This article is from page 14 of the 2011-08-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 14 JPG
A KILMIHIL woman is celebrating after becoming the first Clare musician in 10 years to take first place in the senior button accordion competition at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann.
Vanessa Millar took the prize at Ireland’s largest festival of traditional music and dance in Cavan earlier this month.
The 25-year-old musician hails from Greygrove in Kilmihil.
Vanessa has being playing classical and traditional music since she was eight years old. She entered her first fleadh competition at under 15 level.
A four time county champion (under 18 and senior), Vanessa has also won four Munster titles.
She is one of the founder members of Comhaltas Ceoltoirí Éireann (CCE) St. Michael’s and is currently Youth Officer with Clare County Board Comhaltas.
Her family are steeped in music. Vanessa’s grandfather, the late Paddy Murphy, was a concert flute player and the late Willie Clancy was a regular visitor to house dances at the old farmhouse at Greygrove. Her late grandaunt, Ida Millar studied classical piano and organ under Music Professor Ernest de Regge (1901-1958), who tragically lost his life in the Carmody’s Hotel disaster in Ennis in 1958. Her grandmother, hails from Kilfenora and Vanessa’s cousins there are keeping the tradi- tion going.
A former student of Clonigulane National School, Vanessa also attended St Michael’s Community College Kilmihil.
Vanessa furthered her studies at National University of Ireland, Galway and completed a masters in Irish traditional music at University of Limerick.
Vanessa said she would like to thank her parents for all the time and effort given to get to this level and to her younger sister, Caoimhe (All Ireland Winner 2010, U18, Button Accordion),
She adds, “Also, a special thanks to her Teacher and Master Accordion maker and former All-Ireland Senior Champion, Martin Connolly, whose help and master classes were invaluable over the last ten years”.