*Ríona Hely performing at the 2026 Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada Competition. Photograph: Darragh Kane
CONCERTINA player Ríona Hely from Ennis won the Seán Ó Riada Bonn Óir 2026 competition on Friday.
The event took place at the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork and was broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on the programme Cuireadh Chun Ceoil, presented by Peadar Ó Riada.
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. This year’s competition was for metal reed instruments including the accordion, concertina, and harmonica. Ríona was presented with a bespoke gold medal, designed by Niamh Utsch, and a cash prize of €2,500.
Ríona is from Ennis, Co Clare. She is in her second year in University College Cork, where she is studying music and Irish. A regular at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and at Siansa, she has won her fair share of medals and is doing her best to pass on the tradition by teaching classes in Cork and Clare. Ríona is particularly interested in the old-style concertina playing and is influenced by the playing of Elizabeth Crotty and Kitty Hayes, who came from west Clare.
15 competitors took part in this year’s final, from all corners of Ireland and two from the US.
The Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada 2026 competition can be listened back to on the programme Cuireadh Chun Ceoil on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’s website, and on the RTÉ Radio Player.
