A talented group of Leitrim musicians and set dancers recently represented their county with pride on the European stage when the Leitrim Ramblers performed at the prestigious Irish Black Tie Charity Ball of Brussels on 21 March 2026.
The band, comprised of Róisín Coughlan (Banjo) and Fiachra Ó Tórna (Flute) from Drumkeeran, along with Bríd O'Keeffe (Fiddle), Sven Paetz (Bouzouki) and Paul Wynne (Button Accordion) from Drumshanbo, entertained 390 guests at the magnificent five-star The Wiltcher's | A Steigenberger Icon Hotel in Brussels.
Accompanying the band were four local set dancers who added to the wonderful Leitrim flavour of the evening: Catherine Curran from Ballyfarnon, Co. Roscommon, Jim Flynn from Drumshanbo, and mother and son duo Eileen and Marcus Guckian from Drumsna.
The trip was a busy one for the Ramblers, as the night before the ball, on 20 March, the band brought the sounds of Leitrim to the very heart of the EU Quarter, playing a lively gig at the famous Kitty O'Shea's pub, situated right outside the European Commission building in Brussels.
The annual ball is organised by the Irish Club of Belgium under the patronage of the Irish Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Kevin Conmy, with Drumshanbo man Jack Matthijnssens serving on the organising committee. Among the distinguished guests in attendance were Séamus Boland, President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), MEP Barry Andrews, and Senator Eileen Lynch.
The evening proved a tremendous success, with guests raising an outstanding €9,980 through the tombola in aid of three worthy children's charities: Salus Sanguinis (San Luc Cancer Charity), the Jack and Jill Foundation, and École Chanterelle — a school for children with disabilities located in Brussels.
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