Flute Player Catherine McEvoy to be Awarded Trad Music’s highest accolade

Meath based flute player, Catherine McEvoy, is to be awarded traditional music’s highest accolade of Musician of the Year, at TG4’s Gradam Ceoil Award ceremony, to be held in Belfast next February.

The accomplished concert flute player from the Sligo-Roscommon tradition, joins a long list of traditional music greats, such as Matt Molloy, Liam O’Flynn, Máirtín O’Connor, Frankie Gavin and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, who have all received Trad music’s top ‘Oscar’, in the 22 year history of the awards.

Ground breaking as a female musician, Catherine McEvoy’s standing in the tradition is testified to by her distinguished career in terms of recordings on CD and for radio, TV appearances, teaching and performing.

This year’s Young Musician Award goes to South Galway accordion player, Conor Connolly, an accordion player and singer whose music and song is rooted in his home county - some of his main accordion influences being Joe Cooley, Charlie Harris and P.J. Conlon, as well as Tony Mac Mahon.

All the recipients of this year’s awards were announced live on Nuacht TG4 this evening, from an event in the Duncairn Arts Centre in Belfast.

The full list of TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2019 recipients reads as follows:

Ceoltóir na Bliana/Musician of the Year: Catherine McEvoy
Ceoltóir Óg/Young Musician of the Year: Conor Connolly
Gradam Saoil/Lifetime Achievement: Nicky & Anne McAuliffe
Amhránaí na Bliana/Singer of the Year: Thomas McCarthy
Gradam Comaoine/Outstanding Contribution: Brendan Mulkere
Gradam Comharcheoil/Musical Collaboration: Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill

Gradam Ceoil TG4 is the premier annual traditional music awards scheme and academy.  An independent panel of adjudicators selects recipients each year.  It is not a competition.  The Gradam Ceoil recipients are presented with a specially-commissioned piece by leading sculptor John Coll as well as a small stipend.

This year’s awards will be presented at the Gradam Ceoil TG4 Concert in the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on Sunday 17th February. At this live televised concert, hosted by Doireann Glackin &Dónal O’Connor, the 2019 Gradam recipients will be joined in performance on stage by their own special musical guests in a unique, star-studded line-up of musicians and award-presenters.

TG4 Director General, Alan Esslemont, says:

“Gradam Ceoil is certainly one of the most important initiatives that TG4 has embarked upon since the station was founded in 1996. I would like to congratulate all the award winners. They are the lifeblood of our musical tradition and we are immensely proud of their wonderful achievements. We are also delighted to be building on our very successful collaboration with the ILBF and Belfast City Council, which goes from strength to strength each year.”

Northern Ireland Screen’s Head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Áine Walsh says:

“We are delighted that the Gradam Ceoil will be broadcast live from Belfast again in 2019.  As well as giving recognition to the Gradam winners this is also a fantastic celebration of the talent and broad musical heritage of the North, a celebration which will be seen by a worldwide audience”.

Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Emmet McDonough-Brown who attended tonights event says:

“It is a great honour for the Belfast Waterfront to be hosting the Gradam Ceoil for the second successive year.  I am sure that the evening will be a magnificent showcase for one of the jewels in our city’s crown, and also of the amazing grassroots talent we have here on our doorstep. My congratulations to all of the winners, and I look forward to a fantastic night next February.”

Tickets for TG4 Gradam Ceoil Awards 2019, priced from £22.50, are available from   www.waterfront.co.uk or +44(0)2890 334455.

For more information see www.gradam.ie or Facebook and Twitter @GradamCeoil  #GCTG4

Gradam Ceoil TG4 2019

Buaic-Ghradam Ceoil Thraidisiúnta le Bronnadh ar an bhFliúiteadóir
Catherine McEvoy


Tá an gradam is airde sa Cheol Traidisiúnta, Ceoltóir na Bliana, le bronnadh ar an bhfliúiteadóir Catherine McEvoy as Contae na Mí, ag Gradam Ceoil TG4 a bheidh ar siúl i mBéal Feirste i mí Feabhra seo chugainn.

Áireofar an sársheinnteoir fliúite ceolchoirme, de thraidisiún Shligigh-Ros Comáin, i measc mhóruaisle an cheoil thraidisiúnta - Matt Molloy, Liam O’Flynn, Máirtín O’Connor, Frankie Gavin agus Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh agus eile - a bhfuil an mórghradam seo sa cheol traidisiúnta bronnta orthu le dhá bhliain is fiche anuas, ó bunaíodh an gradam.

Ceannródaí ceoil is ea Catherine McEvoy, a bhfuil seasamh faoi leith aici sa traidisiún.  Is léir sin óna saothar suntasach, idir thaifeadtaí ar CD agus ar raidió, míreanna teilifíse, blianta teagaisc agus taispeántais stáitse.

Is ar an mboscadóir Conor Connolly as deisceart na Gaillimhe a bhronnfar gradam Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana. Boscadóir agus amhránaí é Conor a bhfuil a chuid ceoil agus amhrán fréamhaithe ina chontae dúchais – agus leithéid Joe Cooley, Charlie Harris agus P.J. Conlon, chomh maith le Tony Mac Mahon ina eiseamláirí aige.

Fógraíodh buaiteoirí uile ghradaim na bliana seo beo ar Nuacht TG4 tráthnóna inniu, ag ócáid in Ionad Ealaíon Duncairn, i mBéal Feirste.

Seo a leanas liosta iomlán d’fhaighteoirí Gradam Ceoil TG4 2019:

Ceoltóir na Bliana: Catherine McEvoy
Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana: Conor Connolly
Gradam Saoil: Nicky & Anne McAuliffe
Amhránaí na Bliana: Thomas McCarthy
Gradam Comaoine: Brendan Mulkere
Gradam Comharcheoil: Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill

Is é Gradam Ceoil TG4 an gradam ceoil thraidisiúnta is tábhachtaí ann, gradam a bhronntar uair gach bliain. Painéal moltóirí neamhspleácha a roghnaíonn na faighteoirí gach bliain. Ní comórtas é. Bronntar píosa speisialta dealbhóireachta ón dealbhóir clúiteach, John Coll, mar aon le síntiús beag, ar na faighteoirí.

Bronnfar Gradam Ceoil TG4 2019 ag mórcheolchoirm i Halla an Waterfront, Béal Feirste, an Domhnach an 17 Feabhra. Is iad Doireann Glackin agus Dónal O’Connor a chuirfidh an coirm cheoil, a chraolfar beo i láthair, áit a mbeidh cairde agus aíonna speisialta eile ceoil ar stáitse in éineacht le lucht na ngradam agus plúr na n-oirfideach agus réaltaí móra eile ann leo, leis an ócáid a chomóradh agus na gradaim á mbronnadh.

Deir Ard Stiúrthóir TG4, Alan Esslemont:

“Is cinnte gurb é Gradam Ceoil ceann de na beartais is tábhachtaí ar thug TG4 faoi ó bunaíodh an stáisiún i 1996. Ba mhaith liom tréaslú le buaiteoirí ar fad na ngradam. Is iad cuisle ár n-oidhreacht cheoil iad agus tá muid thar a bheith bródúil as a gcuid éachtaí iontacha. Tá ríméad orainn chomh maith a bheith ag tógáil ar an gcomhpháirtíocht iontach rathúil leis an gCiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge agus le Comhairle Cathrach Bhéal Feirste, atá ag dul ó neart go neart gach bliain”.

Deir Áine Walsh, ceannasaí an Chiste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge ag Northern Ireland Screen:

“Tá muid iontach sásta go bhfuil Gradam Ceoil á chraoladh arís beo ó Bhéal Feirste in 2019.  Chomh maith le haitheantas a thabhairt do bhuaiteoirí an Ghradaim, is ceiliúradh iontach é ar oidhreacht leathan cheoil agus ar thallann an Tuaiscirt, ceiliúradh a bheidh le feiceáil ag lucht féachana ar fud an domhain”.

Dúirt Leas-Ard-Mhéara Bhéal Feirste, an Comhairleoir Emmet McDonough-Brown a bhí ag ócáid na hoíche anocht:

“Is mór an onóir don Waterfront i mBéal Feirste gur ann a bheidh Gradam Ceoil TG4 arís i mbliana, an dara bliain as a chéile. Táim cinnte gur eiseamláir a bheidh san oíche agus go mbeidh sí ar cheann d’ócáidí móra na cathrach agus go dtabharfar ardán don tallann iontach atá ag teacht aníos anseo ar leac an dorais againn. Comhghairdeas ó chroí le lucht faighte na ngradam ar fad agus táim ag súil le hoíche den chéad scoth i mí Feabhra seo chugainn”.

Tá ticéid ar fáil le ceannach do bhronnadh Ghradam Ceoil TG4 2019 ar chostas £22.50 agus níos airde ag www.waterfront.co.uk nó +44(0)2890 334455.

Tá eolas breise le fáil ag www.gradam.ie, nó ar Facebook agus Twitter @GradamCeoil  #GCTG4