Showcase Winners 2024
Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Music Festival is delighted to announce the winners of it’s recent Showcase Competition with entries open under two categories, groups and solo artists. A large number of entries were received from all over Ireland and as far away as Australia. Competing for a total cash prize fund and the winners in each category will be performing as part of the line-up to this year’s 47th anniversary festival, live in the marquee, playing alongside names like the legendary Paddy Casey, Dave Munnelly Band, Aslann No Crows, Coscan, More Power To Your Elbow, Niall Mc Cabe, Rockhill Ramblers & Seamie O’Dowd. The Showcase has always been an important aspect to the festival as a platform for new and emerging talent on the Folk and Traditional Music scene. Congratulations to our winners – Flúirse (Group winners) & Niamh Corkey (Solo).
Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Music Festival is delighted to announce the winners of our group section, Flúirse, who are an up-and-coming, dynamic young trad group from Counties Laois, Tipperary, Waterford and Meath. Runners up in the prestigious Siansa Gael Linn Music Competition in 2024, Flúirse comprises of Oisín Durcan (banjo, mandolin, guitar), Róise O’Reilly (fiddle), Laura Scott (harp, fiddle), Taidhg Dalton (Bodhran,harp), Darragh Egan (accordion, melodeon), Edel Conway (concertina), Sorcha Hennessy (flute, fiddle, whistle, guitar) and Tove Byers (uilleann pipes, piano). With deep roots in traditional Irish music and song, members of the group have performed at many festivals at home and abroad in various formations including, Breizh Panceltic Festival in Brittany France, Creative Connexions in Sitges, The World Harp Congress in Cardiff in 2022, Forest Fest, Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, the Main Stage at St Patrick’s Festival in Dublin and in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. TV appearances include Comhluadar Ceol, The Ray Darcy Show and Fleadh TV. The young musicians hold numerous medals from Fleadh Cheoil na Éireann in various solo, duet, trio, group and band competitions and enjoy composing and arranging their own music. Their creativity knows no bounds, something which is heightened as a result of their friendship and unity as a group.
Fluirse will appear on Saturday 3rd August at Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Music Festival – live in the Marquee
The winner of our solo competition this year is Niamh Corkey is a 23 year old singer/songwriter from Fife, Scotland. She grew up in a big family of folk musicians from both Scotland and Ballyshannon itself, learning to play guitar at Irish folk and trad sessions. Her own music is primarily folk-inspired, woven with elements of jazz and 1960s rock ‘n’ roll. Niamh sings with bluegrass supergroup The Black Denims, and has played at festivals all around the UK. She is currently recording her solo debut album, and her first single will be released this year. Niamh will perform live in the Marquee on Sunday 4th August at the Ballyshannon Folk and Traditional Music Festival.
