YOUNG MUSICIANS SHINE

KILCOOLE enjoyed five wonderful days of music last week for the 63rd Kilcoole Music Festival.

Festival spokeswoman Michelle McKenna said that the were pleasantly surprised to have so many entrants, given that it was held over the mid-term for the first time. While choirs couldn’t participate due to the dates, there was an orchestra and a chamber group.

They will look at the dates again, Michelle said, but this year’s change was very successful.

‘Everyone enjoyed a lovely few days of music,’ said Michelle.

The festival was on at St Patrick’s Hall and St Anthony’s Church last week from Wednesday to Sunday.

Founded in 1955 by the district nurse at the time, Mary Kieran, the festival has grown from a half-day of competitions, to its present day format with days of competitions in vocal, choral, instrumental and orchestral music, as well as speech and drama.

It is one of the oldest and most renowned music festivals in the country. The aim of the Kilcoole Music Festival is to provide a platform for children and adults to perform in public.

The festival attracts some of the most highly qualified adjudicators in the country along with extremely talented competitors, both local and national.

Under-12 violin solo competitors Julia Antolec, Julia Weber and Joanna Szlachta with their teacher Tom Siarkiewicz.

Committee members Sandra Dutton, Amelda Murray, Cathy O’Toole, Michelle McKenna and Mary Hanley.

Under-12 piano winner Omar Alkrda.

Helen Ledwith with the Tom Kilbride Cup and Maura Kilbride Perpetual Trophy.

Under-10 violin solo winner Bartek Szlachta.

Millie Devlin-Merriman, centre, winner of the Pat Memorial Cup.

Under-16 English solo winner Aoife Goodison.

Niamh Murray with the competitors of the Pat Byrne Memorial Cup.