Connemara Native Áine Durkin achieved an impressive double at the IMRO Sponsored Pan Celtic National Song Contest recently, winning the competition for a second time.
The song ‘Ní Thuigim’, composed by Áine and performed by Daríona Nic Dhonnacha was chosen as the winner from a wide and diverse selection of fantastic songs at the live final with songwriters and performers coming from acorss Ireland-from Donegal to Kerry and from Cork to Dublin. The winning song explores the many problems facing the world today and Daríona’s traditional sean-nós singing voice suited the composition perfectly.
The 300 strong crowd erupted into whoops and cheers when she was announced the winner and there were a huge number of supporters who traveled from both Donegal and Conneamara to the event. The judges with the difficult job of secleting a winner were Emer O Flaherty (National & International Winner 2017) , Fr Liam Lawton (Composer) and Seán ó hÉanaigh (Raidió na Gaeltachta).
The final took place in the George Bernard Shaw Theatre in Visual on Saruday, March 23rd. It was sponsored by IMRO with support from the Pan Celtic, Gael Linn and Glór Chaeetharlach. MC’s for the live final were Bríde De Róiste and John McDarby while Eric De Buitléar was the special musical guest. Musical director for the contest was Ollie Hennessey who also lead the fantastic house band.
Áine is a songwriter, poet and blogger who’s originally from Connemara but has been living in Donegal for almost 40 years. She is no stranger to the Pan Celtic National Song Contest having won the competition in 2013 with her song ‘Le do Thaobh’ and coming runner up last year with ‘Grá faoi bhláth’.
Both women are now hoping to go on to win the top prize at the International Song Contest which will take place as part of the International Pan Celtic Festival in Letterkenny later this month. Her song will go up against songs from Brittany, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. She will be hoping it’s a case of three in a row for Ireland, who won the international competition in both 2018 and 2017. Go néirí go geall libh!
