Colm Jimmy Ó Curraoin from Na Mine in Indreabhán, Co. Galway, has won the Corn Uí Riada sean-nós singing competition at the Oireachtas festival in Killarney.

Corn Uí Riada, named after the composer Seán Ó Riada, is the premier competition for sean-nós singing and takes place every year at the five-day Irish-language festival of music, song and dance. This year the competition took place in Killarney on Saturday 4 November.

Originally from Trá Bháin in Leitir Móir, Ó Curraoin won the Comórtas na bhFear men’s competition at the Oireachtas in 2016 and came second in Corn Uí Riada in 2018. In this year’s competition he sang ‘Liam Ó Raghallaigh’ and, for the call-back, in which competitors sing a fast song, he performed ‘Ócum an Phríosúin’. Second prize went to Sláine Ní Chathalláin from Baile na nGall in Kerry and third prize went to Conamara singer Caitlín Ní Chualáin who won the competition in 2016. The judges were Ríonach uí Ógáin, Máiréad Ní Oistín and Áine Uí Laoithe.

The women’s competition was won by Eileen Ní Chonghaile from An Chora Bhuí, Leitir Mealláin, with Bróna Ni Ceallacháin from An Chré Dhubh in An Spidéal coming second. The men’s competition was won by Ciarán Ó Gealbháin from An Rinn in Waterford with second prize going to Antaine Ó Faracháin from Dublin.

Recent winners of Corn Uí Riada include Bríd Ní Mhaoilchiaráin, who won it for a third time in 2022, Máire Ní Choilm (2019), and Máire Ní Chéileachair (2018). There were no competitions in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

For more, visit www.antoireachtas.ie.

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