Ceol Aneas Scholarships

"Ceol Aneas 2019 was a wonderful experience. All the team who worked to make Ceol Aneas happen were amazing, they ensured everything ran smoothly and that everyone was doing well. The atmosphere was great, everyone was welcoming and very kind. The workshops gave me a great opportunity to learn more tunes and techniques. The workshops were very well run and I gained a lot more depth and knowledge on how to play the fiddle through these classes. The sessions in the evening were great fun altogether. The tunes flowed and we all had a good laugh and bonded for our love of Irish music. Ceol Aneas was overall one of the best weekends in my life, I would recommend this to anyone who has a love for Irish music, and I hope I will be able to get there again in the future."

2019. "As I understand that the Hugo charitable trust is the reason that students (such as myself) were able to attend, I would like to take the opportunity to thank-you for allowing me to attend this wonderful learning opportunity. … While I have a great musical passion, being able to attend Ceol Aneas was important for my development, as it allowed me to specifically learn some of the nuances of Irish music. This has considerably improved my folk playing ability. In addition being able to discuss this musical genre with leading experts (such as Eileen O’Brien) and learn music from their perspective has been an unforgettable experience. I am now more confidence in my folk playing abilities and have a greater repertoire of Irish tunes. I believe that any future musicians interested in Irish music attending will continue to considerably benefit from the Ceol Aneas classes. Having reached the twentieth annual anniversary of the event, it is clear that Ceol Aneas is in great demand from the music community, and I expect it will continue to be for the foreseeable future. I very much look forward to returning, and engaging in such a vibrant, learning environment."

"Ceol Aneas has always been a special festival in my heart since my first in 2017. It was the year Colin Farrell and Kevin Crawford played the sessions at lightspeed with such joy and love for the music that it made me want to work hard to have a similar experience at sessions. Even at the concert, I was gobsmacked the entire time, with Ado Barker being another amazing performer to look up to. In 2021, I was awarded the official scholarship where I was able to attend the Whistle Class under Alex Davidson. At the time, there were a lot of fiddle-playing resources in Wellington but an advanced whistle player was a rare sight. Through Ceol Aneas, I could unpack my whistle playing and ornamentation and to compare different instruments with Alex being an incredible teacher. Thanks to these amazing performers, I have grown as a tunes player who looks at tunes and instruments from all angles which I would not have had access to nor afford while I was an unemployed student. Because of the support of Ceol Aneas, the Vicfolk Club, and the Wellington session, I continue to play tunes today."