This article is from page 11 of the 2008-08-26 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 11 JPG
CLARE musicians were among the top prizewinners at the 2008 Fleadh Cheoil Na hEireann in Tullamore over the weekend. Ruan fiddle player Eimear Arkins took home one of the competition’s major individual prizes by coming first in the under 18 fiddle slow airs.
Eimear has 11 All-Ireland med- als and holds solo All-Ireland titles in Fiddle Slow Airs, English Sing- ing, Sean Nos Singing, Lilting and Comhra, as well as Bands and Grupa Ceoil.
Eimear had toured with Comhaltas in the 2007 Tour of Ireland and the 2008 Tour of Britain. She will be touring with Comhaltas in the 2008 North American tour during October no. ;
Eimear is also a member of Inis Og Ceili band who won the prestigious under 18 bands competition.
Other individual Clare winners in Tullamore included Aisling Hunt representing the Tulla branch of com- haltas in the under 12-button accor- dion; Siobhain Ni Ogain represent- ing the Corofin branch in the senior whistle category and Fergal Breen from the Doora-Barefield branch in the under 12 ulieann pipes.
Clare performed well across the cat- egories. The banner enjoyed success
in the under 12 instrumental groups section with Grupa Ceoil Burren and Grupa Ceoil Tigh na Coille finishing second and third respectively.
There was also a strong Clare showing in the dance competitions. St Mary’s took first place in the un- der 12 all-girls. In the mixed under 12-category St Joseph’s finished in third position while in the mixed un- der 15s St Michaels took first place.
The other west Clare set dancers taking part in the All-Ireland senior competition, Diabhliocht na hOige, also did the county proud by finish- ing second behind the other Clare set Kincora.