The Derry Feis is here to stay after one of its most successful years yet

The Derry Feis committee said that the event enjoyed one of its most successful years yet this Easter, despite fears over falling numbers.

The committee decided to reduce the number of days from six to five this year, with one day taking place during Holy Week and four days over Easter Week.

Committee member Aisling Bonner said this move, along with a reduction in venues from three to two, means that there is hope that the Feis will break even this year.

“We don’t get any funding and we’re a non-profit organisation so our focus is to break even. I don’t know yet whether we have but I think we have had a good year and we’re reduced our expenses by only having four days on Easter week,” she said.

The committee decided to make better use of venues, the Millennium Forum and the Playhouse, instead of renting out third venue St Columb's Hall. “We utilise the venues better and we use a lot more areas in both venues that we never used before, and that worked out really well” said Bonner.

One of the most well-known faces of the Feis Pat McCafferty said that the price of entry into the event and competition entries has stayed at £4 over the years in an effort to help families who have a few children entering several events.

While the price has stayed the same, however, the price of running the Feis continued to rise up until this year when cutbacks were made.

This year, the Derry Feis was one of the said that this year was the best the committee had seen in a long time, something they put down to an increase in pupils attending music and drama schools.

“Kids are still doing their grades in music and drama and when they go off to university they can get points for that too. People in Derry still put a big emphasis on kids learning drama and music,” said Bonner.

Pat McCafferty agrees. “People still like the young kids to be able to stand up and perform a song or recite a poem, and it costs them nothing to do it. It’s great for their confidence,” he said.

Musical theatre is fast becoming the most popular competition at the Derry Feis, but dancing has not been as popular in recent years as it was in the past. This is down to dancers attending a feis every weekend around the country, while there are only two options for anyone hoping to perform music and drama in the northwest, said Bonner.

“You only have one feis or maybe two up around this area, including the Carndonagh Feis. The dancers travel around the country to perform and they don’t like both Comhdháil and Coimisiún dancing together,” she said.

“We aren’t getting the amount of competitors that we used to, although the schools are sending amazing dancers.”

With another year gone by, the committee are planning for the Derry Feis next year. Bonner and McCafferty said there’s no doubt the Feis has changed, but that they hope those who have supported them will continue to do so.

“At a certain level it’s as strong as ever it’s been, and up to the age of 14, you can see how strong the Feis is among the young people. After that, their interest just tails off,” said McCafferty.

The current committee now hope that Derry people with young families in the area and an investment in the city will support the Feis by helping to organise the event.

“I can see that the Feis will continue with the generations and friends of the people that are on the committee at the minute,” said Bonner.