On Thursday 14th March young musicians from counties Louth and Sligo will join forces to perform for international delegates at a Department of Education and Skills event organised as part of Ireland’s EU Presidency. In the spotlight at this event, which takes place at Trinity College will be, Sligo harpist Niamh McGloin and Louth’s Ceoltóirí Óga Dhún Dhealgan from Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Craobh Dhún Dealgan. These young musical ambassadors have been nominated by both Louth and Sligo Music Education Partnerships to represent their county on this national platform.
Niamh McGloin started playing Traditional Irish music at her local Comhaltas Branch in Sligo at the age of 7. She started playing button accordion and took her first harp lesson with harpist Gráinne Hambley at the age of 11. She has represented her local Comhaltas Branch in Grúpa Cheoil and Céilí Bands at Fleadh competitions and is a double all Ireland winner on Traditional Harp in under 12 and under 15 age groups. She also won competitions at the Granard Harp Festival, County Longford and the Nobber Harp Festival in County Meath. She is a regular performer at the weekly summer concerts at Ceoláras Coleman, Gurteen and Tubbercurry Music Festivals. She has featured on RTÉ's Céilí House Bloom of Youth programme, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and RTÉ's Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann programme. She performed for President Mary McAleese on one of her visits to Sligo and her music is influenced by harpists Gráinne Hambley, Michelle Mulcahy, Seána Davey, Michael Rooney and other traditional musicians including Liz Carrroll and Alan Kelly.
Ceoltóirí Óga Dhún Dhealgan is a group of talented young musicians who vary in age from 14 to 18 years and have been music students of CCE Craobh Dhún Dealgan from an early age. Under the guidance of some of Ireland’s finest traditional musicians and music teachers they have progressed from basic beginner’s level to accomplished young performers. All of them have been winners at various Fleadhanna Cheoil, with some of them holding All Ireland titles from Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann. Their music played on fiddles, flutes, whistles, uilleann pipes, concertina and harp is a mixture of tempos, from O’ Carolan airs to lively jigs and reels. As well as their ability to play music, a number of the group’s members are champion dancers with Scoil Rince Mona Ní Rodaigh, and when required can swap their instruments for dancing shoes to great effect. Some of the group are regular performers in Seisiún, the annual summer show based at The Oriel Centre (Dundalk Gaol).
“Music Generation is delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Department of Education and Skills on this exciting performance programme to mark Ireland’s Presidency of the EU”, said Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation. “The collaboration is providing a terrific opportunity to platform some of the country’s finest young musical ambassadors to an international audience”.
This performance is the fifth in a series of exciting musical celebrations with many more scheduled over the coming months.
Notes to editors:
Music Generation is Ireland’s National Music Education Programme, initiated by Music Network and funded by U2 and The Ireland Funds, together with a range of local partners. Music Generation helps children and young people to access music education in their local area. Music Generation is currently established in Carlow, Cork City, Laois, Limerick City, Louth, Mayo, Offaly/Westmeath, Sligo and Wicklow and works with Music Education Partnerships in each of these areas. Music Generation also works closely with the Department of Education and Skills who have committed to co-fund the programme with local Music Education Partnerships from July 2014. Visit
www.musicgeneration.ie for further information.
