Westmeath competitor Audrey Murphy was among the big winners at this year’s Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann which took place in Tullamore last week.
The musician, from Tubberclare, Glasson, won first prize in the Senior Whistle Airs at the All-Ireland competition, which returned to the Offaly town for the third successive year.
The Fleadh, which is in its 59th year, is one of Europe’s premier cultural events, and this year was no different as the festival provided a feast of music, song and dance with an electric atmosphere of ‘craic agus ceol’.
Central to the Fleadh are the competitions, with traditional musicians of all ages and backgrounds competing at regional level throughout the year for an opportunity to participate in the All-Ireland event.
Newly elected president of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Séamus Mac Cormaic, extended his heartfelt congratulations to all the competitors, saying they had “taken the standard of Irish traditional music to a new level”.
He added that it was delightful to see so many young people at the festival this year, “proving that the passion for traditional culture, song, dance and Irish language is as strong as ever”.
For further details on the Fleadh and competition winners, visit www.fleadh2009.com
