Piper Éanna Ó Cróinín from Ráth Cairn in Co. Meath, and harper Úna Ní Fhlannagáin from Galway were the winners in the final of the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition broadcast live from Cork on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Friday night.

They were presented last night with the medals, made of solid silver, which will now have their names engraved on them before they are coated in gold by Cashel goldsmith Pádraig Ó Mathúna.  They will also share a cash prize of €2500.

Éanna Ó Cróinín grew up playing music, and learned the pipes in the Na Píobairí Uilleann, the Pipers Club in Henrietta Street in Dublin.  Previous to his win on Friday, he had won many awards for his music.  He received an M.A. in Irish Music Performance from University of Limerick in 2010.  Éanna teaches maths and music  in Pobascoil Ráth Cairn.

Úna Ní Fhlannagáin is from Craughwell in Co. Galway, but now lives west of the city in Bearna.  She is one of the founders of the Athenry School of Music, and as well as traditional music, she plays jazz, pop, and original composition.  Collaborations include Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin, and BBC World Music nominee Tamara Obrovac.

Cian Smith, 12, a piper from Ballymacarbry in Waterford was the youngest competitor, and Aislinn Gagliardi from Chicago, was the musician who travelled the furthest to the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork for the event.

The competition is run by Peadar Ó Riada and honours the memory of his late father, Seán Ó Riada.  It emphasizes musicality, as opposed to technical perfection.