Fiddler of Dooney 2017

Traditional music followers and members of Sligo Town Branch of Comhaltas are eagerly awaiting this year’s ‘Fiddler of Dooney’ Competition. One of Ir eland’s premier fiddle competitions ‘The Fiddler of Dooney’, in association with Sligo Live, takes place on Saturday 28th and Sunday October 29th. The venue is once again, the acoustically perfect, Methodist Church in Wine Street. The Junior Competition gets under way at 11.00a.m. on Saturday and the Senior Competition begins at 2.00 p.m. on Sunday. Doors open at 10.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. respectively. Entrants are expected from all four provinces. The competition has a prize fund of 2,500 euro. The senior winner will be presented with a cheque for 1,000 euro and a specially designed Breeogue Potter y plaque. The list of former winners is a roll call of the best of Irish fiddle players. Winners have regularly featured among the prizewinners at The Fleadh or at the Sligo Feiseanna. The current holder of the title is Jason Mc Guinness. Jason, a native of Dromore West, Co. Sligo, is the fir st Sligo person to win the title since Manus Mc Guire in 1970. This year’s adjudicators are Kevin Burke and Philip Duff y. Both Burke and Duff y are outstanding fiddlers with an enviable international reputation for their Sligo inspired playing st yles. Both Kevin and Philip will join many other top class musicians during the several pub sessions which have been a hallmark of Sligo Live.

The closing date for entries is Friday, October 13th. See www. sligotowncomhaltas.com and www. sligolive.ie or call Maria Mc Loughlin, Sec. Sligo Town CCE at 086 821 8846 for more details.