National Concert Hall, Dublin
Sunday, 27 April 2008

The National Concert Hall, Dublin was full to capacity on Sunday, 27 April last when hundreds of teenagers, their supporters and families, gathered for a night that will long be remembered by all for it’s celebration of youth and music – the Siansa Gael Linn Grande Finale 2008!

Siansa is a traditional music competition organised by Gael Linn and supported by RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Irish Music Magazine , that aims to promote Irish traditional music and song by providing a platform for talented teenagers who aspire to follow in the footsteps of bands such as Altan, Dervish, Danú, Téada etc. Eight groups from different parts of Ireland competed for a total prizefund of €4,000:

‘Coimriú’, St. Mary’s College, Magherafelt, Co. Derry
‘Ollnóva’’, Coláistí Eoin/Íosagáin, Booterstown, Co. Dublin
‘Eoineagán’, Coláistí Eoin/Íosagáin, Booterstown, Co. Dublin
‘Cibé’, Raheny, Dublin
‘Aontas’, CCÉ Beaumont, Dublin
‘Cruinneas’, Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare
‘Fionnuar’, Fermoy, Co. Cork
‘Spraoi’, Sligo Grammar School, Sligo

Each group played their own ten to twelve minute selection of traditional Irish music and song arranged in an imaginative and innovative way. These young groups, who qualified through two rounds of the competition since November last to gain a much coveted place in the All Ireland Finals, had the opportunity recently of participating in workshops with fiddler Oisín Mac Diarmada (Téada ) and harpist Cormac de Barra (Clannad) who gave advice on various aspects of ensemble playing, arranging music, songs etc. Both Oisín and Cormac also adjudicated the finals along with Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh, singer and flute-player with the group Danú. All were full of praise for the high standard of musicianship achieved by the young participants, and they had a difficult job choosing the winners as result !

First prize of €2250 and the Gael Linn trophy
were awarded to Fermoy-based FIONNUAR’
Second place with a prize of €1150 was awarded to ‘OLLNÓVA’ from Coláistí Eoin and Íosagáin, Dublin
and third place with a prize of €600 was awarded to ‘SPRAOI’ from Sligo Grammar School.

A trophy specially designed by Kieran Forde Crafts, Kilcullen, Co. Kildare was awarded to every member of each group who took part in the final as a memento of the occasion.

The concert was compered by well known traditional music broadcaster Áine Hensey
and will be broadcast on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on the 7 June 2008 at 9p.m