All-Ireland Fleadh Preview: K & S Chasing Back-to-Back Junior Accordion Titles

K & S Marching Band will bid to retain the Junior Accordion title when they return to the All-Ireland Fleadh marching band competitions in Belfast next Sunday at 2pm.

The Meath band claimed the title in Wexford last year and will once again compete in the Junior Accordion section after qualifying for this year’s All-Ireland.

While they will be the only band in the section, the performance will still be judged against the All-Ireland standard, with the adjudicators assessing whether the band reaches the level required to retain the national title.

Victory in Belfast would give K & S a third consecutive appearance on the All-Ireland podium in as many years and secure the band’s 10th Junior Accordion title overall.

The band’s previous Junior Accordion victories came in 1987, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2025, giving K & S one of the strongest records in the history of the competition.

A successful defence would also mark the first time the band has retained the title since 2019, having previously won back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019. They also achieved consecutive victories in 2008 and 2009.

The All-Ireland Fleadh remains the biggest event in the marching band calendar, with competitors from across Ireland travelling to Titanic Slipways to compete across seven sections.

K & S will now look to add another chapter to their impressive Junior Accordion record by successfully defending the title they won twelve months ago and leaving Belfast with the All-Ireland crown once again.