On Tuesday March 12 one of Mayo’s finest young traditional musicians took centre stage as a guest artist for the Department of Education and Skills’ Conference on Qualifications organised as part of Ireland’s EU presidency. Nominated by Music Generation Mayo, harpist Alannah Thornburgh performed to an audience of international delegates at the event in Dublin Castle.
Alannah, currently a Leaving Certificate student at Scoil Mhuire agus Padraig, Swinford, started playing music at the age of five, beginning on the tin whistle and fiddle, quickly progressing to the piano and finally the harp at the age of 11. She has won numerous All-Ireland medals for harp, piano, and fiddle and is a member of the Tiarna Mhaigh Eo Céilí Band who won the prestigious under-18 Céilí Band competition at the All-Ireland Fleadh in 2011. Alannah is currently a music teacher with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Michael Davitt and she teaches and performs regularly at various musical events around Ireland.
“Music Generation Mayo is delighted to have the opportunity to link with Music Generation nationally for the programming of performances at the Department of Education and Skills to mark Ireland’s presidency of the EU,” said Kate McKeon, co-ordinator of Music Generation in Co Mayo. “We are very proud of the County Mayo musicians such as Alannah Thornburgh, The Carrabells, and the Bofield Céilí Band who to date have proved themselves fine musical ambassadors on this international platform.”
This performance is the fourth in a series of exciting musical celebrations that have been organised by the Department of Education and Skills and Music Generation to mark Ireland’s EU presidency and will feature some of Ireland’s finest young musicians from throughout the country over the coming months.
For more information visit www.musicgenerationmayo.ie
