Fleadh Cheoil rejects sponsorship from Shell

The organisers of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann have bowed to pressure and rejected sponsorship of the annual traditional music festival by oil giant, Shell.

The Standing Committee of Fleadh 2014, which takes place in Sligo throughout next week, took the decision at a meeting yesterday.

The committee had come under severe pressure after the Shell to Sea group strongly criticised the decision to accept sponsorship from Shell in light of the controversy surrounding its development of the Corrib Gas field off the neighbouring north Mayo coast.