www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie

An astrophysicist with an interest in experimental music, a young man who keeps and shows hens, and an award-winning Scottish harpist will be amongst those playing in the final of the Seán Ó Riada gold medal competition which was launched by broadcaster Dáithí Ó Sé in Cork this week.  The concert final will be broadcast live from Cork on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Friday 18 January.

There will be fifteen musicians – pipers and harpists – playing in the final in the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork, on Friday 18 January at 7pm, which will also be webcast on www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie.

From young players in their teens to more established artists who have toured the world and released CDs, the variety of talent taking to the stage in Cork will make for an interesting mix of music.

The honour of being the youngest competitor goes to Cork piper Eoin Quinn from Skibbereen. Eoin is just 15 and is studying for his Junior Cert this year, and won both the Cork and the Munster competition for his age group in pipes last year, and came second in the All Ireland.

Other finalists include piper Kieran Joy from Waterford, 18, who first became interested in music because of The Simpsons, and whose hobbies include keeping and showing hens.

Úna Monaghan is one of the more experienced musicians in the final.  Úna is a harpist from Belfast, with a degree in astrophysics from Cambridge, and also a Masters in Sonic Arts.  She is a composer, with a particular interest in experimental music.

Flying in from overseas for the event is Ailie Robertson, an award-winning Scottish harpist, who has been a gold medallist at the Mod no less than five times.  Ailie will be travelling from Scotland to take part in the concert.

This variety reflects the ethos of the competition, which looks to reward musicality and creativeness in playing, as well as technical proficiency.

This will be the third year of the competition for the prestigious Seán Ó Riada gold medal, run by Seán’s son Peadar on his RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta traditional music programme Cuireadh chun Ceoil.

Peadar took the idea for the competition from his father who ran a similar competition on his own radio programme in the sixties.

The judges are all talented musicians in their own right – pipers Mick O’Brien from Dublin and Allan MacDonald from Scotland, and Mayo harpist Laoise Kelly, and they will have the unenviable task of  picking one musician from each category - a piper and a harpist - each of whom will receive the Seán Ó Riada gold medal, and a cash prize of €1250.

Tune in to hear the competition live on Cuireadh chun Ceoil on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Friday 18 January 7pm – 9pm, or watch the webcast live www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie
Píobairí agus Cruitirí ar stáitse sa chraobh do bhonn Óir Sheán Ó Riada i gCorcaigh

Beidh scoth na bpíobairí agus na gcruitirí ar stáitse in Óstán an Rochestown Park i gCorcaigh Dé hAoine 18 Eanáir don chraobh do Bhonn Óir Sheán Ó Riada.  Beidh an chraobh á craoladh beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, agus le feiceáil ar www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie freisin.
Rinne Dáithí Ó Sé an seoladh oifigiúil ar an chraobh i gCorcaigh an tseachtain seo.

Bhí iomaitheoirí ó thíortha ar fud an domhain istigh ar an gcomórtas i mbliana, agus is as Éirinn d’fhormhór acu siúd a bheidh sa chraobh, chomh maith le cláirseoir amháin a bheas ag taisteal anonn as Albain.

Tá an-éagsúlacht i measc na n-iomaitheoirí  – idir cheoltóirí atá i mbun a gceirde le roinnt mhaith blianta agus a bhfuil albaim eisithe acu, agus cheoltóirí óga, leithéidí Eoin Quinn (15) ón Sciobairín i gCorcaigh, an té is óige sa chomórtas.  Is léir, mar sin féin, go bhfeictear do na moltóirí go bhfuil bua faoi leith ag gach duine acu.

Is í seo an tríú bliain do Pheadar Ó Riada an comórtas seo a reáchtáil ar a chlár raidió Cuireadh chun Ceoil.  Is óna athair, Seán, a fuair sé an bunsmaoineamh don chomórtas, a mbíodh comórtas dá leithéid aige tráth ar a chlár ar Raidió Éireann.

Ceoltóirí aitheanta iad na moltóirí ar an gcomórtas – an píobaire Mick O’Brien as BÁC, an píobaire Ailean Dòmhnallach as Alban, agus an cruitire Laoise Kelly as Maigh Eo.  Beidh siad ag faire amach do chruthaitheacht agus do cheolmhaireacht, chomh maith le cruinneas teicniúil, ó na ceoltóirí.

Piocfar buaiteoir amháin i ngach rannóg – píob agus cláirseach – agus beidh luach airgid €1250 an duine do na buaiteoirí freisin.

Ba é an fliúiteadóir Tim McHugh as Baile Uí Fhiacháin i gCo. Mhaigh Eo a thug leis an chraobh anuraidh.

Tá ticéidí do lóistín san óstán agus cead isteach chuig an gcomórtas le ceannach ar €40 ó Óstán an Rochestown Park 021 489 0800.
Beidh an chraobh le cloisteáil beo ar an gclár Cuireadh chun Ceoil ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta Dé hAoine 18 Eanáir 7pm – 9pm, agus beidh sé le feiceáil beo ar www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie