Cavan welcomes home six All-Ireland champions

Thomas Lyons
Who would have thought when Michael Flatley launched the 2017 Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Ennis, Clare that by the time the weekend was over Cavan would bring home top spot in eight of the competition categories.
Over 3,000 competitors played, sung, recited or danced for All-Ireland glory in 180 competitions and 21 medal holders returned victorious to the Brefini county.
Cavan's vibrant traditional performance sector is very much alive as is displayed by this remarkable achievement.
The county also boasts two double winners in the competition, a feat attained by only 14 of the 3,000 contestants. Ellen O'Brien of CCÉ Cavan Town and Barry Conaty of CCÉ NYAH completed this noteworthy double.
Ellen took the top spots in the 12 to 15 age group for her performance on both whistle and flute.
The talented young lady started playing the whistle at the age of six, then took up the flute at 10 and also plays classical and traditional piano.
The musician has nine Ulster titles and is tutored in the woodwind instruments by James McGovern. Ellen said that Ennis was a great experience: “I am really happy. I was quite nervous before the competition, but I really enjoyed it. There were some brilliant players, I was not expecting to do as well as I did. Everyone I was competing against was very good.â€
Of course Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann is about more than the competition: “I played in a few sessions and I busked a bit as well. The standard was brilliant and I had a good bit of craic. I met up with friends that I had made at previous music events. I have been to five other Fleadhs. The first year I did not get anywhere, but the last few years I won a second and two thirds.â€
The CCÉ Cavan Town musician says that she particularly likes the work of Orla McGovern. At 15 years of age it may be early to ask about music as a career path, but Ellen said it is a consideration: “I have thought about that before, but I am still not sure what I want to do yet.â€

Flute
Another double All-Ireland champion is Barry Conaty.
“I won in the flute and the whistle. The standard was very high. It was under 18 so you have people who are senior level. I was happy with how I played. You play in front of two adjudicators with an audience of the other competitors and their parents.â€
The intensity of the All Ireland competition did not faze the young musician.
“I'm kind of used to it at this stage. I am competing since I was under 12 - I have been playing in All Irelands since then. I have played in festivals. I would not be as nervous as when I was younger.â€
Positioned in first in the running order for one category and midway in the other did not make any difference for Barry.
“It is nice to go in and get it over with first, but it didn't really matter. You just go out and do your best.â€
He says that he is not sure if the life of a musician is for him yet, but he will continue playing his music.
“I will be playing in whatever sessions are on. I would always keep it as an option, at the back of my mind, but I have not thought of it like that.â€

Bodhrán
Cavan Town CCÉ Bodhrán player Shane Walsh won out in the 15 to 18 category of his instrument choice.
“It was tough enough, as the standard was very high. I did a lot of work with my teacher Daragh Smith from Lavey,†he told the Celt.
Fifteen year old Shane has taken to handing on his knowledge to others.
“I have been playing since I was 10 and I now teach a few students. I like to listen to performers like John Joe Kelly and Eamon Murray.â€
Shane said that he had a memorable Clare experience.
“Ennis was good craic, there were loads of sessions every night. I played in Paddy Quinn's with my friends, including Darren Galligan who plays whistle. The best thing about the weekend was winning the class. I was nervous before I went up, but they went away when I started. The judges said I was an all round player and that I had the rhythm for every jig, polka and reel.â€

 

Drums

Kate Fagan of CCÉ, Mullahoran, was another musician who did her county proud. She took first place in the under 12 Céilí Drums. Kate relished Ennis: “The other competitors were of a very high standard. I was a bit nervous, but it feels good to have won.â€
Kate qualified for the 2017 Fleadh having come second in Ulster. After the win she got to play in a more social environment: “Ennis was good. I got involved in a few sessions. I really enjoyed playing in the Old Ground. It was a good place for sessions. My favourite thing about the weekend was going around and playing in the sessions. I will be going back again next year.â€
All the hours of practice paid off for the Under 12 All Ireland Céilí Drum champion, under the expert tutelege of Owen Smith from Edgeworthstown.
“His sister was in the competition as well and she came third,†enthused Kate.

Slow airs
In the U12 Flute Slow Airs category Ruairí Griffin of CCÉ Dr Galligan took the top spot.
“Ah yeah, it is nice to win,†said a delighted Ruairí. “The competition was strong, it was tough. There were 12 other young musicians, all very good.â€
The format of the contest was outlined by the young flautist: “You have two slow airs and they either tell you to pick one or assign it for you. They let me pick, so I played Sliabh Geal gCua.
“I was a bit nervous, but not much. There was a full room looking at us. I had come second in the province - the girl who beat me in Ulster was not placed at all, I thought she was very good, and that she was going to win it,†Ruairí said.
The young musician will compete in the same age category next year. He said that even if he did not qualify he would have gone to Ennis.  
“It is a nice town. It was a good Fleadh, bar the bit of bad weather at the end. I took part in a few good sessions, I played in the Old Ground and Copper Joe's. I made a lot of new friends.â€

 

Melodeon
Modest Isaac Scanlan of CCÉ, Milltown won in the 15 to 18 category of the Melodeon. At 18 years old this was Isaac's last year in the catregory - he is now All Ireland Champion!
“It is the first time I got to an All-Ireland Fleadh, so I wasn't expecting much. I wasn't going in there trying to win it, I was just playing there for the craic. I didn't feel it was that tough, because I just went up and relaxed and played. I enjoyed it,†he said.
The strategy obviously paid dividends, but didn't diminish the standard of the competition.
“I thought the All Ireland was a bit tougher [than Ulster], there is a certain amount of pressure because it is the the destination at the end of the road, so to speak. There was more people there as well.â€
As with all the competitors, Isaac said that he enjoyed the Fleadh more after the pressure of competition was over.
“It is the best thing ever, it is class. Ennis has been great. I have played in a lot of sessions.â€
Isaac said that his competition instrument choice is not the most popular.
“I think that the piano accordion is easier. You have to put a bit more swing in your playing the melodeon. It is not a great session instrument, it is only in one key so you cant play many tunes with it. It is mainly used for dancing because it is very lively. I bring the button accordion to sessions instead. Barry Leonard from Ballyhaise is my button accordion teacher - he is a class teacher.â€
The results from  Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2017 will be hard to beat, and the Cavan contingent heading to Drogheda in 2018 will have their work cut out for them in that regard.
Nevertheless the attraction of the out of competition sessions in Louth will be a great draw.