Teachers 2025
We are absolutely delighted to present to you our six teachers for Cruinniú 2025:
JOHN KELLY
As Ros Comáin ó dhúchas agus lonnaithe in Inis, Contae an Chláir le fada an lá, is é John Kelly duine dos na figiúirí fliúite is aitheanta sa tír. Is minic é le cloisint ag seimint I dteannta Siobhán Peoples, Murty Ryan & Cyril O’Donoghue chomh maith lena dheartháir, Alan. Is lena dheartháir a d’eisigh sé an t-albam iontach ‘Fourmilehouse’ a bhfuair aitheantas thar na bearta. Tá ana mheas ar John mar mhúinteoir ar an fheadóg mhór agus chomh maith le cuid mhaith All-Irelands a bhuachaint é fhéin, tá craobhacha tugtha leo ag ana chuid daltaí leis thairis na blianta. Sé seo an chéad uair do John a bheith linn ag Cruinniú na bhFliúit agus táimid ag súil go mór leis.
John Kelly hails from Roscommon Town, an area steeped in the tradition of flute playing. Traditional Music took a very central part in John’s life from a very young age and soon he had won All-Ireland honours in every underage category. In 1995, John moved to Ennis, Co. Clare and quickly became an integral part of the town’s thriving traditional music scene performing with musicians such as Siobhan Peoples, Murty Ryan and Cyril O’Donoghue.
In 2003, John released a duet album ‘Fourmilehouse’ with his brother Alan, which gained widespread critical acclaim and resulted in extensive touring and festival appearances in nationally and internationally. A well respected music teacher, John has guided many young flautists to Munster and All Ireland titles.
MICHAEL MCGOLDRICK
Le blianta anuas, tá Michael McGoldrick mar dhuine dos na ceoltóirí is mó aitheanta I saol an cheoil traidisiúnta. Bunaitheoir na grúpaí Flook!, Lunasa & At First Light, is ball leanúnach é sna bannaí Capercaillie, Usher’s Island & Banna Mark Knopfler. Seinneann sé cuid mhaith I dteannta a chara mhór Desi Donnelly go fóill agus chomh maith le 5 albam aonarach a bheith eisithe aige, tá sé le clos ar na céadta ceann eile. Is cumadóir ar leith é McGoldrick leis agus táimid ag súil go mór le fáilte a chur roimhe I mBaile Mhúirne.
Over the past 25 years, Michael McGoldrick has been one of the most innovative figures in traditional and folk music both in Ireland and the UK. The Mancunian was a founder member of the ground-breaking bands Flook! Lúnasa and At First Light. His solo albums, of which he has five, have been popular with traditional music enthusiasts across the globe. He is a member of Capercaillie, Usher’s Island as well as the Mark Knopfler band and performs regularly with long-time collaborator Desi Donnelly. McGoldrick is an exceptional composer, collaborator and arranger and we are delighted to welcome him to his first Cruinniú na bhFliúit.
CIARÁN SOMERS
Is fliúiteadóir agus píobaire den scoth é Ciaran Somers ó Cheatharlach a bheidh linn don gcéad uair i mbliana. Bhí an tionchar ag fliúiteadóirí Chonnachta ar a chuid ceoil chomh maith le fliúiteadóirí ón dTuaisceart. Tá ceangal mhór ag Ciaran leis an mBriotáin agus dhá albam eisithe aige i dteannta Nicolas Quemener, ceann acu lena leath-bhádóir as Ceatharlach Dave Sheridan. Tá cuid mhaith taistilithe aige leis an gceol agus tóir air mar theagascóir ag mórán féilte. Is múinteoir meánscoile é Ciaran.
Ciarán is a performer of Irish traditional music, specialising in the wooden flute and Uilleann pipes. He resides in County Carlow, in Ireland’s southeast, where he actively contributes to the area’s vibrant music scene. His journey into Irish music began at the age of twelve on tin-whistle, inspired by a group of older local musicians. During his teenage years, he transitioned to the wooden flute, drawn to the distinctive rhythm and tone of players from Sligo, Leitrim, and Roscommon.
Attending various summer schools in Clare and Sligo further shaped his playing, helping him develop a personal style deeply influenced by the powerful, earthy flute traditions of Northern Ireland. Ciarán pursued the study of music and education at third level and now works full-time in the education sector.
In the early 2000s, Ciarán visited Brittany, France, forging lasting connections with its vibrant music community. In 2009, he recorded Faoi Bhláth with fiddler Dave Sheridan and Breton guitarist Nicolas Quemener. Later, in 2017, he collaborated again with Nicolas to produce a solo album, Now, and has participated in numerous Irish-Breton musical collaborations.
He has travelled extensively and gained significant experience as a tutor throughout Europe, the U.S., and Japan, where he has dedicated considerable time to teaching and performing. Closer to home, he frequently appears as a guest performer with various locally and nationally renowned groups and takes part in one-off music workshops.
SARAH-JANE WOODS
Is fliúitadóir ó Bhaile Átha Cliath í Sarah-Jane Woods. D’fhoghlaim sí a cuid ceoil ó Michael Tubridy. Is múinteoir bunscoile í Sarah-Jane agus bíonn sí ag teagasc go seachtainiúil le Craobh Naithí, CCÉ agus go minic ag ceardlanna ceoil ar fud na tire . Tá Craobh na hÉireann buaite aici agus thaisteal sí le Comhaltas agus le grúpaí éagsúla, ina measc, Líadan. Sé seo an chéad uair do Sarah-Jane a bheith ag teagaisc linn ag an gCruinniú. Tá sí ag súil go mór le filleadh go Baile Bhúírne, áit inar chaith sí samhradh ag foghlaim na Gaeilge mar dhéagóir!
Dubliner, Sarah-Jane Woods has been involved with the Craobh Naithí branch of Comhaltas for many years and learned her flute playing from Michael Tubridy. Sarah-Jane holds a Senior All Ireland Flute title and she has performed and taught extensively in Ireland and abroad. A primary school teacher by profession, Sarah-Jane has a passion for passing on the tradition to young musicians.
SYLVAIN BAROU
Ón mBriotáin, is duine dos na fliúiteadóirí is mó cáil air é Sylvain Barou a sheinneann ceol Bríotánach, Éireannach agus mórán ceolta eile. Tá seinnte aige i dteannta mórán bannaí, ina measc Guidewires, Altan, Andy Irvine & Máirtín O’Connor. Tá ana thóir air mar cheoltóir dos na Fest-Noz agus bíonn sé bainteach le ensemble ceoil domhanda. Sé an chéad uair do Sylvain a bheith linn ag an gCruinniú.
Brittany’s Sylvain Barou is considered one of the best traditional flute players of his generation. Having played mainly Irish and Breton traditional music, Sylvain has performed and recorded with foremost artists such as Guidewires, Altan, Guichen, Alain Genty, Jacques Pellen, Erik Marchand, Dan Ar Braz, Gilles Le Bigot, Andy Irvine and Mairtin O’Connor. A leading figure in the Breton “fest-noz” scene, Sylvain is also involved in several world music projects with artists such as tabla player Trilok Gurtu and Crete’s Stelios Petrakis (lyra, saz, laouto).
AOIFE GRANVILLE
Is as baile Dhaingean Uí Chúis d’Aoife a fhás aníos ag seimnt ceol claisiceach is traidisiúnta. Tá sí ag críochnú an 3ú albam aonarach dá cuid fé lathair chomh maith le h-albam lena dheirfiúr, Deirdre. Dhein sí taifead le déanaí mar chuid de ‘Beauty an Oileáin’ ar Cheirníní Cladaigh agus suim nách beag aici ceol Chorca Dhuibhne a chur chun cinn. Is léachtóir í Aoife i Roinn an Bhéaloidis, Ollscoil Chorcaí agus ceapadh í mar bhall den gComhairle Ealaín i 2022. Ní stróinséar í Aoife do Chruinniú – ghlac sí páirt i Showcase 2006 agus ag teacht is imeacht ó shin!
Aoife Granville is from Dingle and grew up playing classical and traditional music. Aoife is currently completing on her third solo album as well as a duet album with her sister, harpist Deirdre. She also recorded recently on Claddagh Records ‘Beauty an Oileáin’, highlighting the music of the Blaskets Islands. Aoife is a lecturer in Folklore/Béaloideas in University College Cork, is a regular contributor to radio and television and was appointed to the Arts Council of Ireland in 2022.