This year’s All Ireland Fleadh takes place in Drogheda and ten marching bands will descend on the town on Sunday afternoon to compete for Ireland’s most coveted and prestigious title, All Ireland Champions.
#1 Pipe Contest Set for Interesting Affair
This year’s pipe competition looks set to be majorly competitive these two bands have a history with each other and Longstone will want to get one over on their Mayo rivals after they stopped they’re last attempt at back to back All Ireland’s. Similarly the Batafada Band will want to regain the title after narrowly losing out on it in 2012. It will be fascinating to see who wins.
#2 Cloich Cheann Fhaola Bands Bid for Second All Ireland Double
Two years ago in 2017 the Cloich Cheann Fhaola bands made a historic first by being the first Miscellaneous bands to win Junior and Senior titles on the same day. This was only ever done previously by Jonesborough and Atticall Bands in the Accordion section in 2012 and 2016. This weekend they will once again try to make history by bing the first band ever to do this twice. It won’t be easy however with one competitor in the Junior and another three in the Senior they have their work cut out for them. 
#3 Foxford Band Plan All Ireland Ambush
This year for the first time ever the Foxford Brass and Reed Band will travel to the All Ireland Fleadh. They will bring something completely different with their Brass Band and it will be an interesting watch. This band has a real advantage on Sunday as they know what their facing in the other bands but no one knows a lot about them. So can they spring a surprise on Sunday? Who knows? 
#4 Donegal Town Attempt History on Sunday
This Sunday Donegal Town Band will attempt to win the Senior Miscellaneous All Ireland for the first time ever. While they have been highly successful in the Junior Section winning four All Ireland’s I underestimated them before the Ulster. But since then I believe they have a real shot on Sunday and will give Cloich Cheann Fhaola a good run for their money. So far Cloich Cheann Fhaola Senior are unbeaten since 2017 Ramelton, Loughmacrory and Atticall have all failed to come close but if anyone knows how to beat Cloich Cheann Fhaola it should be them as they’ve done it in all their Junior All Ireland wins.
#5 K and S Bid for 12th All Ireland while Maghery going for 10th All Ireland Title
Some may say these two bands will have a boring day on Sunday someone actually commented under one of my post that “the All Ireland is a dying competition” and that anyone who wins it’ll be a “hallow victory”. This disappointed me for so many reasons not only was it extremely rude and unfair on the bands but it also it undermines the hard work these bands put in especially on a young band like K and S. All the bands work so hard all year and it’s the biggest day of the year for them, in my questionnaire with Maghery they practice up to 16hrs a week on average it’s unbelievable the effort these people put it and it all goes completely unappreciated. So all these bands deserve to celebrate their win and not everyone can win on Sunday but that doesn’t mean they didn’t work hard enough they all should be proud no matter what happens.
Tomorrow we will have our predictions so come back tomorrow to see who we think will win and why!