Seventeen fiddle-players have been shortlisted for the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition which takes place tonight (1 February) in Cork.

The competition, which was founded by Peadar Ó Riada, is now in its ninth year and focusses on a different traditional music instrument each year.

Among the fiddle-players are three musicians from the USA – Haley Richardson, Seamus Wick and Andrew Caden; a brother and sister, Séamus and Sarah O’Gorman, from Waterford; and the youngest competitor, fifteen-year-old Ademar O’Connor from County Offaly who has won several competitions at the Fleadh Cheoil in recent years.

The final will be presented live from the Rochestown Park Hotel in Cork by Peadar Ó Riada on his programme Cuireadh chun Ceoil on RTÉ Radió na Gaeltachta. It will also be streamed on the RnaG Facebook page.

Tomorrow, 2 February, there will be a free concert of previous winners of the medal, featuring uilleann pipers Tiarnán Ó Duinnchinn and Éanna Ó Cróinín, flute-player Tim McHugh, harpers Oisín Morrison and Úna Ní Fhlannagáin, and last year’s winner, accordion player Keelan McGrath. The concert starts at 8pm.

As part of the weekend’s activities, there will also be a Musicians’ Congress in the hotel on Saturday at 2pm, with information for musicians on rights, publishing, publicity, visas, grants and more. Entry is €5.

The winner of the 2019 competition will receive the Seán Ó Riada medal made by goldsmith Pádraig Ó Mathúna and €2,000.

See the full list of 2018 finalists below. For more, visit https://www.rte.ie/rnag

Dylan Carlos, Castleplunkett, Co. Roscommon
Clare Anne Kearns, Ferbane, Co. Offaly
Méabh Smyth, Ballymacnab, Armagh.
Sarah O’Gorman, Ballinamult, Co. Waterford 
Séamus O’Gorman, Ballinamult, Co. Waterford
Aoife Nic Dhomhnaill, Dublin
Senan Moran, Sradbally, Laois
Lydia Warnock, Kinlough, Co. Leitrim 
Caoimhe Flannery, Rockchapel, Co. Cork
Rebecca McCarthy Kent, Tramore, Co. Waterford
Jason McGuinness, Dromore West, Co. Sligo
Andrew Caden, Maryland, USA
Ademar O’Connor, Edenderry, Co. Offaly
Haley Richardson, North Carolina, USA
Shane Meehan, Carrick on Shannon, Co. Leitrim
Macdara Ó Faoláin, An Rinn, Co. Waterford
Seamus Wick, New Jersey, USA