Belfast’s exceptionally rich musical heritage received official international recognition in 2021, when the city was awarded the prestigious status of UNESCO City of Music.
Music has always been in the air in Belfast. From traditional, classical, folk or punk to jazz, rock, country or dance, Belfast is associated with so many internationally renowned names across all genres, including Van Morrison, Gary Moore, The McPeake Family, Barry Douglas, David Holmes, James Galway, Snow Patrol, Stiff Little Fingers, Ash, Brian Irvine, Therapy? and Ruby Murray, to name just a few.
The UNESCO City of Music accolade acknowledges this illustrious past and present, and points to an exciting musical future.
Belfast is the first city in Ireland to receive the award and only the third in the UK, after Liverpool and Glasgow.
Our musical heritage includes a strong Irish traditional music culture, with local venues hosting regular sessions every night of the week. In addition, the annual TradFest celebrates the music through concerts, talks and workshops.
Belfast is also twinned with Nashville, and there is a regular exchange of events between the two cities, including Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival.
Founded in 2007, the Oh Yeah Music Centre is a non-profit music organisation whose annual ‘Sound Of Belfast’ event showcases young local musical talent in venues across the city.
Moving On Music, another not-for-profit organisation, is a leading promoter of jazz, folk, roots, traditional, classical and other genres, and also provides community education services.
In 2004 the Sonic Arts Research Centre was established at QUB and brings together researchers and exponents in the fields of contemporary musical composition, Human-Computer Interaction and auditory perception.
With live music somewhere in the city every night, Belfast reverberates to rhythm and tunes.
Fuair oidhreacht shaibhir cheoil Bhéal Feirste aitheantas idirnáisiúnta sa bhliain 2021 nuair a fuair an chathair an stádas measúil, Cathair an Cheoil EOECNA.
Bhí an ceol i gcónaí san aer i mBéal Feirrste. Ó cheol traidisiúnta, clasaiceach, ceol tíre nó punc go snagcheol, rac-cheol, ceol tuaithe nó damhsa, tá Béal Feirste bainte le cuid mhór daoine cáiliúla ar fud an domhain in achan seánra; san áireamh leo siúd tá Van Morrison, Gary Moore, The McPeake Family, Barry Douglas, David Holmes, James Galway, Snow Patrol, Stiff Little Fingers, Ash, Brian Irvine, Therapy? agus Ruby Murray agus go leor eile nach iad.
Le gradam Chathair an Cheoil EOECNA, aithnítear an ceol sa chathair sa lá atá inniu ann agus sna laethanta a bhí, agus táthar ag súil lena a bhfuil i ndán dúinn amach anseo.
Is é Béal Feirste an chéad chathair in Éirinn a fuair an gradam riamh, agus an tríú ceann sa RA i ndiaidh Learphoill agus Ghlaschú.
Tá cultúr láidir ceoil thraidisiúnta san oidhreacht cheoil s’againn, agus déanann ionaid áitiúla seisiúin rialta a reáchtáil achan oíche sa tseachtain. Chomh maith leis sin, déantar an ceol a cheiliúradh trí cheolchoirmeacha, cainteanna agus ceardlanna le linn TradFest.
Tá Béal Feirste nasctha le Nashville fosta, agus bíonn malartú rialta imeachtaí idir an dá chathair, Belfast Nashville Songwriters Festival san áireamh.
Bunaithe sa bhliain 2007, is eagraíocht neamhbhrabúis é an Oh Yeah Music Centre, agus déanann an ‘Sound of Belfast’ bliantúil s’acu scoth na gceoltóirí áitiúla a léiriú sna hionaid ar fud na cathrach.
Is eagraíocht neamhbhrabúis eile é Moving On Music, déanann siad snagcheol, ceol tíre, reigé sean-nóis, ceol traidisiúnta agus seánraí eile a chur chun cinn, agus cuireann siad seirbhísí oideachais pobail ar fáil fosta.
Sa bhliain 2004, bunaíodh Sonic Arts Research Centre in Ollscoil na Banríona agus tugann siad le chéile taighdeoirí agus eiseamláirí i réimse na cumadóireachta ceoil, idirghníomhaíocht daoine le ríomhairí agus aireachtáil éisteachta.
Bíonn ceol beo ar shiúl áit éigin sa chathair achan oíche, tá rithim agus foinn le cluinstin fud fad Bhéal Feirste.