Teachers 2026
We’re delighted to announce our teachers for Cruinniú 2026!
CATHERINE MCEVOY
Banríon na Fliúiteadóireachta is ea Catherine McEvoy a d’fhás aníos i mBirmingham Shasana. Is as áit dhúchais a tuismitheoirí, Contae Ros Comáin a bhí mar ionspioráid ina chuid cheoil. Bhí sí ina bhall den Birmingham Céilí Band sna 70aidí agus tar éis bogadh go Contae na Mí ag deireadh an chéad sin, bhí sí mar bhall den ngrúpa ceannródaíoch, Macalla chomh maith le Banna Céilí an Táin leis. Tá cuid mhaith albam eisithe aici, an ceann is deirinaí sa bhliain 2025 ar son Muintir na Palistíne. Tá ana thóir ar cheol Catherine agus is muinteoir den scoth í. Taimid ana shásta go bhfuil sí thar nais linn ag an gCruinniú.
Catherine McEvoy is recognised as one of the most respected musicians of her generation, having joined a prestigious list of musicians on being awarded TG4 Gradam Cheoil “Musician of the Year” in 2019.
Originally from Birmingham, both her parents came from Co. Roscommon, a County well known for flute playing. Catherine learnt most of her music while growing up in the traditional music community in England and came to live in Ireland in 1977. She now lives in Co. Meath with husband Tom, also a flute player, and they have three grown up children who are all accomplished traditional musicians.
Catherine was a member of the Birmingham Ceili Band in the early 70’s and also the ground breaking first female group Macalla, who recorded 2 albums on the Gael –Linn label in the early 80’s. She was also a member of the three in a row All Ireland winning Tain Ceili Band.
Catherine is in great demand both as a performer and as a teacher at many festivals around Ireland the USA, Canada, and abroad. She is a senior tutor at the Willie Clancy Summer School in Co. Clare and is a regular teacher at the John McKenna Festival in Co. Leitrim.
She has also toured for the Arts Council of Ireland and also the Arts council of Northern Ireland with fellow musicians Mícheál Ó Raghallaigh (Concertina), Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (fiddle). The culmination of this tour was a CD called “Comb Your Hair and Curl it” which received critical acclaim.
Catherine also recorded two albums with her late great friend the legendary Piano Player Felix Dolan, Music in the Sligo Roscommon Style (CIC) 1993 and a duet album The Kilmore Fancy with her brother John McEvoy fiddle player. “The Home Ruler” 2008, Catherine’s second solo CD featured well known accompanists Steve Cooney (Guitar), Geraldine Cotter (Piano), Paddy McEvoy (piano) and Joe Kennedy (Bodhran).
Catherine’s latest solo release after a gap of 18 yrs was released in July 2025. “Down the Crushen Road” has been described as “Flute playing at its very best” and “the work of a highly accomplished flute player” by Mick O’Connor the legendary flute player and collector of music and biographical material and author of “In Safe Hands” who hails from Dublin, and by the legend Patsy Hanly as being “bright, happy and uplifting, and unmistakably recognisable” as Catherine. All proceeds of this recording were donated to aid for Gaza.
Catherine has a major influence on many of today’s young flute players, both abroad and especially in her local County of Meath. Mick Connor from Dublin comments that “Catherine is a phenomenal flute player who emerged from a male dominated environment and has become a role model for young women to aspire to.” Catherine has appeared on television and radio stations including RTE, TG4 and BBC. Most recently featuring on “The rolling Wave” RTE Radio. She plays regularly in and around music venues in Dublin and with her musical comrade Edel McWeeny on fiddle in the Cobblestone in Smithfield, Dublin.
TARA BINGHAM
D’fhás Tara Bingham aníos i gContae an Dún agus d’fhoghlaim sí a chuid ceol óna hathair, Leslie. Lonnaithe i gciorcal iontach fliúiteadóireachta i mBéal Feirste sna 1970aidí, tá cáil ar a stíl binn, rithimiúil, láidir. Tá iliomad taifid déanta ag Tara agus múineann sí go rialto ag Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy/Ghaoth Dobhair agus mórán féiltí eile anseo in Éireann agus thar lear. Cloistear í go minic ag seimnt i dteannta a pháirtí Dermie Diamond, an veidhleadóir agus táimid thar a bheith buíoch do Tara as glacadh lenár gcuireadh teagaisc linn arís i mbliana. Sí ceann dos na mná is tabhachtaí sa traidisiún í.
Tara Diamond (Bingham) comes from Co. Down and learned her early music from her father Leslie, also a flute player. She is one of a group of accomplished flute players who emerged from the greater Belfast area in the late 1970’s, and is renowned for the tone and smoothness of her playing. Tara has played on a number of albums including Wooden Flute Obsession, Ian Smith, An Ghaoth Aduaidh and Lámh ar Lámh. And SeanChairde. She has taught classes and conducted workshops in France, Germany, Denmark, USA and Japan and at many Irish festivals and Schools, including the Frankie Kennedy Winter School and the Willie Clancy Summer School for many years.
CIARÁN SOMERS
Is fliúiteadóir agus píobaire den scoth é Ciarán Somers as Cheatharlach a bheidh linn don darna uair i mbliana. Bhí an–tionchar ag fliúiteadóirí Chonnachta ar a gcuid ceoil chomh maith le fliúiteadóirí ón dTuaisceart. Tá ceangal mhór ag Ciarán leis an mBriotáin agus dhá albam eisithe aige i dteannta Nicolas Quemener, ceann acu lena leath-bhádóir as Ceatharlach Dave Sheridan (veidhlín). Tá cuid mhaith taistilithe aige leis an gceol agus tóir air mar theagascóir ag mórán féilte. Is múinteoir meánscoile é Ciarán.
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.
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. Bhí Sylvain linn don gcéad uair anuraidh agus sinn ana shásta go bhfuil sé thar n-ais linn arís i mbliana.
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).
TOMMY FITZHARRIS
Fliúiteadóir, fear na feadóige agus consairtín is ea Tommy Fitzharris ón tSráidbhaile i gContae Laoise. Tá Craobh na hÉireann Sinsear buaite aige ar an fheadóg mhór agus consairtín agus é mar theagascóir san Acadamh Domhanda in Ollscoil Luimní ón bhliain 2009. Múineann sé le Music Generation leis agus turasanna cuimsitheach déanta aige leis an ngrúpa Ciorras chomh maith leis an veidhleadóir Dónal McCague. Is le Dónal a d’eisigh sé an t-albam ‘The Bank of Turf’ sa bhliain 2018, albam den scoth. Sheinn Tommy ag an Showcase sa bhliain 2011 agus mhúin sé linn ina dhiaidh. Táimid ana shásta go bhfuil sé chughainn arís.
Tommy Fitzharris is a flute, whistle and concertina player from Stradbally, County Laois. He has won Senior All-Ireland titles on both Concertina and flute and has been a tutor on both instruments at the Irish World Academy at the University of Limerick since 2009. Tommy also works with Music Generation and has toured extensively with the band Ciorras as well as with fiddle player Dónal McCague. It was with Dónal that he released the acclaimed album ‘The Bank of Turf’ in 2018 which is still a favourite album for many. Tommy performed at the Cruinniú’s Showcase series in 2011 and taught with us in 2013-2014. We are delighted to welcome Tommy back to Cruinniú this year.
DAVE SHERIDAN
Fliúiteadóir as Contae Liatroma is ea Dave Sheridan a bhí linn cheana ag Cruinniú na bhFliúit thart ar 10 mbliain ó shin. Tá dhá albaim iontach aonarach eisithe aige: Sheridan’s Guesthouse & Drivin’ Leitrim Timber agus é tar éis taifead le mór-grúpaí ar nós Lúnasa, Dervish, At the Racket, Dé Danann agus Téada. Tá sé mar bhall den sár-ghrúpa Garadice agus tá a áit dhúchas tar éis dul i bhfeidhm go mór ar an gcuid ceoil. Táimid ag súil go mór le Dave a bheith thar n-ais linn I nGaeltacht Mhúscraí.
Dave Sheridan’s flute playing has been described as “a highly accomplished, free-flowing, fluid style, with sound technique and solid, driving rhythm” (Hot Press) and as a style that takes on “lark-like qualities” (fRoots). Following the success of his critically acclaimed debut album Sheridan’s Guesthouse, he released his second solo recording, Drivin’ Leitrim Timber, in 2010. The album received rave reviews, with The Irish Times calling it “a joy… a thoughtfully organised collection that celebrates a fluid, free-flowing regional flute style… with enough sharp edges to keep the listener’s antennae on high alert for the next hairpin bend.”
Dave is a founding member of the renowned traditional group Garadice and has recorded with artists from Lúnasa, Dervish, At the Racket, and De Danann, as well as performing on many occasions with the Sligo-based band Téada.
Whether teaching, performing, or collaborating with fellow musicians, Dave’s playing is guided by respect for the tradition, while always leaving room for creativity, humour, and heart. His music reflects not only where he comes from, but also the people, places, and stories that continue to inspire him.