Harpist Lily Ní Chonchubhair is a multi instrumentalist from Ballygriffey Co.Clare and
be competed with five other harpists on Friday night to win the Seán Ó Riada Bonn Óir. She
comes from a rich musical family steeped in tradition and plays regularly with her mother
Frances Custy, founder of Custy's music shop, and sisters Eve and Maisie. She learned to
play the concertina from Mary McNamara and Liam O'Brien, and the harp from Fionnuala
Rooney. Lily was drawn to the music of east Clare where she was encouraged greatly by the
likes of Seamus Bugler and Pat Mullins. Lily is now a secondary school science teacher in
Ashbourne Community School, Co. Meath.
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 6
harpers (all female) and 9 pipers. Unlike previous years there is only one finalist from the US
for 2025 with most of the other finalists hailing from Dublin or the West of Ireland. One
thing that most finalists have in common is that they all come from some kind of musical
background many of them having siblings or parents who play music which is now being
passed on to the next generation. Also significant is that more than half the contestants have
competed and won prizes in many of the recent all Ireland Fleadh Ceoil and significant also
that nearly all the uileann pipers have learned the pipes or got tuition from Na Piobairí
Uileann.
The judges for this years 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 that “ 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”.
He said that the standard is very high and that “ we are particulary happy to see the younger
generation attending the concert every year even when their own instrument doesn’t feature
they come back to meet up with each other and to play in the music session afterwards, we
look forward to hearing great music again on the night”. Tickets for the event can be brought
at the door for €10 and it 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.
