Dublin National Concert Hall gig for Loreto pupils

Organised by Gael Linn with support from Foras na Gaeilge, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta and Irish Music Magazine, Siansa provides a platform for talented teenage groups who aim to emulate groups such as Téada, Altan, Danú, Dervish and so on.

While Siansa is essentially a competition, the groups are helped and encouraged along the way by highly regarded traditional musicians.

The talented young Loreto College musicians, under the dedicated instruction of teacher Mrs Maeve Close, qualified from an extensive field of traditional groups from throughout Ireland to win a place among the top eight groups in Ireland for the showpiece Final.

Tieg Tara gave a superb performance in the Final, drawing praise from the adjudicators and impressing the National Concert Hall audience.

Musicians drawn from throughout the school are members of the group: Ronan Close (Year 9), Niamh Mooney (Year 10), Dearbhla Ni Choisneachain (Year 11), Donal Close (Year 12), Eve Gardiner (Year 12) Cianan Mooney (Year 12), Fearghal Close (Year 13), and Cariosa O’Harte (Year 14).

Mr Michael James, Principal of Loreto College, paid tribute to the members of the traditional group and to Mrs Close for their tireless, dedicated work in preparation for the event and their superb performance on the night, on behalf of all the staff and students of the College.