Young Donaghmore musician honoured to win major award

A highlight of her musical career so far is how a Donaghmore piper has described winning the NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award.

Méabh Ní Dhomhnaill has been a professional musician since graduating from St Mary’s University with a degree in Primary Education and Music.

A former pupil of St Joseph’s Convent Grammar School, Méabh has been playing the uilleann pipes from the age of 13 after falling in love with the sound of the instrument when she saw pipers on TV and in person.

Her talent quickly flourished learning at Armagh Piper’s Club, where she received countless opportunities to perform.

She has collaborated with the Duncairn Arts Centre and is a regular performer in Belfast’s renowned session scene.

In 2023, Maeve was honoured with the Belfast City Council’s Gradam Ceoil Bursary Award, providing her with the opportunity to focus on recordings, performances, and collaborations.

Méabh’s achievements in competition include winning the All-Ireland Uilleann Pipes Fleadh Cheoil in 2015 and securing first place in the Instrumental section of Scór na nÓg in 2016, representing Donaghmore GAA.

In recent years, she has toured with the acclaimed Celtic Thunder across North America and Canada.

She has performed with the internationally-celebrated Irish dance show ‘Rhythm of the Dance’ in 2024 and a standout moment in her career was her performance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville in March 2023.

There, she represented St Mary’s University College at the Nashville City Irish Fest, sharing the stage with the renowned Willis Clan and other emerging artists.

“I have been a professional musician pretty much since graduating from university,” said Méabh. “I have had some amazing opportunities to play with some really good musicians and have been on tours across America and Canada with Celtic Thunder and toured across Europe with Celtic Legends.”

“The tour with Celtic Thunder across America and Canada was my largest to-date,” she added. “We played 33 states and over 50 shows all across America and Canada.”

Méabh told the Tyrone Herald that travelling around the world has been a surprise for her as she never thought that a career in music could be a possibility.

She said, however, that her adventures have been ‘incredible’ and that she appreciates the opportunities even more because she is able to make money by performing.

“I never thought a career in music was an option for me,” she said.

“I just practiced all the time because I loved playing music. I didn’t know about people touring with bands and that it could be a job.

“I think that’s why I appreciate being able to make music my career even more. I love travelling and seeing new places and meeting new people. It is certainly one of the best parts of my work.”

Earlier this month, Méabh was announced as one of the six recipients of the NI Young Musicians’ Platform Award, an award supported by The National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and BBC Northern Ireland.

These prestigious bi-annual awards aim to showcase and support the development of exceptional young musicians from the North by providing funding awards worth up to £5,000 each to solo musicians and singers/singer-songwriters in classical, jazz, contemporary, and traditional music who are ready to enter the professional world as artists.

This financial award enables recipients to develop their musical aspirations by spending a sizeable amount of time learning from a master musician, mentor, teacher, or composer either in Northern Ireland or abroad.

Méabh said that she’s she hopes to record a musical album in the next two years.

“I am so grateful to be awarded the prize,” she said

“I will use the grant to help pay for an album, and I can’t wait to take part in the mentorship programme.”

In the coming weeks, the talented Tyrone musician will be off travelling again, going to America with Celtic Thunder again and then on to the Caribbean while playing with dance troupe Celtic Rhythm on a cruise ship.