ABSTRACT
Events are communal celebrations, and because they bring people together they have the potential to create positive social outcomes for individuals and communities. This chapter discusses social leveraging in the context of Fleadh Cheoil, an annual festival which celebrates Irish culture through traditional dance, music and song. It focuses on the 2013 edition of the festival, which was hosted by Derry/Londonderry, a politically and culturally divided city. The chapter also discusses how the organisers of the Fleadh Cheoil strategically used the event to break down political barriers and open up the city both socially and physically. It discusses how the organisers of the Fleadh Cheoil planned and managed to leverage positive social outcomes from this particular festival when it was hosted by Derry/Londonderry in 2013. The chapter provides some background information both on this festival and, perhaps more importantly, on the host city, Derry-Londonderry.
