Celebrations taking place to mark the end of the Fleadh

Musical processions have made their way from east and west Belfast towards the city centre as the largest celebration of Irish music and culture in the world, the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, marks its final day.

This was the first time Belfast had hosted the event and is only the second time it has been held in Northern Ireland, having been hosted in Londonderry in 2013.

It is thought this year could end up being the biggest All-Ireland Fleadh ever, with visitor numbers expected to exceed one million over the course of the festival.

Competitions finish on Sunday in venues across Belfast including the Waterfront Hall and the Ulster University.

Some 5,000 competitors from 22 countries are vying for All-Ireland titles in every age range and across music, singing and dance.

More than 200 events have taken place across the city in the past week, alongside competitions, concerts and street performances.

Padraig, Seán and Amy, from Lackagh Comhaltas in County Galway, were celebrating after being crowned winners of the under 12s ceilí band competition.

"It felt absolutely brilliant," said Padraig.

"We get to make so many friends along the way, it's just brilliant."

He said his teacher was "absolutely stunned".

Seán said this is probably one of the best Fleadhs he has ever been at and they are both fans of Belfast as a host city.

"It's such a big city, there's a lot of people and places to go."

Performances for the final day of the Fleadh are also underway at Belfast City Hall.

Áirdan kicked off celebrations on the Gig Rig outdoor stage at City Hall, with the Shankill Road Defenders Flute Band, Celtic Roots and Foy Vance performing later.

The closing ceremony began at 18:00 BST, kicking off with a performance from singer-songwriter and harpist Niamh Noade, and it will close after midnight with a performance from the winners of the Senior Céilí Band Competition.

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Musicians and music fans gathered at An Chultúrlann on the Falls Road in west Belfast and on the Beersbridge Road in east Belfast at 13:00 BST to make their way to the city centre.

The processions stopped along the way to invite people to bid a fond farewell to the Fleadh until it returns to Belfast next year.

The final day of judging began at 10:00 and finished with the senior céilí bands competition at the ICC/Belfast Waterfront Hall at 17:30.

The winning senior céilí band will then take to the Gig Rig as the finale performance for the 2026 Fleadh.

Aside from the performances at City Hall on Sunday, a range of activities are taking place across the city centre.

The Seamus Heaney centre at Queen's University Belfast is hosting an exhibition, called Something to Say that looks at the personal and professional friendship between Seamus Heaney and David Hammond.

You can visit an Irish language craft and culture market at Conway Mill and there will be plenty of sessions going on with workshops and arts activities available.

Martina Connolly, CEO of Belfast One Business Improvement District said that "since the beginning of Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, our Belfast One footfall cameras have recorded 900,020 visitors in the city centre up to Thursday.

Numbers have been recorded by footfall cameras at six locations.

Friday, she said, was the first of the three biggest days for the Fleadh as the main competitions kicked off and even more visitors arrived to soak up the atmosphere.

Speaking to BBC News NI on Sunday, Belfast City Council's chief executive John Walsh said that while figures are not yet official, it is his understanding that visitor numbers "went through the one million mark on Friday".

"The numbers are way above the 800,000 that we had forecast and I'm sure the economic benefit that goes along with that is also well north of what we predicted as well," Walsh said.

"This is all just fantastic for the city," he said.

He said that Belfast has had a "cultural carnival for the last eight days which the world has embraced and the city has embraced".

"You can see it, the city is smiling, has been smiling for over a week now, which is great."

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald has said the festival is expected to exceed £53m terms of an economic boost to the city.

Niall McClean, from Ards CCÉ said he has never seen Belfast like it.

He said people from "all different cultures" have celebrated the Fleadh.

"This is enormous," he told BBC News NI.

"It definitely is the biggest Fleadh of all time.

"I think Belfast will need an extension next year," he laughed.

Visitors to the festival have been immersed in live music sessions, interactive workshops, dance classes and pop-up pubs for the past seven days.

Last Sunday, more than 176,000 people were in Belfast City Centre for the opening ceremony at Belfast City Hall.

More than 1,300 people also gave up their time to volunteer this week.