FORMER St Michael’s College student Michael Curran won the senior button accordion competition at the All-Ireland Fleadh in Sligo.
Michael, 24, from Fivemiletown, who has previously come second and third in the competition, went one better than the Ulster Fleadh in which he came second. The August 17 competition proved fruitful for the musician, and he was delighted to come away with the top prize, which was won by fellow Fermanagh man Christopher Maguire last year.
“I had come second and third in the competition before. It’s a massive achievement – it’s one of the biggest competitions in the Fleadh and with the Knockmore Ceili band also winning, it’s great for the area,” he explained.
Michael is currently studying a PhD in construction and project management at Queen’s University Belfast, and is expected to attend as a guest musician to different traditional music events and weekends throughout the remainder of the year.
Michael’s success is akin to that of the county’s Knockmore Ceili Band, who the prestigious senior ceili band competition.
The Fermanagh musicians came second in the same event at last year’s All-Ireland.