THERE were jubilant scenes in Wexford over the weekend when local musicians Patrick Treacy and Aodhán O’Donnell fought off some of Ireland’s top talents to win at the prestigious Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
The talented duo join an A-List group of Fermanagh musicians to become All-Ireland Fleadh winners and local social media was flooded with congratulatory messages for the traditional stars.
Aodhán O’Donnell, a distinguished member of the Roslea Comhaltas branch, kicked off the winning ways for the county when he claimed the top honours in the Button Accordion 12-15 category.
Hours later, Donagh man Patrick Treacy ended his 14-year long wait for the All-Ireland title when he finished first place in the hugely competitive senior banjo competition.
“It’s a feeling that I don’t think I’ll ever be fit to describe to anyone,” Treacy, 21, told the Herald.
“It was special to win and Aodhán too, but at his age he probably doesn’t appreciate how big it is. If you’re in the All-Ireland Fleadh, you’re a fine player, you’re up there.”
Since he was nine years old, the Donagh man has been bidding to win the All-Ireland title.
“If you were to tell me 14 years ago that it would take 14 years to win the All-Ireland, I wouldn’t have believed it. Every year there was some kick in the teeth,” he said.
“This year I only got second in Ulster and I knew that if I went at it, I could go all the way. There was people playing afraid to lose and I was playing to win. That’s the way adjudicator described it to me.”
Treacy dedicates his All-Ireland success to his grandparents, Seán and Mary, who have been a driving force in his traditional music career.
“My granny and granda were sitting in tears, because I played so well. I knew then that I must have been in with a chance of winning it,” said the Donagh banjo player. What it meant to them, that’s the reason I wanted it, for them. Any competition I played in, they never missed a Fleadh, win or lose.
“It’s special for them and the celebrations are only starting now.”
There was also second place finishes for Dáíthí Ó Maonaile and Julie Ann McCaffrey and Emily Creevy from CCE Botha came first in the 12-15 Ceili Band competition with Drumlish Ceili Band from Dromore.
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