Two Limerick musicians make final of prestigious Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition

TWO MUSICIANS from Limerick have made it to the final of a prestigious competition with a chance to win €2,500 each.

Harpist Aoife Ni Chonghaile and Piper Micheál Fitzgibbon are finalists in this year’s Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition, taking place in Cork on Friday, January 24.

Aoife Ní Chonghaile is from Limerick city and has been playing music since she was four years old and playing the harp since she was seven. A skilled harpist, she has won several competitions including the harp competition at the All Ireland Fleadh Ceoil in 2024. 

She plays regularly in Bunratty Castle and in Knappogue Castle in Co Clare and she is a member of the Clare Youth Trad Orchestra. 

Micheál is from Croom. He also plays the harp and flute. Micheál has won numerous medals at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉirinn, most notably the Senior titles in Uilleann Pipes and Uilleann Pipes Slow-Airs in 2023. 

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In 2019 and 2020, he toured Ireland and England with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann. A primary school teacher in Dublin, he was a member of the group ‘Finsceál’ who won the prestigious Siansa Gael Linn competition in 2019. 

The Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition is a prestigious traditional music competition that focuses on a different instrument every year over a four year cycle and this time features both the harp and the uileann pipes. 

The competition this year attracted the highest-ever number of entrants since its inception in 2010 with the numbers being whittled down to six, all female harpers and nine pipers. 

The judges for this year's competition are esteemed Dublin piper Mick O Brien, Scottish renowned piper Ailean Domhnallach and acclaimed harpist Siobhan Armstrong.

There will be two separate prizes for harp and uileann pipes with the winner for each instrument getting a bespoke Gold medal designed by Niamh Utsch, as well a cash prize of €2,500 each. 

Event organiser and presenter Peadar Ó Riada said: “We are very pleased that the competition is going from strength to strength with entrants from all over the world and an American finalist in the competition again this year”.

Saying that the standard is “very high”, he said organisers are “particularly happy to see the younger generation attending the concert every year”, even when their own instrument doesn’t feature. 

Tickets for the event can be bought at the door Rochestown Park Hotel in Douglas in Cork City for €10 and the final will be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidio na Gaeltachta and streamed online. 

The competition is being sponsored by RnaG, Comhaltas, Gael Linn, IMRO, Rochestown Park Hotel and Iontaoibheas Fodhla.