All-Ireland Accordion Festival,

16th & 17th April 2011, Meath – Republic of Ireland


On Saturday afternoon, we had some of the adult sections including the Late Starter Adult Orchestra Section, the Entertainment Orchestra and some of the younger orchestral sections i.e. the Primary (Grade 1), Preparatory (Grade 2) and Junior (Grade 3).

Following the results ceremony at 5pm, there was a gala concert at 8pm. This was attended by over 400 people including the Ukranian Ambassador to Ireland and Paddy Kavanagh, one of the founding members of the Irish Accordion Association. The line up for this very successful concert included the Meath Harp Ensemble, Evin Kelly, Igor Zavadsky in the first half, with the Reunion Orchestra, Ian Watson & Julie North and finally our adjudicator Renzo Ruggieri.

The Reunion Orchestra consisted of ex-members of Senior Orchestras who had taken part in the All-Ireland over the last 40 years. They had gotten together over the last 6 months to learn 4 pieces which they performed at the concert. Their conductor was Dr. Patricia Kavanagh, daughter of Paddy Kavanagh, and currently accordion and piano teacher in the Royal Irish Academy of Music, Dublin.

On Sunday morning, the more senior graded sections together with the open sections were held. There were some fine performances and the standard was very high. On Sunday afternoon, the Intermediate Orchestra (Grade 6) and Senior Orchestra (Grade 7+) sections took place. This was once again followed by the results.

On Sunday evening, we finished off the event with a ceili. We had some fine musicians from Tipperary and Limerick performing and we managed to persuade Gary Blair and Andrew Kinnear to get up and perform a Scottish Set.

This proved to be a very popular event, and it looks like continuing as we have had some enquiries from abroad already re next year’s event. We would like to thank everyone who attended and supported this event, particularly the teachers and students and not forgetting their chauffeurs – the parents!!

Irish Open Accordion Festival 2011 Results:
Elementary Solo
1st - Mary Kelly, 2nd – Finn Longmore, 3rd – Niamh Carolan
Gold Medals – Patrick Gordon, Matthew Carolan, Laura Bradley, Ruth Smyth, NicoleGeraghty, Ciara Carpenter
Silver Medals: Daniel O’ Connell, Tara Sullivan, Lucy Farrelly, Jonathan Smith, AineO Reilly, Ryan O’ Sullivan, Aoife Muldoon, Donna Power 
Bronze Medal: Karl Parge

Preliminary Solo
1st – Katie Oates, 2nd – Michael Malone, Joint 3rd – Sinead & Niamh Byrne
Gold Medals: Bronagh O Shea, Martin O Connell, Aine Byrne
Silver Medals: Ashling Havern, Amy Lynch, Grace Evans, Amie Mc Keon, CraigHanley, Aimee Flanagan, Donal Dunne, Liam MacNamara, Cian Martin
Bronze Medals: Molly Cassidy, Karen Conlan, Niall Carolan, Sophie Murray, SaoirseMahon, Shane Flanagan, Cormac O Reilly, Sean Kenny, Rian Rogers, MichaelKenny

Primary Solo:
1st – Rachel Fitzpatrick, 2nd - Rose Pearson, 3rd – Madison Doherty
Gold Medals: Liz Duffy, Sarah Maguire, Arann Geraghty, Robert Mooney
Silver Medals: Sorcha Daly, Christine Rogers, Amy Sheridan, Jordan Curtis, EllenMarkey, Ciaran Mc Kenna, Blathniad Rogers, Roisin O Rourke
Bronze Medals: Niamh Markey, Richelle Shevlin Morrin, Cian Wilson, Sarah McKenna

Primary duet:
1st - Madison Doherty & Rachel Fitzpatrick, 2nd – Blathniad & Christine Rogers
Primary Ensemble
1st – K & S Ensemble, 2nd – Athboy Ensemble, 3rd – Ardclough Primary Ensemble

Preparatory Solo
1st – Emma Parker, 2nd – Katie Thompson, 3rd – Sinead Collier
Gold Medals – Rachel Mc Keon, Nicole Doherty, Kathy Rispin, Oisin Carolan, EvanEiffe, Claire Curley
Silver Medals: Kate Farrelly, Freya Dunne, Darragh Higgins, Matthew Smith,Christine Browne
Bronze Medal: Nadine Richardson

Preparatory Duet
1st – Emma Parker & Christine Browne, 2nd – Nicole Doherty & Sinead Collier
Preparatory Ensemble:
1st – Castletown Preparatory Ensemble, 2nd - K &S Preparatory Ensemble A, 3rd – K & S Preparatory Ensemble B
Medal: Ardclough Preparatory Ensemble

Junior Solo
1st - Jack Doodall, 2nd – Michael Mc Keon Boyle, 3rd – Eleanor Mc Fadden
Silver Medals: Megan Maguire, Darren Briody, Sinead Delea, Clodagh Beirne
Bronze Medal: Anna Murphy

Junior Duet:
1st – Ciara Casserly & Michelle Duffy, 2nd – Castletown Junior Duet

Junior Ensemble:
2nd – Castletown Junior Ensemble, 3rd – K & S Junior Ensemble

Higher Junior
1st – Lauren Rispin, 2nd – Eoin Carolan, 3rd – Ciara Beirne

Intermediate Solo
1st – Bronagh Carolan, 2nd - Jonathan Callaghan, 3rd - Teresa Wilson
Gold Medals: Hannah Phelan, Grainne O Connor
Silver Medal: Eileen Murphy, David Connolly, Aoibh Collier, Ellen Farrelly, GavinO Reilly, Aoife Faulkner, Sarah Healy, Eve Daly, Sarah Gordon, Kate Mullen, BeckyO Toole, Shannon Briody, Brian Eiffe, Clare Bradley, Brendan Lynch, Dearbhla Finn
Bronze Medals – Lauren Carpenter, Shane Mc Kenna

Higher Intermediate solo:
1st – Holly Chilton, 2nd – Samantha Sheridan

Senior Solo
1st – Ruth Sheridan, 2nd – Niamh Murray, 3rd – Aine Reilly
Gold Medals: Aine & Ciara Mahon

Concert Artist:
1st – Igor Zavadsky, 2nd - Olivia Cazals, 3rd – Kelly Murray 

Under 9 Solo
1st – Robert Mooney, 2nd - Rachel Ritzpatrick, 3rd – Jordan Curtis
Gold Medals: Madison Doherty & Richelle Shevlin Morin

Under 11 Solo
1st – Michael Mc Keon Boyle, 2nd – Darren Briody, 3rd – Sarah Maguire
Gold Medals: Kate Farrelly, Kathy Rispin, Rachel Mc Keon

Under 13 Solo
1st – Holly Chilton, 2nd – Jonathan Callaghan, 3rd – Bronagh Carolan
Silver Medal – Kate Mc Kenna, Rose Pearson, Eoin Carolan, Lauren Rispin, ClaireCurley, Karl Golden, Darragh Higgins, Jonathan Wilson
Bronze Medal – Lauren Blackburn

Under 16 Classical Solo
1st - Niamh Muray, 2nd – Louise Heaney, 3rd – Duncan Muir 

Under 16 Light Music Solo
1st – Duncan Muire, 2nd - Jonathan Wilson, 3rd – Ellen Farrelly
Silver medal – Grainne O Connor, Gavin O Reilly, Jenny Beatie, Samantha Sheridan, Sarah Gordon, Shannon Briody, Clare Bradley, Brian Eiffe

Under 16 Traditional Solo
1st – Duncan Muir

Under 16 Ensemble
1st – K & S Under 16 ensemble, 2nd – Holly Chilton & Samantha Sheridan, 3rd – Becky, Sarah, Kate, Rachel Eileen & Jonathan

Open Traditional
1st – Igor Zavadsky, 2nd – Andrew Kinnear, 3rd – Jill Patrick 

Open Light Solo
1st – Andrew Kinnear, 2nd – Jill Patrick, 3rd –– Stuart Swindells, International Award - Igor Zavadsky

Open Classical Solo
No 1st awarded, 2nd – Matt Scott, 3rd – Rebekah Mitchell, International Award - Igor Zavadsky

Open Ensemble:
1st – K & S Ensemble, 2nd – Lucy Neville & Tory Dunn 3rd – Matt Scott & Chris Newport

Adult Solo
1st – Juliann Callaghan, 2nd – Evelyn Moore, 3rd – Derek Preshaw

Primary Orchestra
Joint 1st - K & S Primary Accordion Orchestra and Ardclough Accordion Band

Preparatory Orchestra
1st - Oristown Preparatory Accordion Orchestra, 2nd – Castletown PreparatoryAccordion Orchestra

Junior Orchestra

1st – Castletown Junior Accordion Orchestra, 2nd – K & S Junior Accordion Orchestra

Intermediate Orchestra
1st - Castletown Intermediate Accordion Orchestra

Senior Orchestra
1st – Castletown Accordion Orchestra, 2nd - Morley College Accordion Orchestra, 3rd – Jimmy Blair Accordion Orchestra, 4th - K & S Senior Accordion Orchestra

Late Starter Orchestra
1st - East Antrim Seniors

Entertainment Orchestra
1st - K & S Accordion Orchestra, 2nd - Ballymun Accordion Orchestra, 3rd - EastAntrim Seniors

Additional Awards:

Most Entertaining Orchestra: K & S Senior Accordion Orchestra

Highest Orchestral Mark: Castletown Accordion Orchestra

Concert Artist Prepertual: Niamh Murray


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