Top class flute and whistle players from across the country will compete in the final for the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal in the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork on Friday 7 February, and the event will be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

There will be a total of fifteen finalists on stage.  Eimhear Flannery, 15, from Co. Cork will be the youngest competitor and Michael Walsh, 52, travelling over from Sheffield in England, will be the oldest finalist this year.  There will also be competitors from Co. Clare, Mayo, Limerick, Cavan, Laois, Louth, Wicklow, Kerry and Tyrone.

Eimhear Flannery is from Rockchapel in the Sliabh Luachra area of Cork, and this will be her third time to compete in the final.  She was a finalist in 2016 when she was just 11, competing on whistle that time, and on concertina then in 2018.  She was just 2 years old when she took up the whistle, and has won many prizes for her playing over the years.

Michael Walsh has also been chosen as a finalist before, in 2016.  Michael is a member of the Leeds Céilí Band, and released his solo album Quarehawk last year.  He’s a doctoral researcher in the Music Department in the University of Sheffield.

Peadar Ó Riada will present the event live from the Rochestown Park Hotel from 7 pm – 10 pm on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.  Esteemed musicians Michael Tubridy, Mary Bergin and Gary Hastings will have the difficult job of choosing the winner, and the criteria will include not only technical proficiency, but playing that demonstrates musicality and soul as well.  The winner will take home the prestigious Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal, as well as €2500.

As part of the weekend events, there will be a musicians’ conference on Saturday morning in the hotel, and the Coirm Órdha concert with past winners including box player Keelan McGrath and harper Úna Ní Fhlannagáin will take place on Saturday night.

Full list of competitors:
Cillian Boyd, Ennis, Co. Clare
Mairéad Carey, Skibbereen, Co. Cork
Séamus Harnett, Lisnagry, Co. Limerick
Eimhear Flannery, Rockchapel, Co. Cork
Joanne Quirke, Cork
Michael Walsh, Sheffield , England
Barry Conaty, Ballyhaise. Co. Cavan
David Vesey, Abbeyleix, Co. Laoire
Donnchadh  Mac Aodha, Blackrock, Co. Louth
Jillian O’Malley, Newmarket on Fergus, Co. Clare / Louisburgh, Co. Mayo
David Nesbitt, Bray, Co. Wicklow
Pádraig Enright, Listowel, Co. Kerry
Shauna Bolger, Castlebar, Co. Mayo
Michael Coney, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone
Stephen Kennedy, Bodyke, Co. Clare

Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada beo ó Chorcaigh

Beidh ceoltóirí ar an bhfeadóg mhór agus ar an bhfeadóg stáin san iomaíocht sa chraobh do Bhonn Óir Seán Ó Riada in Óstán Pháirc Bhaile an Róistigh i gCorcaigh Dé hAoine 7 Feabhra, agus craolfar an ócáid beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

Cúig cheoltóir déag in iomlán a bheidh ar stáitse, as gach cearn den tír.  Is í Eimhear Flannery as Corcaigh, 15, an duine is óige a chuirfidh chun stáitse, agus is é Michael Walsh as Sasana, 52, an té is sine a bheidh san iomaíocht i mbliana.  Beidh iomaitheoirí ann freisin ó Chontae an Chláir, ó Mhaigh Eo, ó Luimneach, ó Chontae an Chabháin, as Laois, as Contae Lú, as Cill Mhantáin, as Ciarraí agus as Tír Eoghain.

Is as Séipéal na Carraige i gCeantar Shliabh Luachra d’Eimhear, agus is é seo an tríú huair go mbeidh sí páirteach sa chraobh agus gan í ach 15 bliain d’aois go fóill.  Bhí sí 11 nuair a ghlac sí páirt sa chraobh den chéad uair, ar an bhfeadóg stáin, agus ansin bhí sí páirteach arís sa bhliain 2018, ach ar an gconsairtín an uair sin.   Ní raibh Eimhear ach 2 bhliain d’aois nuair a thosaigh sé ar an bhfeadóg stáin, agus tá iliomad duaiseanna buaite aici thar na blianta dá cuid ceoil.

Beidh Michael Walsh ag taisteal anall ó Sheffield Shasana don chraobh.  Seo an dara huair dó a bheith sa chraobh, bhí sé ann sa bhliain 2016.  Tá sé ina bhall de Bhanna Céilí Leeds, agus d’eisigh sé albam aonair, Quarehawk, anuraidh.   Tá Michael ina thaighdeoir dochtúireachta i Roinn an Cheoil in Ollscoil Sheffield.

Is é Peadar Ó Riada a chuirfidh an chraobh i láthair beo ó Óstán Pháirc Bhaile an Róistigh i gCorcaigh ó 7 pm – 10 pm ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.  Is faoi na ceoltóirí aitheanta Michael Tubridy, Mary Bergin agus Gary Hastings a bheidh sé an buaiteoir a roghnú, agus ní cruinneas amháin a bheidh á lorg acu, ach ceolmhaireacht, croí agus spiorad sa cheol freisin.  Tabharfaidh an buaiteoir Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada agus €2500 na bhaile leo.

Mar chuid d’imeachtaí an deireadh seachtaine, freisin, beidh ceardlann do cheoltóirí maidin Dé Sathairn san óstán, agus beidh an Choirm Órdha le hiar-bhuaiteoirí an bhoinn an oíche sin.