Three towns are in the running to host the 2003 All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil, which will generate visitor revenue running into millions of euro. Listowel, Co Kerry, which hosted this year's event at the weekend, earned an estimated €12 million from it.
Ballina, Co Mayo, Clonmel, Co Tipperary, and Warrenpoint, Co Down, are bidding for next year's fleadh cheoil.
Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, which manages and promotes the fleadh, said that it would not be naming the successful town until September 14th. However, there are indications that the fleadh could be held in Northern Ireland next year.
The annual traditional music festival is a huge moneyspinner for the host town. This year, the 51st fleadh cheoil drew a crowd of more than 220,000 to Listowel.
"The fleadh has a huge impact on the local economy," said Mr Ned O'Sullivan, a spokesman for the Listowel fleadh committee. "Last year, when we held the fleadh, it was very big, because it was the 50th anniversary, but this year we held our numbers and I think they even increased."
Pubs in particular were "enjoying the music of the ringing till", he said, with most premises "jam-packed" all weekend and many bursting their seams. "There was a lot of overspill from the pubs into improvised beer gardens. With the nice weather, most of the drinking was done outdoors."
B&Bs throughout north Cork and Kerry were booked solidly from Friday. The local GAA and soccer clubs operated a campsite in Childers Park, which was packed all weekend.
Although the main focus was on the weekend's events, culminating in the Céilí Band competition on Sunday night, Listowel did a steady trade from Monday of last week, when the Scoil Éigse music school kicked off the festivities.
The fleadh officially closed between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. yesterday, but Mr Brian Prior, of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, said that the "sessions" were still going strong last night. "A lot of the more serious traditional music-lovers will have stayed behind for the best of the sessions after the masses have left."
Mr Prior said that the weather had been a big factor in the success of this year's fleadh. "The weather is often the measure of a great fleadh and a lot of the gigs took place outside or in shop and pub doorways."
Despite the large numbers of drinkers, gardaí in Listowel said that there had been "very little trouble". A spokesman said that there had been about 30 arrests for public order offences, drunken-driving, minor drugs seizures and thefts.
