Fiddle talent to gather for Dunkineely music weekend

Three fiddlers from the South-West of Donegal will be playing during this year's Dunkineely November Fiddle Weekend.

Derek McGinley from Glencolumbkille, Breiffní Ó Domhnaill from Kilcar and Éabha McGuinness from Killybegs will be featured in the Saturday night concert on November 14.

The concert at Dunkineely Community Centre starts at 8 pm, and admission is €15.

Rab Cherry of organisers Cairdeas na bhFidiliéirí, the Donegal fiddle organisation, says it promises to be a great night of Donegal fiddling.

“Derek McGinley is steeped in Donegal fiddle music and was the featured fiddler at the end of Donegal Fiddle Week earlier this year.

“Another one of our established players is Breiffní Ó Domhnaill. It’s great to have him back in Ireland after some years in the US.

“Éabha is fast making a name for herself in traditional music circles. She is continuing to develop her playing in her third year of a degree in traditional music at the University of Limerick.

“It will be a real treat to hear sets from each of these three players at the concert.”

Earlier on Saturday, and also at the community centre, adults and children will have the chance to take fiddle classes. Teachers will include another well-known fiddler from Glencolumbkille, Ellie McGinley. Ellie’s back living in her home area after some years in Dublin.

Another feature of the Dunkineely November Fiddle Weekend is the informal music-making in the local bars.

Two of the musicians who can be expected to feature are local brothers Aidan and Kevin Ó Donnell.

Aidan is one of the country’s best-known fiddlers, a former winner of TG4 Young Musician of the Year and a member of the Donegal fiddle trio Fidil. He’s now running Music Generation in Tipperary. Also expected for the weekend is his wife Áine, a renowned accordionist and singer.

Kevin O’Donnell has made a big contribution to traditional music in south-west Donegal both as a player of guitar and fiddle – who has toured around the world - and as a teacher and organiser of his own school of music based in Dunkineely.

Registration for the fiddle classes is at 10 am in the day. The classes will run from 10.30 am to 1 pm and from 2 pm to 4.30 pm. The fee is €15.

To book a spot at the fiddle class, contact 086 340 9019 or email [email protected]