Over 2,500 musicians convened at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, breaking the Guinness World Record by simultaneously playing tin whistles for five consecutive minutes. The record-breaking musical event took place in Chadwicks Wexford Park where a mixed group of school children, families, and festival-goers delivered performances of The Boys of Wexford and The Dawning of the Day March. The impressive number – specifically, 2,516 participants – has earned a place in the 70th anniversary edition of the Guinness World Records book.
Guinness World Records editor, Craig Glenday stated, “Bringing people together to make music is always a uniting experience, but the use of traditional instruments elevates it to another level. It holds great cultural significance for the community in question.”
The 2024 Fleadh Cheoil, running until this Sunday in Wexford, features a variety of traditional Irish music competitions, dances, sessions, and showcases. With this year’s theme being “A Fleadh for All”, individuals of all backgrounds and abilities are encouraged to participate.
Highlighting the choice of the tin whistle as the instrument, Glenday said, “I was previously unaware that tin whistles are a fundamental part of Irish schooling. Every person I have met tells me they have one stored away in their attic.”
Located just ten minutes from the GAA stadium, Castlebridge is renowned as the birthplace of the Guinness World Records. While the book has been published in London since its debut in 1955, the concept originated in Wexford.
Guinness Breweries’ managing director Hugh Beaver, in 1951, while participating in a hunting expedition in Castlebridge, partook in a dispute with another hunter over the fastest game bird. To answer their question, they searched through a collection of prized encyclopedias while residing in Castlebridge House, but no definitive answer was found.
Glenday noted, “Hugh had a realisation that people in pubs around the globe would be engaging in similar debates. A resource book that presented the world from a perspective of superlatives was essential, but it didn’t necessarily need to be authored by a ‘specialist’. His idea proved supremely successful.”
Catherine Roche, the principal teacher for the tin whistle group, is convinced that such gatherings have a significant influence on traditional music overall. The current year’s fleadh is projected to attract upwards of half a million visitors, comprising a roster of almost 15,000 performers, dancers, singers, and storytellers from throughout Ireland.
According to Roche, there was a time when playing music was not considered trendy. As the mother of three teens who participate more in sports than in music, she’s noticed a shift in how her children perceive musical activities. “It’s now fashionable to play music, which is a remarkable development for traditional musicians like ourselves,” she says.
Roche has spent months visiting various schools across the county, instructing students on the pieces to be played. She’s also collaborated with the Castlebridge Tin Whistlers—a group welcoming students ranging in age from five to ninety years old.
“The tin whistle provides the foundation for all music,” Roche emphasizes. “It’s the instrument novices begin with before transitioning to others. As for myself, I play the pipes and the flute. You commence with the whistle and in the process, develop an affection for music.”
Tommy O’Brien, a native of Meath, is spellbound watching some of his family members play from the stand. For him, the environment is steeped in the charm of traditional music. His daughter Niamh, who is also an Irish dancer, is wed to Michael Flatley.
Tommy shares his wife’s enthusiasm and dedication for the forthcoming event as she’s been preparing for the past two months. With his daughter Niamh and grandson equally engrossed and committed to the occasion, he can’t help but express his joy. “It’s absolutely breathtaking to witness this at present,” O’Brien declares.