Top fleadh award for Donlon’s dedication
ONE of Dundalk’s best-known traditional musicians, and CCE Dhun Dealgan member, has been awarded a top accolade at the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Ennis.
Padraig Donlon, who also works for Louth County Council, was awarded the fleadh’s ‘Ard Ollamh’ at a gala dinner in County Clare last week in recognition of his outstanding and ongoing contribution to Irish traditional music in Dundalk and the wider area.
Padraig, who was joined by his wife of 30 years, Irish dancing teacher Valerie Leech and the couple’s four children for the special event, told the Argus he was honoured and humbled by the award and also by the fact that so many of his contemporaries attended the special dinner at Treacy’s Hotel.
He said: ‘I really appreciate this award and I am honoured and humbled by it’. Padraig revealed that he became aware that he had been selected for the Ard Ollamh award in December last year when it was announced, without his foreknowledge, at a fleadh-related meeting he was at.
‘Ever since then, it has been in the back of my mind, but it was getting closer and closer to the date and I found myself writing down a few words at 4pm on the day of the event. I felt honoured to be in the company at the dinner, along with my family’.
And there was an added bonus for Padraig as some of his council colleagues, who had travelled to Ennis ahead of Drogheda’s hosting of the fleadh next year, were on hand to congratulate him and council CEO Joan Martin made a presentation to him to mark his achievement.
A native of Longford who has been living in Dundalk for more than three decades, Padraig is a multiple All Ireland Fleadh winner on pipes and whistle, along with an All Ireland trio title to add to five All Ireland senior ceili band medals.
He is a founder-member of the widely respected Táin Céilí Band which won three All-Ireland titles in a row from 1998.
He is the Leinster representative to the Ard Comhairle of Comhaltas and is involved in organising and adjudicating at Fleadhanna Ceoil all over Ireland, Britain and America.
Padraig was a key player in organising the Leinster Fleadh in Longford rececntly, where his daughter Fionnuala won the senior harp title and was also a member of the winning senior trio.
As a member of CCE Dhun Dealgan, Padraig has taught and promoted music to hundreds of young people in the Dundalk area and a number of his students have won All-Ireland titles on pipes.
He was a member of Comhaltas tour groups, bringing Irish music to audiences all over Europe, North America, Asia and Africa, and has performed at three World Expos.