Catherine Claffey, Shane King and Enda Seery selling programmes at St Michael’s NS, Castletown Geoghegan during the Westmeath county fleadh. Shane qualified for the Leinster fleadh in several competitions.

Westmeath musicians and dancers ready to compete at Fleadh Laighean

Published: Wed 5 Jul 2023, 10:00 AM

Last updated: Wed 5 Jul 2023, 10:01 AM

The Leinster Fleadh Cheoil takes place in Dublin this weekend, July 7-9, when the best musicians, singers, dancers and storytellers from across the province will be hoping to claim top prizes and book places in the competitions at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Mullingar this August.

Westmeath will be well represented over the weekend, by competitors in music, dancing, singing, storytelling and Comhrá Gaeilge competitions. The Westmeath representatives qualified through the county fleadh in May.

Castletown Geoghegan hosted that event and more than 150 teams and individuals claimed county titles.

Leinster Fleadh Cheoil events are taking place at the TU Dublin Grangegorman campus – with the exception of the dancing competitions, which will be held at the community centre on the Navan Road, and the céilí dancing will take place in the Cabra Parkside Community Sports Centre. The venues are in close proximity to each other, and there is a shuttle bus service running between the dancing venues.

Competitions start at 10am each day and full timetables are at leinster-fleadh.ie.

The qualifiers from the Westmeath county Fleadh and performing at Fleadh Laighean are listed below.

Westmeath Qualifiers for Fleadh Laighean

Fiddle: U12: (1) Thomás Breathnach (2) Michael Long (3) Georgina Reid. 12-15: (1) Thomas Wrafter (2) Béibhínn Nic Gabhainn (3) Isabel Finn. 15-18: (1) Megan Farrell (2) Donal McDermott (3) Amy Foley. O18: (1) Alannah Reid (2) Grainne Behan.

Button Accordion: U12: (1) Luke Kelly (2) Deirdre O’Brien.12-15: (1) John Reynolds (2) Gráinne Coolohan (3) Síofra Ní Mhuirí. 15-18: (1) Sarah Maguire (2) Áine Newman.

Flute: 12-15: (1) Aoife O’Brien (2) MJ Long. 15-18: (1) Emma O’Brien (2) Shauna Maguire. O18: (1) Neasa Ní Loinsigh (2) Maeve Molloy.

Whistle: U12: (1) Deirdre O’Brien (2) Orla Nohilly (3) Aoife Dunleavy. 12-15: (1) Therese Daly (2) Aoife O’Brien

15-18: (1) Niamh Roe (2) Shane King (3) TJ Turley. O18: (1) Maeve Molloy (2) Ciara Ní Loinsigh.

Piano Accordion: O18: (1) Gareth Dempsey (2) Karen Meehan.

Concertina: U12: (1) Éibhle Corcoran (2) Senan Conry. 12-15: (1) Aimee Wrafter (2) Therese Daly (3) Ciara Turley. 15-18: (1) Caomhán MacGabhann (2) Aisling Ní Leighinn.

Uilleann Pipes: 15-18: (1) Ciarán Gaynor.

Harp: U12: (1) Kathryn Maxwell. 12-15: (1) Louise Maxwell (2) Ross Maxwell. 15-18: (1) Rachel Maxwell (2) Marie Claire Maxwell.

Mouth Organ: O18: (1) Marty Hanley.

Banjo: U12: (1) Aoife Dunleavy (2) Thomas Reynolds (3) Eoin Clune. 12-15: (1) Hui Fen Bartley (2) Joseph Maguire (3) Bailey Shiels. 15-18: (1) Donagh O’Fiaidh (2) Conor Wrafter (3) Taylor Sheils. O18: (1) Marty Hanley (2) Paul McCool.

Mandolin: U12: (1) Aoife Dunleavy (2) Luke Finn (3) Emily Nich Eimhín. 12-15: (1) Hui Fen Bartley. 15-18: (1) Jack Mulligan (2) Taylor Sheils (3) Quyen Bartley. O18: (1) Marty Hanley.

Miscellaneous: U12: (1) Anna Dunleavy> 15-18: (1) Katie Tyrrell (2) Grace O’Neill. O18: (1) Marty Hanley.

Accompaniment: U12: (1) Anna Dunleavy. 12-15: (1) Caleb Shiels. 15-18: (1) Caomhán MacGabhann (2) Brian McGowan.

Bodhrán: U12: (1) Rocco Shiels (2) Katie Hoey. 12-15: (1) Thomas Wrafter. 15-18: (1) Shane King. O18: (1) Sharleen Doyle (2) Nollaig Mac an Fhailigh (3) Willie Penrose.

Céilí Drums: U12: (1) Sam Maher. O18: (1) Nollaig Mac an Fhailigh.

Fiddle Slow Airs: U12: (1) Thomás Breathnach (2) Emma Rose Maguire (3) Georgina Reid. 12-15: (1) Isabel Finn (2) Anastasia Jakovleva (3) Béibhínn Nic Gabhainn. 15-18: (1) Donal McDermott.

Flute Slow Airs: 15-18: (1) Emma O’Brien (2) Shauna Maguire. O18: (1) Maeve Molloy.

Whistle Slow Airs: U12: (1) Michael Long. 12-15: (1) Therese Daly (2) Louise Maxwell. 15-18: (1) Shane King (2) Shauna Maguire. O18: (1) Maeve Molloy.

Harp Slow Airs: U12: (1) Kathryn Maxwell. 12-15: (1) Louise Maxwell. 15-18: (1) Rachel Maxwell (2) Marie Claire Maxwell.

Duets: U12: (1) Anna Dunleavy, Aoife Dunleavy (2) Max Long, Michael Long. 12-15: (1) Ross Maxwell, Lydia Maxwell (2) Anne Reynolds, John Reynolds (3) MJ Long, Michael Long. 15-18: (1) Rose Macken, Béibínn Nic Gabhann (2) Sarah Maguire, Shauna Maguire. O18: (1) Neasa Ní Loinsigh, Ciara Ní Loinsigh.

Trios: U12: (1) Oisin Wallace, William Alan Connolly, Mary Lyons (2). 12-15: (1) Anna Dunleavy, Ellen Connaire, Aoife Dunleavy (2) Anne Reynolds, John Reynolds, Thomas Reynolds (3) Sinéad O’Brien, Aoife O’Brien, Therese Daly. 15-18: (1) Louise Maxwell, Rachel Maxwell, Marie Claire Maxwell (2) Annie Nic Domhnáill, Grace Nic Domhnáill, Niamh Roe. O18: (1) Maeve Molloy, Caomhán MacGabhann, Rosie Nic Gabhann.

Céilí Band: 15-18: (1) Tempall na Croise. O18: (1) Tempall Odhrán.

Grúpaí Ceoil: U12: (1) Loch Uail. 12-15: (1) Loch Uail. 15-18: (1) Grúpa Ceoil Naomh Odhrán (2) Loch Uail.

Irish Singing (Ladies): 12-15: (1) Eva McKenna. 15-18: (1) Grace Nic Domhnáill. O18: (1) Máiréad Uí Thiaráin

English Singing (Ladies): U12: (1) Grace Lambden (2) Lia Roe (3) Mary Lyons. 12-15: (1) Emma King (2) Eva McKenna (3) Isabelle Maher. 15-18: (1) Grace Nic Domhnáill. O18: (1) Máiréad Uí Thiaráin.

English Singing (Men): 15-18: (1) Shane King. O18: (1) Shane Heraty (2) Paul McKenna.

Whistling: 15-18: (1) Donal McDermott.

Lilting: O18: (1) Máiréad Uí Thiaráin.

Newly Composed Songs in English: (1) Dick Stokes (2) Moyra Fraser.

8-Hand Céilí Dancing, Ladies: U12: (1) Kilbeggan. O18: (1) Dún na Sí.

4-Hand Céilí Dancing, Ladies: U12: (1) Kilbeggan A, (2) Kilbeggan B. O18: (1) Castletown Geoghegan (2) Dún na Sí 1.

Full Set, Ladies: U12: (1) Ballynacargy B, (2) Lough Lene B, (3) Lough Lene A. 12-15: (1) Ballynacargy A, (2) Lough Lene, (3) St Joseph’s. 15-18: (1) St Joseph’s, (2) Ballynacargy. O18: (1) Ballynacargy, (2) Lough Lene B, (3) St Paul’s.

Full Set, Mixed: U12: (1) Lough Lene (2) Ballynacargy. 12-15: (1) The Downs. O18: (1) Ballynacargy (2) Dún na Sí. O35: (1) Castletown Geoghegan.

Half Set, Mixed: U18: (1) Ballinagore (2) St Joseph’s. O18: (1) Ballynacargy (2) Castletown Geoghegan (3) Ballinagore.

Rince ar an Sean-Nós: U12: (1) Leo Glynn (2) Kate Glynn. 12-15: (1) Nikka Sule. 15-18: (1) Áine Newman (2) Aoibh Dully. O18: (1) Roísín O’Hara (2) Rian Dully (3) Martina Slevin.

Comhrá Gaeilge: 9-11: (1) Ronan Conway, (2) Max Long. 11-13: (1) Michael Long. 13-15: (1) M J Long. 15-18: (1) Grace Nic Domhnáill (2) Annie Nic Domhnáill.

Storytelling: 15-18: (1) Alanna Corroon, (2) Shane King. O18: (1) Marty Hanley.