Eight young traditional music groups from the four corners of Ireland took to the stage of the National Concert Hall on Sunday 22 April in the hope of being crowned Siansa Gael Linn champions for 2018. After a glorious evening of music and song, the title went to the Ulster group ‘Spleodar’, whose members hail from counties Antrim, Tyrone and Monaghan. They were mentored by music teacher Maggie Maguire from Fermanagh. Siansa is organised annually by Gael Linn, with support from RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Irish Music Magazine, and is an important event on the calendar of young musicians.
The task of adjudicating this year’s final fell to well known musicians Declan Masterson, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Oisín Mac Diarmada, who admitted to having difficulty choosing the winners, as any one of the eight groups would have been worthy recipients! The winning group took home the Gael Linn trophy and a cheque for €2,500. Second place and a cheque for €1,250 went to the group ‘Caise’ from County Clare and third prize of €750 was won by the group ‘Lonrach’ from County Laois.
Although they didn’t pick up a prize on the night the members of the other five groups were delighted to get the chance to perform on the Concert Hall stage in front of an audience of almost one thousand people! Those groups included Uisneach, Coláiste na Coiribe, Galway, Fonnmhar, Bruff, Co. Limerick, Léargas, Bray, Co. Wicklow, Sin A Bhfuil, Counties Offaly and Laois, and I gCónaí Réidh, Danescastle, Co. Wexford.
The concert was also broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Áine Hensey, one of their best known broadcasters, compered the event.
Gael Linn CEO, Antoine Ó Coileáin, thanked RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Irish Music Magazine for their ongoing support for the competition and said:
“With Gael Linn celebrating our 65th birthday this year we can look back with pride on our services to the cause of Irish traditional music and singing, from the first sean nós and traditional music records released in the fifties to where we are here tonight, in the National Concert Hall giving a platform to the musicians and singers of the future. Siansa uniquely ties the Irish language to our music also which enables us to promote Irish among our younger musicians and their friends and make them aware that both are naturally entwined’.
The participating groups may be viewed in the next few weeks on all of the social media platforms, including YouTube, and maybe one or two of them might even get to record an album on the Gael Linn label!

Further information:  Niamh de Búrca 01:6753303 / 087:2623953 niamh@gael-linn.ie