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Bunaithe sa bhliain 1961, tá Macra
na Feirme i mBaile Átha Buí ar cheann de na craobhacha
is rathúla i stair na heagraíochta sin. Le dhá scór
bhliain anuas tá go leor leor duaiseanna náisiúnta
buaite ag craobh Átha Buí i réimse mór comórtasaí
éagsúla. Ba iad an Gaelic Cabaret Team an chéad ghrúpa chun duais náisiúnta
a bhaint amach nuair a bhuaigh
siad Craobh na hÉireann sa bhliain 1965.
Bhí an chomórtas urraithe ag Gael
Linn. Ceathrar a bhí ar gach fhoireann agus chuir
siad seó fiche nóiméid ar siúl, seó a bhí go hiomlán
trí mheáin na Gaeilge.
Ar fhoireann Átha Buí bhí Deasún De
Faoite, Mairéad Seoighe, Treasa Ní Mhealóid agus
Colm Ó Mealóid agus bhí an ceathrar seo in ann dul
san iomaíocht le dream ar bith mar go raibh an
cheoil agus an Ghaeilge ar a dtoil acu.
Fuair siad an bua ar Chontae an
Chabháin sa gcraobh réigiúnach agus chuaigh siad ar
aghaidh chuig Chraobh na hÉireann a bhí ar siúl i
Móinteach Rátha, áit a raibh siad in éadan foirne ó
Chorcaigh, Loch Garman agus Tiobraid Árann.
Chuir siad seó bríomhar ar siúl, san
áireamh bhí ‘Óró Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile’, ‘Amhrán an
Tae’, ‘Ríl Iníon Mhic Leoid,’ agus amhráin agus
rince ó na cailíní. Chaith siad Geansaithe Árainn
don ócáid. Scóráil siad thar cionn sa gcomórtas agus
is acu an bhí an bua ag an deireadh. Tháinig grúpa ó
Mhóin na gCaor i loch Garman sa dara háit.
Hugh Ryan, Uachtarán Mhacra na
Feirme a bhronn na trófaithe orthu. D’éirigh le
foirne as Áth Buí dul chomh fada leis an gcraobh
cheannais faoi thrí arís ina dhiaidh sin ach ba iad
foireann na bliana ’64 amháin a thug leo an corn
abhaile. |
Formed in 1961, Athboy Macra na Feirme is one of the most successful
branches in the history of the organisation. During its forty-eight
year existence the members have amassed an amazing number of national
titles won in a whole variety of different competitions, but the first
team to achieve a national award was the Gaelic Cabaret team, which
gained All-Ireland glory in 1965.
The
competition, sponsored by Gael Linn, required teams of four performers
to put on a twenty minute variety programme entirely through the medium
of Irish.
The
Athboy team of Des White, Margaret Joyce, Theresa Mellett and Colm Mellett were well equipped to
participate, having the language and the musical ability to challenge
the best around.
Having overcome the challenge of Cavan in the regional final the quartet
put their talents to the test in the National Final in Mountrath where
they competed against teams from Cork, Wexford and Tipperary.
They
presented a lively programme which included ‘Oró Sé do Bheatha ‘Bhaile’,
‘Amhrán an Tae’, ‘Miss Mc Clouds reel’ and songs and dances from the two
girls. Dressed in Aran sweaters the team scored well in presentation
and at the end of an exciting and entertaining evening they were
declared the winners, with Monageer from Wexford in second place.
The
trophies were presented by Macra President Hugh Ryan. Teams from Athboy
reached the final on three subsequent occasions but the 1964 team was
the only one to actually bring home the laurels. |
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Damhsóir ar an sean-nós
den scoth ó Chontae Longfort is ea Gerard
Butler. Le blianta beaga anuas téann sé ó
fhéile go féile ag déanamh ceardlanna agus
ag eagrú deireadh seachtainí damhsa seite
agus damhsa ar an sean-nós. Bhí sé i mbun
ceardlanna damhsa ar an sean-nós ag Fleadh
Laighean i gCill Mhantáin i Mí Lúnasa. |
Gerard Butler; Gerard
is a renowned sean-nós dancer from Longford.
In recent years he is on the festival
circuit giving workshops and arranging set
dancing / sea nós weekends.
He conducted a workshop in sean-nós dancing
at the Leinster Fleadh Cheoil in Wicklow in
August. |
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Amhránaíocht ar an sean-nós:
Máire Pheter Uí Dhroighneáin
Ón Spidéal ó dhúchais do Mháire. D’fhoghlaim
sí go leor dá chuid amhráin ina óige ón a
mháthair, Máire Nic an Ríogh. Tá duais
Chomórtas na mBan ag an Oireachtas buaite
aici agus múineann sí an sean-nós do pháistí
sa nGaelacadamh ar an Spidéal. Fuair sí
gradam Shean Nóis Chois Life sa bhliain
2004. Tá aithne mhór uirthi ar fud na tíre
mar an siopadóir sa sobalchlár Rós na Rún ar
TG4.
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| Máire Uí
Dhroighneáin is from An Spidéal. She learned
many of her songs at a young age from her
mother, Máire Nic an Ríogh. She has won
Comórtas na mBan at the Oireachtas and she
teaches sean-nós to the next generation of
children at the Gaelacadamh in An Spidéal.
She received the Sean-nóis Chois Life Gradam
in 2004. Máire is well known to all as the
shopkeeper in the very popular TG4 programme
Rós na Rún. |
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Veidhlín / Fiddle: I
mBirmingham a thosaigh Geraldine Smith ag foghlaim
a cuid ceoil ach i ndiaidh sin d’fhill a
chlann ar Éirinn agus tá cónaí uirthi anois
san Uaimh. Is múinteoir cheoil í agus bíonn
sí ag moltóireacht ag Fleadhanna Chontae,
Cúigí agus ag Fleadh na hÉireann. Bhí sí
ina ball de Bhanna Chéilí an Táin a bhuaigh
Craobh na hÉireann sna blianta 1999, 2000
agus 2001. Chas sí ag ócáidí go leor thar
lear, san áireamh, Lorient, Nua Eabhrach,
An Veinéis, Sasana, An Chorsaic agus An
Pholainn. |
| Geraldine Smith
began her fiddle playing in Birmingham,
England. The Smith family returned to
Ireland and Geraldine now lives in Navan.
She is a music teacher and adjudicates at
county, provincial and all Ireland
Fleadhanna. She is one of the original
members of the renowned Táin Céilí Band who
won the All Ireland Fleadh in 1999, 2000 &
2001. She has featured at events throughout
Ireland as well as Lorient, New York,
Venice, England, Corsica and Poland. |
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Feadóg Mhór / Flute: Tagann
Louise Mulcahy ó iarthair Luimní agus tá cáil mhór
uirthi mar phíobaire agus mar fhliúiteadóir.
Tagann sí ó chlann ana-cheolmhar agus tá
roinnt dlúthdhioscaí déanta aici lena h-athair
Mick agus a dheirfiúr Michelle. Diosca
álainn is ea an cheann deireanach uathu
darbh ainm ‘Notes from the Heart.’ |
Louise Mulcahy; From west Limerick. She is a
renowned musician on uileann pipes and on
flute.
She comes from a very musical family and she
along with her father Mick and sister
Michelle have made several CDs. Their
most recent called Notes from the Heart is a
gem. |
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Consartín / Concertina:
Is ceoltóir consairtín thar barr í Maedhbh
Ní Lochlainn. Tagann Maedhbh as Bhaile Átha
Cliath ach tá cúlra láidir Chontae an Chláir
taobh thiar dí. Freastalaíonn sí go rialta
ar fheiltí traidisiúnta timpeall na tíre. Tá
cónaí uirthi i nDún Bóinne i gCo. na Mí
anois. Bíonn sí ag múineadh go rialta ag na
Féiltí. |
| Maedhbh Ní Lochlainn;
Maedhbh is an accomplished concertina player
who hails from Dublin with a Clare
background. She is a regular at all
the traditional festivals around the
country. She now lives in Dunboyne. She is a
regular tutor at Festivals. |
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Céilí Mór le Banna Chéilí
Taobh an Ghleanna
Halla Naomh Séamas, Baile
Átha Buí, 9.00in |
Céilí le Glenside Céilí
Band,
St James’ Hall,
Athboy, 9.00pm |
