A 13 year old Cork musician will have the honour of being the youngest musician to take to the stage in the Rochestown Park Hotel in Douglas on Friday 2 February in the final for the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal.

Eimhear Flannery from Rockchapel will be the youngest of 16 finalists, one of only two musicians from Cork, along with Maighréad Ní Luasa from Cúil Aodha, who will compete for the prestigious title.  John Paul Wick, from New Jersey, will be the competitor who must travel the furthest for the final on 2 February, which includes box and concertina players this year.   Peadar Ó Riada will present the event live on his Cuireadh chun Ceoil programme on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

Eimhear Flannery is just 13 years old, and is a talented multi instrumentalist from Rockchapel.  Coming from the Sliabh Luachra region, she feels the music is in her soul.  She was only two when she took up the whistle, and started on piano at about six years old.  When she was nine, she received a concertina for Christmas, and she has been playing it ever since, and will compete on concertina in the final.  Eimhear plays regularly with Matt Cranitch and Jackie Daly, and she has performed at the Cork Folk Festival with her sister Caoimhe, who is an All-Ireland fiddle champion.

Maighréad Ní Luasa was born and raised in Cúil Aodha, and she’s working a primary school teacher in Gaelscoil Thomáis Dáibhís in Mallow, Co. Cork.  Maighréad has been playing the box since she was six years old.

There are five other musicians from Munster in the final - Donagh McElligott and Mícheál Ó Sé from Kerry, Aoibheann Queally from Co. Clare,  Clara Mannion from Waterford and Keelan McGrath from Tipperary.

The final will kick off at 7 pm and will be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, and also streamed live on their Facebook page.  Tickets can be purchased from the Rochestown Park Hotel for €10, and overnight accommodation and a ticket to the final are available for the bargain price of €40 pps.

The judges on the night will be esteemed musicians Noel Hill, Charlie Harrison and Mick Mulcahy.

The final takes place as part of a series of events over the weekend in the Rochestown Park Hotel.  On Saturday afternoon, there will be a conference for musicians to advise them on recording rights,  jobs, supports, insurance and the like, with representatives from IMRO, Comhaltas and more.  Comhdháil na gCeoltóirí kicks off at 2 pm, with €5 entry fee.

Then on Saturday night at 8 pm, there will be a concert with previous winners of the medal, An Coirm Órdha, to include Oisín Morrison, Tim McHugh, Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn and Úna Ní Fhlannagáin.  The event is free, and offers a wonderful opportunity to hear top class musicians perform.

See www.rte.ie/rnag for further information.

Full list of competitors:
Michael Sheehy, Manchester
Maighréad Ní Luasa, Cork
John Paul Wick, New Jersey
Donagh McElligott, Kerry
Gerry Lappin, Armagh
Conor Connolly, Galway
Paul Clesham, Mayo
Creena Mulchrone, Mayo
Aoibheann Queally, Clare
Enda McGonigle, Belfast / London
Mícheál Ó Sé, Kerry
Eimhear Flannery, Cork
Clara Mannion, Waterford
Ciarán Kelly, Fermanagh / Derry
Keelan McGrath, Tipperary
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Dublin/Connemara

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Ceoltóirí ag réiteach do Bhonn Óir Seán Ó Riada

Is í Eimhear Flannery, 13 bliain d’aois, as Corcaigh, an té is óige a bheidh ag cur chun stáitse don chraobh do Bhonn Óir Seán Ó Riada Dé hAoine 2 Feabhra in Óstán an Rochestown Park i gCorcaigh.  Beidh an chraobh á craoladh beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

Is as Séipéal na Carraige do Eimhear, duine de bheirt iomaitheoirí as Corcaigh, agus is í Maighréad Ní Luasa as Cúil Aodha an duine eile.  Agus is ag John Paul Wick a bheidh an turas is faide le teacht chuig an chraobh ar an 2 Feabhra, beidh John Paul ag taisteal ó New Jersey Mheiriceá.  Beidh ceoltóirí consairtín agus bosca san áireamh i mbliana, agus is é Peadar Ó Riada a chuirfidh an ócáid i láthair beo ar a chlár Cuireadh chun Ceoil.

Casann Eimhear Flannery, 13, go leor uirlisí ceoil.  As Séipéal na Carraige i gceantar Shliabh Luachra di, agus braitheann sí go bhfuil an ceol san fhuil aici.  Ní raibh sí ach dhá bhliain d’aois nuair a thosaigh sí ar an bhfeadóg stáin, agus thosaigh sí ansin ar an bpianó nuair a bhí sí sé.  Fuair sí consairtín don Nollaig nuair a bhí sí naoi mbliana d’aois, agus tá sí á chasadh ó shin.  Bíonn sí i mbun ceoil go rialta le Matt Cranitch agus Jackie Daly, agus chas sí ag an Cork Folk Festival lena deirfiúr Caoimhe, curadh na hÉireann ar an bhfidil.

As Cúil Aodha do Mhaighréad Ní Luasa, agus tá sí ina múinteoir bunscoile i nGaelscoil Thomáis Dáibhís i Mala.

Beidh cúigear eile ó Chúige Mumhan san iomaíocht sa chraobh freisin - Donagh McElligott agus Mícheál Ó Sé ó Chiarraí, Aoibheann Queally ó Cho. an Chláir, Clara Mannion ó Phort Láirge agus  Keelan McGrath ó Tiobraid Árann.

Cuirfear tús leis an gcraobh ag 7 pm, agus beidh sé le cloisteáil beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, agus le feiceáil beo ar leathanach Facebook an stáisiúin freisin.  Is féidir ticéidí a cheannach ó Óstán an Rochestown Park i gCorcaigh ar €10, agus tá margadh speisialta acu don oíche – Leaba agus Bricfeasta agus cead isteach chuig an gcoirm ar €40 an duine.

Is iad na ceoltóirí aitheanta Noel Hill, Charlie Harrison agus Mick Mulcahy a bheidh i mbun moltóireachta ar an oíche.

Tá an chraobh ar siúl mar chuid de shraith imeachtaí san óstán ag an deireadh seachtaine sin.  Dé Sathairn 3 Feabhra ag 2 pm beidh Comhdháil na gCeoltóirí ar siúl, le comhairle do cheoltóirí ar chúrsaí cearta, árachais, fostaíochta agus cuid de na deiseanna tacaíochta atá ann dóibh.  Beidh ionadaithe ó IMRO agus Comhaltas i láthair, i measc go leor eile, agus is é €5 an táille.

Ansin, oíche Dé Sathairn ag 8 pm, beidh coirm le hiar-bhuaiteoirí den Bhonn Óir, An Coirm Órdha, le cead isteach saor in aisce.  Ar stáitse an oíche sin beidh Oisín Morrison, Tim McHugh, Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn agus Úna Ní Fhlannagáin.

Breis eolais www.rte.ie/rnag

Liosta iomlán na n-iomaitheoirí:
Michael Sheehy, Manchain Shasana
Maighréad Ní Luasa, Corcaigh
John Paul Wick, New Jersey
Donagh McElligott, Ciarraí
Gerry Lappin, Ard Mhacha
Conor Connolly, Gaillimh
Paul Clesham, Maigh Eo
Creena Mulchrone, Maigh Eo
Aoibheann Queally, Co an Chláir
Enda McGonigle, Béal Feirste / Londain
Mícheál Ó Sé, Ciarraí
Eimhear Flannery, Corcaigh
Clara Mannion, Port Láirge
Ciarán Kelly, Fear Manach / Doire
Keelan McGrath, Tiobraid Árann
Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, BÁC/Conamara