Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal Competition for Fiddle now open for entries

Peadar Ó Riada is now accepting entries from fiddlers for the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal 2018 competition. The winner will take home the medal, as well as prize money of €2500, with the final to be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta in February 2019.

Entrants should record 5 pieces of unaccompanied music, and upload them to www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie by 28 September to be in consideration.

The judges will assess each entry ‘blind’, that is without knowing who the competitors are, and will pick the fifteen finalists who will take to the stage in the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork in February. The finalists, and judges, will be announced on Peadar Ó Riada’s Cuireadh chun Ceoil programme on RTÉ RnaG on 30 November.

The prize was won last year by young Tipperary box player Keelan McGrath, who has since claimed another All-Ireland title at the Fleadh Cheoil. Darragh Curtin, from Brosna in Kerry, was the last fiddler to win the prize in 2015. Darragh is the grand nephew of the legendary Con Curtin, who was a major musical influence on him.

Peadar Ó Riada will be playing some of the competition entries on his Cuireadh chun Ceoil show on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta in the coming months. The programme is broadcast every Friday at 7 pm.

The Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition has been running now for nine years, and the instrument rotates through a four-year cycle from fiddle to flute to pipes and harp, and metal reed instruments in the final year.

For further information on the competition see www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie

Fidléirí – Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada 2018 oscailte anois d’iarratais

Tá Peadar Ó Riada ag glacadh le hiarratais anois don chomórtas do Bhonn Óir Seán Ó Riada 2018, atá dírithe i mbliana ar an bhfidil. Bronnfar an bonn agus €2500 ar an mbuaiteoir ag an gcraobh, a chraolfar beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta i mí Feabhra 2019.

Le cur isteach ar an gcomórtas, ba cheart d’iarrthóirí 5 phíosa ceoil a thaifead, gan tionlacan, agus iad a íoslódáil chuig www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie faoin 28 Meán Fómhair.

Déanfaidh na moltóirí na hiarratais a mheas, gan fios a bheith acu cé hiad na hiomaitheoirí, agus roghnóidh siad an 15 iomaitheoir a bheidh ag dul sa chraobh in Óstán an Rochestown Park i gCorcaigh i mí Feabhra. Fógrófar cé hiad an 15 iomaitheoir sin, agus cé hiad na moltóirí, ar Cuireadh chun Ceoil ar RTÉRnaG ar 30 Samhain.

Anuraidh, ba é Keelan McGrath, ceoltóir óg as Tiobraid Árann, a thug leis an chraobh, agus tá Craobh Uile Éireann faoi 16 tugtha leis don dara huair ó shin ag Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann i nDroichead Átha. Is é Darragh Curtin an ceoltóir deireanach ar an bhfidil a thug leis an chraobh sa bhliain 2015. Ba é Con Curtin seanuncail le Darragh, agus bhí tionchar mór aige ar a chuid ceoil.

Beidh cuid de na hiarrachtaí atá istigh ar an gcomórtas le cloisteáil ar an gclár Cuireadh chun Ceoil ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta sna míonna amach romhainn. Bíonn an clár le cloisteáil gach Aoine ag 7 pm.

Is é seo an naoú bliain den chomórtas i mbliana, agus déantar an uirlis i gceist a mhalartú gach bliain thar tréimhse ceithre bliana – fidil, feadóg mhór, píobaí agus cláirseach, agus bosca ceoil agus consairtín sa bhliain dheireanach.

Tá breis eolais le fáil ag www.cuireadhchunceoil.ie