All-Ireland Fleadh.

Around 60 children make up the band, with a wide range of instruments and some exceptionally young musicians involved.

Getting a group of that size, and with children across such a wide age range, prepared to perform and march together at an All-Ireland competition requires an enormous amount of work behind the scenes especially when they were starting from scratch. So many of today’s bands are steeped in tradition which drives them on but for a band starting from scratch it’s much more difficult.

Rehearsals are only one part of it. Instructors, parents and volunteers all have a role in getting dozens of young musicians to the point where they can confidently take the field at the biggest Fleadh competition of the year.

To make their first All-Ireland appearance and finish third was a memorable achievement for Dun Na Sí and provides an excellent foundation for the young band to build upon.

ST KEVIN’S CONTINUE THEIR DEVELOPMENT

St Kevin’s of Wexford also deserve considerable credit after taking second place in the Junior Miscellaneous competition.

The band has continued to develop year on year, and once again there were some very young musicians taking part in Belfast.

Their performances are the end product of a huge amount of rehearsal and dedication throughout the year – something which can easily be overlooked when only the final results are published.

Finishing second at the All-Ireland Fleadh was another indication of the progress being made by St Kevin’s and, with so many young members gaining experience at this level, there is plenty for the band to build on in the years ahead.

ACHILL MAKE IMPRESSIVE ALL-IRELAND RETURN

Achill Pipe Band returned to the All-Ireland Fleadh for the first time since 2017 and produced a strong performance to take second place in the Pipe Band competition.

An absence of almost a decade from the All-Ireland stage made Sunday’s appearance particularly significant.

Returning to this level requires considerable commitment from everyone involved, and Achill showed that they were not simply back to make up the numbers.

They delivered a very good performance in Belfast and secured the runners-up position behind Clonoe Independent Pipe Band.

After such a lengthy absence, Achill’s return and second-place finish represented a major achievement and another positive development for the pipe band competition.

NEW YORK BAND MAKE HISTORY IN BELFAST

There was also a historic first for Cork Pipes and Drums of New York, who finished third in the Pipe Band competition on their first appearance at an All-Ireland Fleadh.

Travelling from New York to participate brought an entirely different level of organisation and commitment, and their presence added something special to this year’s competition in Belfast. Throughout the weekend they entertained crowds on the gig rig and at the Garrick Pub.

To travel across the Atlantic, take part in an All-Ireland Fleadh for the first time and leave with a third-place finish made it a memorable weekend for the band.

Their participation also demonstrated the reach of Irish marching band traditions well beyond Ireland and provided another memorable element to the first Belfast-hosted All-Ireland Fleadh.

MORE THAN A PLACE ON A RESULTS SHEET

Competition inevitably means there have to be winners, and the achievements of this year’s All-Ireland champions deserve to be celebrated.

But finishing second or third does not diminish the work required to reach the competition field.

For some of the bands in Belfast, Sunday represented a return after years away. For others, it was their first All-Ireland appearance. Some were rebuilding, while others were bringing exceptionally young musicians through and giving them experience which could shape their bands for years to come.

Every rehearsal night, every instructor giving their time, every parent bringing a young musician to practice and every committee member working behind the scenes contributes towards the few minutes the public eventually sees on competition day.

The trophies will record who won the 2026 All-Ireland Fleadh.

But there were plenty of achievements beyond first place that deserve to be remembered too.