Seamie O’Dowd was brought up by parents steeped in the musical traditions of South Sligo. His mother, Sheila, was a highly respected musician and teacher whose father and brothers all played fiddle, while his father, Joe, was renowned as a fiddle player among musicians and music lovers worldwide. Seamie himself began playing fiddle at about eight years of age. Highly sought after as a session and recording musician, Seamie has travelled the world with his music and has a broad catalogue of recordings to his name. He has been a tutor at the South Sligo Summer School on a regular basis since its beginnings in the late 1980s, teaching fiddle for six of its first seven years and teaching traditional guitar since the mid 2000s up to the present day.

Senior All-Ireland Champion Concertina player, Aileen Bourke is a graduate from the Irish Music and Dance course at the University of Limerick where she obtained a first class honours degree. In recent years she has played extensively throughout Ireland, the UK and America. From Bonniconlon, County Mayo, she is highly sought after as a music tutor.

Aileen took home All-Ireland fleadh medals for 5 consecutive years and was fortunate enough to become the senior concertina all Ireland champion at the 2019 All Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in Drogheda.

Aoife Johnston
From Muckelty, just outside Tubbercurry, Aoife, a former pupil of the South Sligo Summer School, is an accomplished young concertina player with a lovely, natural style, rooted in the rich local tradition she is steeped in. Over the winter months Aoife has been teaching concertina at the Coleman Centre in Gurteen and over the past few years of the summer school she has been instrumental, along with her cousin Sinead, in leading the practice sessions for children and young people in Tubbercurry Community Library as part of the week’s activities. We are delighted to have her on board this year to teach beginner whistle.

Conor McDonagh
Conor McDonagh is a flute player from Killavil, Co Sligo. From a young age, Conor showed great promise and his mastery of his chosen instrument belies his youth. He is widely recognised as a special talent and while his playing style is deeply rooted in the South Sligo tradition his music reflects his own flair and personality. Having attended the whistle and flute classes at the South Sligo Summer School as a young boy, Conor is looking forward to now giving summer school attendees a start on the traditional flute.

Daithí Gormley is widely regarded as one of the finest Button Accordion players of his generation. Steeped in the rich musical heritage of his native county Sligo his, remarkably accomplished, debut album ‘Fiddling without a Bow – Irish Traditional Music on Button Accordion’ brings an expressive mix of old and new tunes played with an attenti

Conal McCormack hails from Riverstown, Co. Sligo and is well-known throughout the region and beyond for his excellence on both bodhrán and drums.

Fionnuala comes from the well-known Collis family of County Sligo, and is an accomplished performer on both whistle and piano. Her father Tom Collis was a highly regarded flute player in the area and the musical legacy continues through the present generation with Fionnuals’s son and daughter Cian & Caoimhe Kearins also teaching at the South Sligo Summer School in recent years.

Deirdre Collis

A native of Collooney, Co. Sligo, Deirdre comes from a great musical family well-known in traditional music circles throughout the country. From a very early age Deirdre's talent for music became obvious as she played at Fleadhanna and Feiseanna with her father Tom, and sisters Patricia and Fionnuala. Before long, her distinctive traditional style led to her achievement of winning All-Ireland titles at all levels on three different instruments, the button accordion, flute and tinwhistle. Over the years Deirdre has toured extensively with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Eireann, including America, Canada and England where she captivated audiences with her performances. With her family she was also part of the highly acclaimed Owenmore Ceili Band who played throughout Ireland at concerts and céilithe and they featured at many musical events in those years, including the Inter Celtic Festival in Lorient, Brittany. In more recent times, Deirdre and members of the Collis/Kearins Family, including her husband Sylvie Golden, niece and nephew Caoimhe & Cian Kearins and her sisters Patricia and Fionnuala, have put together a full concert performance which audiences are enjoying thoroughly, given the depth and breadth of musicality being shared onstage at these events.

Jason McGuinness from Dromore West, Co. Sligo is a secondary school teacher who graduated from Maynooth University having completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music, Geography and History, and most recently obtained a Professional Master of Education.

Jason was the first Sligo fiddler since 1970 to win the Fiddler of Dooney competition in 2016 and holds the current Ed Reavy International Senior Fiddler title. He has performed on the Comhaltas tours of Ireland, Britain, and Canada in 2011-2012, toured Germany and France

In 2020 and completed the Comhaltas TTCT teaching diploma course. He has won many music awards in county, provincial and All-Ireland fleadheanna most recently winning the All-Ireland senior Fiddle Fleadhfest in 2021, All Ireland Senior Slow Airs titles in 2019 and U18, All-Ireland Senior Drums title in 2015, U18 senior duet in 2019, (with his brother Damien on Button Accordion) as well as senior grupa cheoil in 2019 and All-Ireland Ceili Band U18 céilí band title. He is a winner of Siansa Gael Linn with his group ‘Teaspach’.

From a young age, Jason showed a keen interest in researching and collecting recordings and archival material of Irish Traditional musicians. He has a passion for the Sligo style and has extensive knowledge relating to tunes history and céilí bands throughout the decades. Jason now follows in their footsteps passing on his musical and historical knowledge to younger musicians and is heavily involved with many Comhaltas branches around the country especially Tireragh CCÉ, Sligo and as a music tutor at Maynooth University.

Holly Geraghty hails from Ballindine, a small town in County Mayo. Surrounded by a rich storehouse of music in both her home and locality, Holly quickly developed a distinct musical style on the harp and concertina. Holly holds a Bachelor degree in Music accompanied by a Graduate Diploma in Music Education and a Master of Arts degree in Irish Traditional Music Performance. Holly's current album is entitled Ceolmhar.

Caitríona began singing in childhood and was just 12 years old when she recorded her first tape with her late dad, Michael. Later, as a sean-nós singer, Caitríona won the women’s competition at Oireachtas na Gaeilge three times.

Deirdre Hurley is a flute and tin whistle player from Ballymote, Co. Sligo, who learned her music from her father Michael, a stalwart of the traditional music scene in South Sligo, and from the many accomplished musicians of the area.

Over the years she has taught and performed at many festivals and events in Ireland and abroad, including, most recently, a month-long residency at the World Expo in Dubai. During her many years living in Dublin, she was a regular session leader in the celebrated Cobblestone pub, and was featured on the Thursday Sessions album released by the pub. She has made television appearances on RTÉ’s Fleadh Cheoil and TG4’s Tradfest Temple Bar and Slí na mBeaglaoich.

She was recently invited to contribute to ITMA’s Drawing from the Well series with her sister Mairéad, and subsequently performed in the National Concert Hall as part of a concert based on the series.

Bernie Geraghty hails from Ballindine, a small town in County Mayo. Bernie is a highly-respected performer and teacher, having taught music over many decades in Connacht. She is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and acclaimed teacher of music in Mayo and North Galway.

Tom Doherty comes from a musical family in Foxford. He started to learn the accordion from Martin Donoghue when he was four years old. Tom won his first All-Ireland on the concertina. He also has an All-Ireland title on the Melodeon. A full-time professional musician, sound engineer and music teacher, he has toured extensively in Ireland, Europe and the U.S. Tom's music is featured on numerous television recordings and CDs.

Tom is the musical director of the junior and teenage performance group, Glór na Sí.

Sinéad Johnston

From Muckelty, Achonry, near Tubbercurry, Sinead has been playing banjo since she was a young girl and is equally accomplished on the mandolin. Having attended the summer school over the years and in more recent years leading the children and young peoples’ practice music sessions in Tubbercurry Community Library during the week of the summer school, we are delighted that she is available to teach this year. Sinead will be teaching beginner banjo and this class will be suited to those who already play another instrument and have a basic repertoire of tunes.

Born in Worcester, Massachusetts now living in Foxford, County Mayo, David Doocey is at the forefront of a younger generation of musicians.

He has won several awards including All-Ireland medals on both fiddle and concertina and the first ever World Fleadh fiddle championship in 2005.

2013 saw the release of David’s debut solo album ‘Changing Time’ and 2022 sees the release of David’s new album with NxMW featuring Stephen Doherty, Ryan Molloy and Kieran Leonard.

Marian Egan (née Flannery) is a tin whistle player from County Sligo. Marian moved to Manchester as a teenager to train in social work and soon became a key figure in the Irish music scene, playing in the Manchester Céilí Band and touring with Sullivan’s Private Stock. Now living in County Mayo, Marian's teaching legacy with Comhaltas in Manchester continues to be celebrated.

Born and raised in Leeds England to Mayo and Galway parents, Michael’s father was a flute player and taught him and his three brothers to a high standard.

Michael has been teaching in the Coleman Centre since it first opened, and has produced many champion musicians, céilí bands and groups.

He is the flute player for the Swallow’s Tail Céilí Band, one of Ireland’s top Céilí Bands.

Fiachra Guihen is a young musician from Keadue, Co. Roscommon. He plays mainly traditional music and has played with many different groups locally and nationally, most notably the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland. He began playing the tin whistle at the age of 7. He then moved on to the flute and as a teenager took up the harp. He has received a number all-Ireland medals for the harp and also as part of a Grúpa Cheoil. He has played in various different venues including the National Concert Hall, Dublin and the Barbican Theatre, London. He is currently studying Technology Education at the University of Limerick.

John Dwyer comes from Mullaghroe, about 2 miles from Gurteen Village. From a very early age John’s interest in traditional music was influenced, encouraged and nurtured by his late grandmother ‘Babs’ Dwyer. During his informative years he attended music classes for tinwhistle in Gurteen with teachers Paddy Ryan & PJ Hernon. Later he progressed to the concert flute and piano. In teenage years he was introduced to the late ‘Ted McGowan’ academy…The Róisín Dubh in Gurteen. Here John had the opportunity to meet with, listen to, learn from and play with some of the all time greats…Peter Horan, Tom McGowan, Kevin O’Brien, Andy Davey, to name but a few. Over the years John has played with and accompanied many trad groups, notably Shebeen & Céilí bands for fleadhanna. Besides playing music John is actively involved in carrying on the tradition in his tutoring role at the South Sligo Summer School here in Tubbercurry and promoting the best of traditional music, song and dance as events manager at the Coleman Music Centre in Gurteen.

Leonard, from North Kerry, but now living in Sligo, is one of Ireland’s finest uilleann pipers. He has played and taught the pipes in the USA, Europe, Asia and Australia. Leonard has worked with many of Ireland’s leading singer songwriters including Luka Bloom and John Spillane. Leonard recently released a CD entitled 'New Road' with fellow Sligo musicians Seamie O'Dowd and Rick Epping and Leitrim fiddle player Andy Morrow. Thanks to his input since moving to live in Sligo in recent years, the uilleann pipes has increased in popularity in the region. Long may this continue and develop.

Uilleann Pipes Workshop (Beginner/Improver) w/ Mark Dunleavy

Mark, from Bunnanadden, Co Sligo, is a former pupil of the South Sligo Summer School, having regularly attended Leonard Barry’s piping workshops at the school since he was a small boy. He is actively involved in his local Comhaltas branch in Ballymote where he is Youth Officer. He is a regular contributor to sessions around South Sligo. Having gained so much from the teaching and expertise of his mentor Leonard Barry during his formative playing years, Mark is delighted to now have the opportunity to share his knowledge and learning with summer school attendees who want to give the uilleann pipes a go or those who have made a start already and want to develop their playing further.

A native of Bunnanadden parish in South Sligo, Jarlath’s banjo style and repertoire of tunes is very much rooted in the Sligo tradition. He grew up in a family steeped in traditional music and dance. A widely experienced and deeply committed teacher, Jarlath has been tutoring at the South Sligo Summer School for many years.

Based in Coolaney, Co. Sligo, Oisin is a graduate in Music Education from Trinity College Dublin and founder of the internationally-renowned group Téada in 2001. Director of SCT, the traditional Irish music examination system administered by Comhaltas, Oisín recently co-authored ‘Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook’ along with fellow-Sligo musician, Daithí Gormley.

Manus McGuire is an Irish fiddle player who has for many years been involved in performing, recording, teaching and in more recent times, composition. Originally from Sligo and now resident in East Clare, he grew up in a rich musical environment in the North West of Ireland and together with his brother Seamus, he was ideally placed to carry on a fiddle tradition made legendary by Michael Coleman, James Morrison, Paddy Killoran and Lad O’Beirne.

As a recording artist, he has recorded solo fiddle albums, duo fiddle albums with his brother Seamus, and a number of CDs with bands Buttons and Bows, Moving Cloud, Brock McGuire Band and Full Tilt.

He is honoured to have won a number of prestigious fiddle awards such as the 2006 Male Irish Traditional Musician of the year in the U.S. by the Irish American News in Chicago. As well as performing with ‘Buttons and Bows’, ‘Full Tilt’ and East West Fiddles, these days he is involved in teaching fiddle both at intermediate and advanced levels.

Shane, from Lavagh, County Sligo – just outside Tubbercurry – grew up in a family steeped in traditional music. An immensely gifted musician, Shane has been teaching traditional guitar at the South Sligo Summer School for many years. He is very much in demand for his accompaniment skills and features on a wide range of recordings including ‘Hurry the Jug’, the much acclaimed album released in the summer of 2019, which also features uilleann pipes tutor Leonard Barry and fiddle tutor Declan Folan.

Stephen Doherty hails from Foxford, Co. Mayo in the West of Ireland. He began learning music at the age of 4 and through his teenage years began to accumulate numerous all-Ireland medals on whistle, bodhrán, drums, accordion and is a two-time All-Ireland champion on the Melodeon and a senior All-Ireland Champion on the flute.

In the past few years he has shared the stage with artists like, Lúnasa, Sean Keane, Dolores Keane, We Banjo 3, Dougie MacLean, Michael McGoldrick, Dermot Byrne, Slide & Sharon Shannon and has had recording sessions in Nashville with Alison Brown and Tim O’Brien. He has performed in over 20 countries to date and has also featured on RTE’s ‘Nationwide’, ‘The Late Late Show’ and ‘The View’ and on TG4′s ‘Geantraí & ‘Hup’ programmes.

Caoimhe Kearins hails from Collooney, outside the town of Ballymote, Co. Sligo. She is the third generation of a family steeped in traditional music & song and is a Senior All Ireland fiddle, singing and lilting champion. In 2017 she won the prestigious Senior Fiddler of Dooney title. Caoimhe has previously taught traditional singing & lilting as well as ‘Feadóg Stain trí Ghaeilge’ at the summer school here in Tubbercurry. She has tutored at several other festivals and summer schools in recent years and she brings a rich store of skill, a deep understanding of the tradition and experience to her teaching.

Junior Davey comes from a family deeply rooted in the rich musical tradition of South Sligo and is highly respected as one of the finest exponents on the bodhrán, having won the Senior All-Ireland Bodhrán competition on 5 occasions. He is a highly sought after percussion tutor, equally adept on the bones as the bodhrán and with an innate understanding of the music he grew up with.

Maugherow native and former All-Ireland Banjo Senior Champion, Kerri is delighted to be teaching at this year’s South Sligo Summer School, after an absence of a few years. Having lived in Luton, UK, for a number of years, Kerri returned to live in her beloved North Sligo and has since been actively involved in passing on the musical tradition through her teaching and playing and more recently in achieving one of her long time visions when she set up the Benbulben Comhaltas branch, a great success story and a reflection of the flourishing traditional music scene in all parts of County Sligo.

Pat Murphy’s earliest memories from his childhood go back to when the Ballycommon Set, which was called the Plain Set at home, and the Cashel Set were the only ones they knew about. From Upperchurch, in County Tipperary, his father Jack played the accordion and he played for house dances in earlier years. Pat learned to play music from him, so his first connection with Irish Set Dancing was as a musician. As children, they also learned to dance at home with their parents and neighbours.

In the early 1980’s, when Pat was playing music with a few friends for a Scór Set Dancing Competition, he was asked to dance in their Club’s competition team, as one of the male dancers was injured during rehearsals. He danced, they won and the rest is history!

Pat’s travels over more than 30 years have now taken him to every county in Ireland and to most countries in Mainland Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, Luxembourg, Norway, Spain, Portugal, the Czech Republic and Russia. Some of the best recent Dance Festivals in Pat’s experience have taken place in France, Italy and Germany. He has visited many parts of America, including, California, Seattle, Chicago, Milwaukee, Florida and New York. He has travelled to Canada, to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa. His travels have also enabled him to teach in Japan, Australia and New Zealand. In April 2018, Pat visited Australia for the third time and it was wonderful to have more than 100 dancers taking part in the set dance classes in Melbourne.

In 1994, Pat was invited by Irish Publisher Mercier Press to write a book on Irish Set Dancing. His first book, entitled ‘Toss the Feathers, Irish Set Dancing’ was published in 1995. It contained 64 dances and became the first standard reference Book for Set Dancers world wide. Since then five more dance books have been published, the latest officially launched at the beginning of 2018. Together, the five books form a complete anthology of Irish Set Dancing from the revival in the 1970s to 2019.

Toss the Feathers, Irish Set Dancing (1995)

The Flowing Tide, More Irish Set Dancing (2000)

Apples in Winter, Irish Set and Social Dancing (2009)

Tabhair Dom Do Lámh, Irish Set and Social Dancing (2014)

Come West Along the Road, Irish Set and Social Dancing (2017)

Pat has also produced some instructional DVDs on Set Dancing, the first recorded during his time living in Westport, County Mayo and others recorded during the South Sligo Summer School here in Tubbercurry and at the Joe Mooney Summer School in Drumshanbo.

Siobhán & Eoin O’Donnell grew up in a musical family, steeped in the rich tradition of music and song of South Sligo. Both are widely experienced and highly sought after singers.

Siobhán has been teaching at the South Sligo Summer School for many years, having taught the bodhrán as well as singing workshops in the past. Siobhán released her first solo album ‘A Beautiful Affair’ in the Summer of 2016, showcasing her versatility as a singer and musician.

Eoin began singing at an early age and through his teenage years began to accumulate numerous all-Ireland fleadh medals in singing and lilting. He is passionate about Traditional Irish singing and keeping the tradition alive. He enjoys passing on the traditional songs and styles of traditional singing.

Sean-nós dancer Eiméar Mulvey hails from Geevagh, County Sligo. Eiméar is the 2018 senior Sean Nós Dancing All Ireland Champion at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and is the sole force behind ‘Club Damhsa Bróga Bríomhar’, Eiméar looks forward to knocking sparks out of the floor at this year’s South Sligo Summer School, where she will teach a mix of sean-nós, barrel and brush dancing steps with her students.

Sean-nós dancer Eiméar Mulvey hails from Geevagh, County Sligo. Eiméar is the 2018 senior Sean Nós Dancing All Ireland Champion at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and is the sole force behind ‘Club Damhsa Bróga Bríomhar’, Eiméar looks forward to knocking sparks out of the floor at this year’s South Sligo Summer School, where she will teach a mix of sean-nós, barrel and brush dancing steps with her students.

Sean-nós dancer Eiméar Mulvey hails from Geevagh, County Sligo. Eiméar is the 2018 senior Sean Nós Dancing All Ireland Champion at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and is the sole force behind ‘Club Damhsa Bróga Bríomhar’, Eiméar looks forward to knocking sparks out of the floor at this year’s South Sligo Summer School, where she will teach a mix of sean-nós, barrel and brush dancing steps with her students.