FUAIM Concert - Doc Gleeson Award Holders - 08/03/24, Aula Maxima, 1:10pm

29 Jan 2024

Happening On 08/03/2024

In memory of their colleague, Donal Gleeson, the Dublin Postal Clerks Branch of the Communication Workers' Union has established a fund to enable the University to provide a number of Instrumental Tuition Awards. Up to four awards are made each year to deserving undergraduate music students. This week's Friday lunchtime concert will feature four short performances by Iona Ritchie, Ruby Falvey, Rachel Casey and Gráinne Ahern.

Iona Ritchie 

Iona Ritchie is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, composer and third-year Music and English student from Dunmore East, Co. Waterford. Iona is a Quercus Creative & Performing Arts Scholar and was a recipient of the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann Scholarship in 1st year for traditional music and singing performance. She has achieved two diplomas (DipLCM) in Irish Music Performance on both fiddle and button accordion from the London College of Music, where she also received a 98% in her Grade 8 in Melodeon. A member of CCÉ Cathair Phort Láirge, she has represented her branch and is a county, provincial and All Ireland prize-winner in both singing and melodeon. In 2021, she competed in Fleadhfest in the Traditional English Singing category. She has played nationally and internationally with Music Generation Waterford’s Senior Traditional Ensemble and is a member of Craanhill Ceilí Band and Grúpa Cheoil. 

Iona has performed in concerts, competitions and T.V shows, including PBS’s “Ireland with Michael” and “Other Voices''. She also enjoys teaching and giving workshops in traditional singing, fiddle and melodeon and has recently received her T.T.C.T. from Comhaltas. Iona is the Chairperson of U.C.C. TradSoc this year. 

Iona is very honoured to receive her second Dónal ‘Doc’ Gleeson Award and would like to thank all involved. 

Iona will perform three sean-nós songs, mostly from her local area of Waterford, and will be accompanied for one of them by Fionn O’Hanlon on bouzouki. 

Ruby Falvey 

Ruby Falvey is a traditional Irish musician and composer from Ballylongford in North Kerry. a multi-instrumentalist, she plays the tin whistle, flute, button accordion and melodeon.  

Last summer, Ruby visited New York and played in a sell-out concert at The New York Irish Centre. Whilst there, she had the opportunity to play in sessions all over the city and also on The Joanie Madden Folk & Irish Cruise. 

Ruby was invited to play at The Cork Folk Festival last September, a Traditional Music Tour in October and a Charity Fundraiser in May. She appeared on the TG4 show Réalta agus Gaolta with her brother in November 2022. 

She was a finalist in the prestigious Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada Competition in 2021 and was honoured to be invited to play for Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins when he visited Listowel in 2019. 

Ruby was heavily involved with her Comhaltas Branch (Ballydonoghue/Lisselton) for many years and has successfully competed in many different Fleadh competitions at all levels. She co-ordinated and played alongside young musicians and dancers from North Kerry for the Fleadhfest ’21 TV programme on TG4. She was invited to play and was interviewed for the RTÉ Radio1 Céilí House programme broadcast from the new Dúchas Comhaltas Centre in Tralee to mark the 60th anniversary of the foundation of Comhaltas in Kerry. 

Programme 

Melodeon:  The Wandering Minstrels & Bonnie Kate 

Accordion: Gan Ainm Hornpipe & Road to Garry 

Tin Whistle: Lonesome Boatman 

Ruby will be accompanied by Fionn O'Hanlon on bouzouki. 

Rachel Casey 

Rachel Casey is in her final year studying a single honours degree in Music. Growing up in West Waterford, she developed a love for music and performing from a very young age. She started playing guitar at the age of 9 and a few years later took up piano. She was very involved in music in primary and secondary school and especially enjoyed music in Transition Year. During TY, Rachel’s school became All-Ireland champions of the Briary Gap Transition Year Drama competition and was runner up in the light entertainment competition. Throughout this time, she also really enjoyed performing in local musical and dramatic societies. At the moment, Rachel enjoys performing in concerts with friends and teaching piano and guitar. Rachel plans to pursue a Masters degree in music teaching in the coming years and I is delighted to be a recipient of a Dónal ‘Doc’ Gleeson Award this year.   

Gráinne Ahern 

Gráinne comes from Youghal, Co.Cork. She has been playing traditional music since the age of seven and is a past pupil of Clara Mannion. She has attended many summer schools, such as Meitheal and Scoil Samradh Willie Clancy, and has learnt from many great concertina players throughout the years. She is a second year BA Music and Politics student and was awarded the Comhaltas Ceoltóirí scholarship last year in UCC. She has performed solo and as part of various groups for many years and has recently started teaching in both Midleton and Youghal Comhaltas branches as well as teaching traditional music in primary schools in East Cork. 

Gráinne will play a short recital of traditional music on the concertina, accompanied by Fionn O’Hanlon on the bouzouki.