WINNER… Gareth Maguire
FERMANAGH scored a double success at last week’s internationally acclaimed All-Ireland Fleadh in Derry.
Christopher Maguire, from Boho, who is a member of Irvinestown CCE branch, won the senior men’s (over 18) button accordian, and Gareth Maguire ( Derrylin CCE ) won the 12 – 15 men’s Songs in English.
It was ‘all came good’ for Christopher who was second at three previous fleadhanna at All-Ireland level.
“I always thought you have to keep going, and it will come”, he said this week. “And, it was nice to win it the first time the fleadh ever came north.”
A construction and engineering student at Queen’s, he was a member of the Knockmore ceili band, alongside his sisters, Lorena and Maggie, who came second.
For Gareth Maguire, it was a case of history repeating itself, having won the U-12 solo singing at the 2010 All-Ireland fleadh.
His mother, Marie was delighted: “This is his last year for 12-15, and he won it after two seconds, last year and the year before. He’s delighted and I know St Aidan’s High School which he attends will also be delighted.”
Other Fermanagh representatives, all competing on a global stage, came second and third, among them Damian McKenna CCÉ, Derrylin, who was third in Songs in English (Men) (15-18), and Knockmore Ceili Band ( Botha CCE ) who came second in the senior ceili band competition.
Timothy Boomer, Irvinestown CCE, was third in 12/15 whistling.
Other seconds included Fergal Donohoe, Belturbet CCE in Melodeon (under 12).
And, it was a productive fleadh for Clogher Valley CCE.
In the Piano Accordion (15-18), Ryan Hackett was first, as was his branch colleague, Peter McKenna in uilleann Pipes (under 12), and in Miscellaneous (over 18), another Clogher Valley member, Brendan Rea was third.
The branch’s success spread to Duets (15-18) where Karl Sweeney and Ryan Hackett came third, and these two went one better in the Trios (15-18) when they teamed up with Laura Bogan to take first place.
Finally, in the Céili Band (15-18) Clogher Valley CCE stamped their mark on this year’s All-Ireland Fleadh when their entry finished in runner-up spot.
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