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Beidh an chuid is fearr de ógthallann cheoil agus amhránaíochta traidisiúnta na tíre ag dul ar stáitse sa Cheoláras Náisiúnta do chraobhchomórtas Siansa Gael Linn 2013 ar an Domhnach, 14 Aibreán ag 7.30p.m! Is é seo buaicphointe na bliana den chomórtas seo a chothaíonn dlúthcheangal idir an Ghaeilge, an ceol agus an óige. Tá Siansa á reáchtáil ag Gael Linn ó 2001 i leith, le tacaíocht ó RTÉ  Raidió na Gaeltachta, Irish Music Magazine agus Foras na Gaeilge. Bliain i ndiaidh bliana, spreagann sé agus meallann sé grúpaí nua den scoth.

Is iad an 8 grúpa a bheidh ag seinm ag an mórócáid seo ná ‘Cumasc’, Corafinne, Co. na Gaillimhe ‘Cóiriú’, Scoil Mhuire, Machaire Fíolta, Co. Dhoire,  ‘Nuada’, Meánscoil San Nioclás, An Rinn, Co. Phort Láirge, agus as Luimneach, ‘Anois is arís’, Coláiste Chaladh an Treoigh, agus ‘Éile’, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ.   Ag glacadh páirte chomh maith beidh ‘Na Fataí Fánacha’, Coláistí Eoin/Íosagáin, Baile Átha Cliath, a tháinig sa dara háit anuraidh, mar aon le ‘Frioscaí’ ó Ráth Éanna, grúpa eile a bhí san iomaíocht i 2012, agus ar deireadh,  ‘Spréach’, grúpa ón Scoil Ghraiméir, Sligeach, a bhfuil súil acu teacht i gcomharbacht ar a gcomhscoláirí ón ngrúpa, ‘Teaspach’, buaiteoirí na bliana seo caite!  Seinnfidh gach grúpa a rogha féin de cheol traidisiúnta, a mhairfidh idir 10 agus 12 nóiméad agus atá cóirithe go speisialta ag na baill, agus caithfidh amhrán i nGaeilge a bheith mar chuid dá gclár chomh maith.

Cuireadh tús le comórtas Siansa Gael Linn i mí na Nollag seo caite, agus tá éirithe ag an 8 grúpa seo an chraobh a bhaint amach trí chóras réamhbhabhtaí.  Chun cabhrú leis na ceoltóirí óga barr feabhais a chur ar ghnéithe áirithe dá léirithe,  tugadh deis dóibh freisin tabhairt faoi cheardlanna, a bhí faoi stiúr ag na ceoltóirí aitheanta, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh agus Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich.  De bhunadh Ghaoth Dobhair, bíonn Ciarán ag seinm leis an ngrúpa iomráiteach Fidil, agus is ball den dá ghrúpa Boys of the Lough agus Beginnish é Breanndán, lena mbíonn sé ag  gabháil fhoinn agus ag casadh ar an an mbosca ceoil. Beidh siad beirt ag moltóireacht ag an gcraobhchomórtas, agus beidh Mary Bergin (Dé Danann, Dordán ), a bhfuil ómós agus meas domhanda ar a cuid seinte ar an bhfeadóg stáin, ag cabhrú leo ar an oíche. Tabharfar rithim, scileanna seinnte uirlise, rogha cheoil, cóiriú, grúpiarracht agus léiriú, mar aon le hamhránaíocht, san áireamh.  Le duaischiste de €4,500,  is féidir a bheith ag súil le géariomaíocht agus ardchaighdeán ceoil ar an oíche.  Bronnfar príomhdhuais €2,500 agus trófaí Gael Linn ar na buaiteoirí, €1,250 don dara háit agus €750 don tríú háit.  Eiseofar dlúthdhiosca leis na duaiseoirí a scaipfear ar na meáin.  Anuas air sin, bronnfar duais chuimhneacháin ar na ceoltóirí uile a bheidh páirteach sa Chraobh.

Tá ag éirí go hiontach le roinnt iariomaitheoirí  de chuid Siansa Gael Linn i saol an cheoil le tamall anuas. Bronnadh Gradam TG4 Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana 2012 ar Chaoimhín Ó Fearghaíl, ball den ghrúpa buacach i 2008, ‘Fionnuar’.  Bhain buaiteoirí 2010, ‘Ioscaid’ ó Thuaisceart Éireann, gradam BBC2 Young Folk Award 2012 amach, agus tá dlúthdhiosca seolta ag tríréad ó Shligeach, JPTrio ( Paddy Hazleton,Ted agus Jos Kelly ), a thug an chéad duais leo ag craobhchomórtas Siansa Gael Linn 2009  leis an ngrúpa ‘Spraoi’.   Cá bhfios céard atá i ndán do bhuaiteoirí Siansa Gael Linn 2013 ?

Agus Gael Linn ag ceiliúradh 60 bliain ar an bhfód i mbliana, tá an-áthas ar an eagras go mbeidh Uachtarán na hÉireann, Mícheál D. Ó hUiginn mar phríomhaoi ag craobhchomórtas Siansa i mbliana. Craolfar an cheolchoirm beo ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta  ar an Domhnach, 14 Aibreán ag 7.30p.m. agus is í Áine Hensey ón stáisiún sin a bheidh mar láithreoir.  Anuas air sin, déanfaidh comhlacht léiriúcháin teilifíse, Red Shoe Productions, taifead ar an ócáid, le craoladh ar TG4 amach anseo.  Chun ticéad a chur in áirithe don ócáid, ní gá ach dul i dteagmháil leis an gCeoláras Náisiúnta ag 01:417 00 00 nó www.nch.ie.

Tuilleadh eolais: Niamh de Búrca 01:6753303/niamh@gael-linn.ie

Another feast of music in store at the Siansa Gael Linn 2013 final !
The best of young Irish traditional musical and singing talent will take to the National Concert Hall stage on Sunday, 14 April next for the Siansa Gael Linn 2013 final !  Siansa uniquely showcases Irish music and Irish song by young musicians, all through the medium of Irish, and this is the climax of the competition which is organized annually by Gael Linn, with support from Irish Music Magazine, Foras na Gaeilge and RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. Year after year, the competition inspires and attracts new groups of the highest caliber.

The eight groups who will perform on the night, are:  ‘Cumasc’, Corofin, Co. Galway, ‘Cóiriú’, St. Mary’s Grammar School, Magherafelt, Co. Derry,  ‘Nuada’, Meánscoil San Nioclás, An Rinn ( Ring Gaeltacht ), Co. Waterford, ‘Anois is arís’, Castletroy College, Limerick, and also from Limerick, ‘Éile’, Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ.   Taking part also are ‘Na Fataí Fánacha’, Coláistí Eoin/Íosagáin, Dublin, who came in second place last year, along with previous contenders ‘Frioscaí’, Raheny, Dublin, and Spréach’, from Sligo Grammar School, who hope to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winners, ‘Teaspach’ ! Each group will play their own ten to twelve minute selection of traditional music, arranged in a new and innovative way,  and must include an Irish song in their repertoire.

Since Siansa Gael Linn 2013 kicked off in December last, the eight finalists have qualified through two preliminary rounds of the competition. To aid the creative process, the young musicians were given an opportunity to attend workshops with renowned box-player and singer,Breanndán Ó Beaglaoich, a member of trad bands ‘Beginish’ and ‘Boys of the Lough’, and Donegal fiddler, Ciarán Ó Maonaigh, founder of the group ‘Fidil’. An innovative idea, this has allowed for a greater level of interaction and feedback than is often the case in competition settings - an opportunity for group members and teachers to gain some advice from practicing professional musicians. Having given the young musicians tips and advice at the workshops, they will now judge the final alongside the highly respected whistle-player, Mary Bergin, who has worked with ‘Dé Danann’ and ‘Dordán’ over the years.  The groups will be judged on their overall performance on the night, incorporating choice of music, arrangement, singing and ensemble playing.

With a generous prizefund of €4,500,  there is no doubt but that there will be a high standard of music and fierce competition on the night.  €2,500 and the Gael Linn trophy  will be awarded to the overall winners, those in second place will be awarded €1,250 while the group in third place will receive €750! These groups will also have their winning performances released on CD in due course, and who knows what future prominence may await some of them ? Previous participants have enjoyed success in the world of music over the last few years.  The 2010 winners, ‘Ioscaid’, went on to receive the BBC 2 Young Folk Award 2012, while Caoimhín Ó Fearghaíl, a member of the winning Siansa group ‘Fionnuar’ in 2008, won the TG4 Young Musician of the Year award last year.  Jos and Ted Kelly, along with Paddy Hazelton, member of the Slig group ‘Spraoi’, winners of Siansa 2009, are gaining worldwide recognition as the JPTrio and have already released their debut CD.

With the organization celebrating it’s 60th anniversary this year, Gael Linn are delighted that President Michael D. Higgins will attend this year’s Siansa final. The concert will be broadcast live from the National Concert Hall  on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Sunday, 14 April at 7.30p.m. and will be compered by  the station’s popular presenter, Áine Hensey.  This year also, as part of the 60th. anniversary celebrations, the television production company Red Shoe will be in the National Concert Hall to record a programme about Siansa Gael Linn  for future broadcast on TG4.   A limited amount of tickets for the event are still available from the National Concert Hall on 01:4170000 /www.nch.ie  – don’t miss it !

Further information: Niamh de Búrca Tel. 01:6753303/ email. niamh@gael-linn.ie