Ireland’s biggest classical music festival, the ESB Feis Ceoil, has opened at the RDS in Dublin. More than 5,000 entrants from all 32 counties are due to take part in 180 individual music competitions over 11 days.

Since it began in 1896, more than half a million musicians have competed, including James Joyce and Count John McCormack. More recent participants have included pianist John O’Conor, singers Tara Erraught, Claudia Boyle, Cara O’Sullivan, Celine Byrne and comedian Risteard Cooper.

For a €5 daily ticket, all competitions, from opera performances to children’s choirs, are open to the public. An orchestral conducting competition was introduced last year in association with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra to provide a performance platform for aspiring Irish conductors. It will continue this year, with finalists given the opportunity to conduct the orchestra.

A number of competitors at the feis will perform at a gala concert at the National Concert Hall in Dublin on Sunday March 29th.

Results

Junior Classical Guitar A:

1st Eoghan Doody, 2nd Stephen Herlihy

Junior Classical Guitar B: 1st Alana McManus

Junior Classical Guitar C: 1st Colm Du, 2nd Daniel Roddy

An Chruit B: 1st Tierna Rowsome, 2nd Eimear Mc Donagh

An Chruit C: 1st Aoife Ní Bhriain, 2nd Cillian Moran

Junior Pianoforte Solo A: 1st Sarah Dungan, 2nd Eirinn Quaid

Junior Pianoforte Solo B: 1st Sani MacNally, 2nd Tiffany Qiu