IT is day five of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast and spirits are still high, ahead of what is traditionally the busiest period of the festival, from today Thursday through until Sunday. 

With All-Ireland competitions beginning tomorrow, crowd levels are expected to grow further, as the city embraces the final weekend of celebrations at the world’s biggest celebration of Irish traditional music and culture, hosted by Belfast City Council, together with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and Ards CCÉ.

Today’s action at the Fleadh will see Newcastle CCÉ getting things started on the Gig Rig main stage at City Hall at 11am.

After a packed day of performances, expect a mesmerising performance from uilleann piper Conor Mallon and his band as they headline at 8.50pm, followed by SíFiddlers – a group of 13 female Donegal fiddlers at 10.10pm. 

No tickets are required for the Gig Rig and there’s no need to book.

There is also live music over at the Fleadh Zone at Custom House Square from 5pm. The line-up includes Pete Snodden, Chasing Abbey, The Rapparees, Conleth McGeary, The Shamrocks and a special guest at 10pm. No tickets are required.

Fresh from his Ard Ollamh accolade, awarded yesterday evening for his services to traditional Irish music, Reverend Gary Hastings will present a lecture on Traditional Music, Orange and Green at the Linen Hall Library at 12 noon (tickets £5). 

The steps of Belfast Cathedral will also be alive with emerging talent at 2.45pm today for the Seisiún Mór na hÉigse, a celebration of skills learned by young musicians who have been attending Scoil Égise this week, over at the Ulster University. 

The Ulster-Scots Centre at the Corn Exchange also has a huge array of activities from 10.30am today, including Lambeg drum workshops throughout the day, together with music performances, talks and children’s activities over the weekend.  

Also happening today: 

  • Kate Nash, The MAC, 5.30pm (tickets £26.50)
  • Ulster Marching Bands Showcase, Titanic Slipways, 7pm (some walk-in tickets available) 
  • Late Night Art the Irish Language Hub, The MAC,6pm-9pm (free)
  • Ryan McMullan, The Empire, 7pm (tickets £35)
  • Comhaltas International Showcase, Ulster Hall, 8pm (tickets £15)

Families can enjoy: 

  • The Belfast Gingerbread Girl -Cailín Sinséir Bhéal Feirste storytelling, Whiterock Library, 10.30am (free)
  • New Lodge Street Party 12 noon – 2pm (free)
  • Stendhal Festival Takeover featuring Tessio, Paddy Nash and friends, Alana Henderson, Polar Bolero and Balcony Sunrise at 2 Royal Avenue, 6pm-11pm (tickets £10)
  • Magical bedtime stories with Liz Weir, Ormeau Library, 6:30pm (free)

 Elsewhere in the city: 

  • The Persian, Kurdish, Celtic Connection, Beyond Skin, The Duncairn, 7pm (tickets £8)
  • Ríoghnach Connolly, Ellis Davies and Zoé Basha, The Commons, 7.30pm (tickets £8)
  • Trad in the Bullhouse, Bullhouse East, 8.30pm (free)
  • Fuaimloai, St Peter’s Cathedral, 7pm (tickets £5)

If you’re planning to make a night of it at the Fleadh over the next few days, to explore some of the many ticketed events, free sessions or the city’s wider hospitality scene, don’t forget about options to help you get home safe. 

Additional late-night bus and train services from Translink will operate from Thursday  as well as Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, with details of all routes and departure points available from translink.co.uk/fleadh.

Taxi services are also continuing to operate, with dedicated pick-up and drop-off locations located around the edge of the pedestrianised event zone, at Corporation Street, Little Donegall Street, junction of North Street and Royal Avenue, King Street, Adelaide Street and Chichester Street.

All main taxi operators have been informed of these arrangements and will make users aware of their collection point when booking a fare by phone or when using an app. Public hire taxis are also operating as normal, from ranks outside the pedestrianised event zone. 

For those using the three official Fleadh Park and Ride sites at Eikon Exhibition Centre, Sprucefield (near M1), Giant's Park (near M2) and Belfast Harbour Estate (near M3), tonight’s shuttle bus services run to midnight. From tomorrow to Sunday, the services will run to 2am.