Taobh na Mara are the first Waterford group to win first place in the Céilí Band competition at the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil.
Taobh na Mara is a part of the Comeragh Comhaltas group and the competition was held in Mullingar at the weekend.
The Waterford group was the first to win under the Céilí Band category while representing the county.
They formed in 1980 in the foothills of the Comeragh Mountains with the aim of celebrating and promoting traditional Irish culture, music, and heritage.re
There are currently about 150 pupils taking classes through the Comeragh Comhaltas music school. Their education programmes also cater to adult learners.
Comeraghs Comhaltas hold weekly "self-help" music sessions on Monday nights for adult learners in Cúil na Sméar Hall.
To read more about the group, you can check out their website.
Many other individuals representing Waterford took home other prizes in categories such as Men's Singing, Button Accordion, Duets, and Concertina.
The first national festival of Irish traditional music was also held in Mullingar in 1951. It is the world’s largest annual celebration of Irish music, language, song, and dance.
Every year, it attracts roughly 500,000 visitors to the event.
This year, it ran from July 31st until August 7th and saw over 50 concerts taking place.
The event was organised by Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann and was hosted in Mullingar in conjunction with the local Fleadh Executive Committee and Westmeath County Council.
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