It’s been another busy and successful year for Newbridge CCE. Thanks to everyone who supported us throughout the year by attending our sessions, classes, fundraising events, concerts, etc. We are indebted, also, to those who helped out at the classes and the other events we organised, especially our tutors and the management and staff at both Anahorish Primary School and The Elk who accommodated a lot of our activities.
Well done to all those who represented us with such distinction in fleadh, feis and other competitions throughout the country (and abroad) and to everyone who committed to improving their skills by attending workshops and summer schools in places near and far.
Pictured are a group of our members playing at a recent senior citizens event in Ballymaguigan – thanks to all of them for giving of their time and talents on the day.
Congratulations, also, to our members who were successful in the recent LCM grade exams, namely Caoimhe Purvis (grade 8 fiddle) and Caitriona Lagan (grade 4 banjo).
Our next session will be on Thursday, 7th January in The Elk while plans for other 2016 activities are being finalized and will be announced in the next couple of weeks.
Classes resume on Saturday, 9th January, with registration from 10:00am.
Happy New Year to all our members and supporters.

Our final monthly traditional music and singing session of the year will be held in The Elk on Thursday, 3rd December.

Classes finish on Saturday, 12th December, for the Christmas break. They start again on 9th January.

Co. Derry CCE will be hosting its AGM in the Marina Centre, Ballyronan at 8pm on the 25th November 2015. All members are welcome. If you require any further information please send email to trees78@hotmail.com

Great start to the new season of sessions in The Elk last Thursday night. Thanks to all those who came along for both junior and senior sessions. This Friday night we’re having a ceili in the Sean O’Leary GAC Hall in Newbridge. Dancing starts around 9:30pm, admission is £5 including light supper and proceeds are going to a refugee charity. Hope to see you there!

Our monthly traditional music and singing sessions resume this Thursday night, 1st October, in The Elk. The junior/slow session will start at 7:30pm with the seniors from 9:00pm. Hope to see you there.

Our traditional music classes resume this Saturday, 12th September, at Anahorish Primary School​.
The autumn term will consist of 12 weeks of classes between now and Christmas, with a two week break for Halloween on 24th and 31st October – each class lasts 45 minutes.
Registration on Saturday is from 10:00am and classes will follow at 10:30am and 11:15am.
All-ability classes in concertina and banjo/mandolin will start at 10:30am each week. The bodhran class will be at 11:15am as will the classes for both beginner and improver fiddle. The class timetable for tin whistle/flute will be finalised during this Saturday’s class where all pupils are invited to attend at 10:30am for grading.
Fees for the term are £40 per pupil with additional family members paying £20. Classes in a second instrument (if the timetable permits) will cost £20.
Membership fees can also be paid at registration. The benefits of membership include reduced entry fee to fleadh competitions for juniors and free Treoir magazine (official Comhaltas magazine published three times per year) for senior/family members. Membership fees for the incoming year are:
Junior – £4
Senior – £8
Family – £14

What a week in Sligo! We’re really proud of all the young ones from Newbridge CCE who went to the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil and contributed to a hugely enjoyable festival of our culture by attending the Scoil Eigse, competing in competitions, playing at sessions and going to the many and varied events laid on by the organisers. Our thanks to their parents and tutors for their help and encouragement in getting them to such a high standard of musicianship that they were able to compete with the best traditional musicians in Ireland, the UK and the USA.
Well done to Padraig Mullan, Ellie Conway, Roise McCloy and Caoimhe O’Kane who all competed in solo competitions at the weekend. Special congratulations to Caoimhe O’Kane, Caoimhe Purvis and Patrick Magee who all returned with second place medals in group competitions – Caoimhe O’Kane in the 12-15 Ceili Band and Caoimhe Purvis and Patrick Magee in the 15-18 Grupa Ceoil, all representing Ceoltoiri Crosskeys.
We’re indebted to everyone at Loughbeg CCE for the opportunities afforded our children to participate in their Ceoltoiri Crosskeys bands and groups and congratulate their other members who competed, especially Jane and Molly Walls who are All-Ireland champions in U-12 uilleann pipes slow airs (Jane) and 12-15 duets (Jane & Molly).
Congratulations, also, to our neighbours at Loup CCE who did so well – to Mairead and Maria Mitchell, Lauren O’Neill, Rosie McElroy who were all placed in their competitions and, in particular to Bridgeen Mitchell, 15-18 tin whistle champion for 2015.

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Preparations are underway for the resumption of our music classes in September which will be held on Saturday mornings in Anahorish Primary School, starting on 12th September. We currently have classes for all abilities in tin whistle/flute, fiddle, banjo/mandolin and concertina but would like to be able to offer tuition in more instruments subject to demand. To this end, please contact us with any expression of interest or suggestions. We’re particularly keen to have classes in accompaniment instruments like guitar, bodhran, harp and piano, but are also considering classes in traditional singing and accordion.

Huge congratulations to all our competitors at the Ulster Fleadh in Dromore last weekend. We think it’s our most successful ever in terms of results with no less than three of our tin whistle players qualifying for the All-Ireland Fleadh next month. All three achieved third place with recommendations that they progress to compete in Sligo. They are Padraig Mullan (U-12 whistle), Ellie Conway (U-12 whistle slow air) and Caoimhe O’Kane (12-15 whistle). Our other solo qualifier was Roise McCloy (pictured) who was awarded third place in U-12 piano, again with a recommendation that she goes on to play at the All-Ireland.
Other participants in solo competitions were Caitriona Lagan, Caoimhe Purvis and Patrick Magee, all of whom acquitted themselves well and weren’t out of place on the Ulster stage.
In group competitions, Caoimhe Purvis and Patrick Magee qualified as members of the Ceoltoiri Crosskeys 15-18 Grupa Ceoil who finished third in their competition while Caoimhe O’Kane (pictured here with some of her fellow band members) was in the 12-15 Ceili Band from Ceoltoiri Crosskeys who were crowned Ulster champions on Saturday evening. Other participants in group competitions were Brian Magee, Ellie Conway and Caitriona Lagan who played at their first Ulster Fleadh as part of the Ceoltoiri Crosskeys U-12 Grupa Ceoil – we’re sure they’ll be back again next year!
Apologies if I’ve omitted anybody – let me know and I’ll edit accordingly.
Well done, also, to the Dromore branch of CCE and all those involved in the organisation and efficient running of the fleadh.
Finally, the best of luck to all those from each of the nine counties who qualified to represent Ulster in two weeks time.

A full list of results from the fleadh can be found at http://www.ulsterfleadh.com/results/

Well done to all our competitiors at yesterday’s Yew Tree Feis.
Caitriona Lagan was placed 1st in the P4-P5 open (banjo) competition and 3rd in the fiddle. Brian Magee achieved 2nd place in both the P6-P7 open (concertina) and tin whistle sections while his sister, Siobhan, was awarded 2nd place in the P1-P3 tin whistle. In the P4-P5 tin whistle competition, Roise McCloy was 2nd and Katie McGarry, Tony Diamond and Annie Diamond were all awarded certificates for their participation.
Good luck to all our musicians at next weekend’s Antrim fleadh in Cushendall.