Garryhill musicians clinch Leinster Senior Scór title
GARRYHILL Handball Club’s instrumental music group has brought glory to Carlow after winning the Leinster Senior Scór final in Ceol Uirlise (instrumental music) on Sunday 6 April at The Downs GAA Club in Westmeath.
The talented quintet, comprised of Diarmuid O’Neill, Aislinn Joyce, Killian O’Rourke, James Hosey and Sonny Cahill, will advance to represent their club, county and province at the All-Ireland final in Castlebar on Saturday 26 April.
“We just love playing music,” said group member James. “We stay in touch during the week and share tunes. We then practice our individual pieces and come together every weekend to work on various arrangements. We play traditional Irish music with jazz and pop.”
James attributes much of their success to the inspirational teachers they had at Music Generation Carlow, particularly Ciarán Somers and Áine Donohue.
The five friends, who have been playing music together since their early school days in Borris Vocational School, had previously secured their place in the Leinster final after qualifying at a semi-final event in Myshall on Saturday 22 March.
The 6 April provincial final featured a strong line-up of performers from across Leinster, with eight different categories contested, including Rince Foirne (figure dancing), Amhránaíocht Aonair (solo singing), and Scéalaíocht/Aithriseoireacht (storytelling/recitation).
Other Leinster champions crowned on the day included Birr GAA (Offaly) in Rince Foirne, Aoife Maguire of Scoil Uí Chonaill (Dublin) in Amhránaíocht Aonair, and Hugo Slevin of St Joseph’s GAA (Westmeath) in Aithriseoireacht/Scéalaíocht.
All provincial champions will now look ahead to the All-Ireland final, where they will showcase the rich cultural traditions that the GAA’s Scór competitions aim to preserve and promote.
