Of particular note for North Clare are these results.
Kilfenora – 1st for Jessica Nea in U12 piano, 2nd for Tara Howley in senior uillean pipes. Both come from well-known music families. Tara’s sisters Sharon and Eimear both play with the Kilfenora Céilí Band, and Eimear was senior banjo winner in 2010. Jessica’s father Colin won All-Ireland on button accordion in 1993-4, and her grandmother and great grand-mother were both pianists and music coaches to the Kilfenora Céilí Band.
Corofin – 1st for the Burren Céilí Band U15 and U18, coached by Garry Shannon of the Kilfenora Céilí Band; Inis Og Céilí Band got 3rd in U12; Cathal Corbett was 1st in U18 mandolin; Conor O’Loughlin and Conor Arkins (also from well-known music families) got places in concertina and fiddle slow airs.
Ennistimon – Arlene O’Sullivan was 1st in U15 mouth organ.
Particularly noteworthy are the achievements of Fergal Breen (U18) – 1st in both flute and whistle, and 2nd in uillean pipes.
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These are the results for all Clare competitors in places 1-3 atFleadh Cheoil na hÉireann 2014.
Fiddle – Paul Farren 1st U15 (Ennis), Rosa Carroll – 3rd U15 (Tulla)
Fiddle Slow Airs – Conor Arkins 3rd Senior
Flute U18 and Whistle U18 – Fergal Breen 1st (Doora Barefield)
Concertina – Rachel O’Dea 1st U12 (Ennis) and Aisling Lyons 1st U18 (Tulla), with Conor O’Loughlin 2nd U18 (Corofin)
Uillean pipes – Fergal Breen 2nd U18, Tara Howley 2nd Senior (Kilfenora)
Uillean pipes slow airs – Isabel Kileen 3rd U12 (Crusheen)
Harp – Eimear Coughlan 1st Senior (Tulla), Kate Meaney 3rd U12 (Lissycasey), Cara Ni Chiarba 3rd U15 (Shannon)
Harp slow airs – Eimear Coughlan 1st Senior
Mouth Organ – Arlene O’Sullivan 1st U15 (Ennistimon), Pauline Callinan 2nd Senior (Crusheen)
Banjo – David Hegarty 1st U15 (Cloughleigh), Donagh O’Sullivan 2nd U12 (Tulla)
Mandolin – Cathal Corbett 1st U18 (Corofin)
Piano – Jessica Nea 1st U12 (Kilfenora), Sean Doherty 2nd U15 (Ennis)
Melodeon – Caoimhe Millar1st Senior (Kilmihil), Aisling Hehir 1st U15 (Kilrush), Liam Browne 2nd U12 (Kilrush)
The complete results may be found here. All Ireland 2014 Results