Bonn Óir Seán Ó Riada 2021

The competition for the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal 2021 is now open for entries, and this year’s competition is for metal-reed instruments – accordion, melodeon, concertina and mouth organ. The closing date for entries is 15th October 2021.

Competition organiser Peadar Ó Riada said:

“This is a very special year for the competition, as we commemorate fifty years since Seán’s death in 1971.  The winner of the 2021 competition will have the honour of having their name engraved on the medal in this very significant year.”

15 finalists will be chosen from all the entries, and invited to compete in the final early in the new year.  The winner will be presented with the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal and €2500.

To enter the competition, musicians must:

- Record 5 sets of tunes (they can be recorded on computer or phone, studio quality is not required)

- Upload them to www.cuireadhchuneoil.ie

- Friday 15 October 2021 is final date for entries 

Young Tipperary box player Keelan McGrath was the winner of the 2017 medal, the last time the competition was focused on this group of instruments.  The competition rotates each year over a four-year cycle – fiddle, flute and whistle, pipes & harp and metal-reed instruments.

The finalists will be announced on the Cuireadh Chun Ceoil programme live from the Éigse Dhiarmuidín festival on Friday 3 December at 7 pm, and after that Peadar Ó Riada will be playing some of the entries each week on the programme on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta.

The competition is sponsored by RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, Iontaobhas Fódhla, Gael Linn, Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, IMRO and the Rochestown Park Hotel.