Irish-American musician who taught Steve Martin contertina to compete in Seán O Riada Bonn Óir Competition

The Seán O Riada Bonn Óir Competition takes place on Friday 23 January at the Rochestown Park Hotel, Cork and will be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on the programme Cuireadh Chun Ceoil, presented by Peadar Ó Riada from 7pm. 
 
The Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal competition is a prestigious traditional music competition that focuses on a different instrument every year over a four-year cycle. This year focuses on metal reed instruments including the accordion, concertina, and harmonica. The winner will be presented with a bespoke gold medal designed by Niamh Utsch, and a cash prize of €2,500. 

This year's competition features competitors from all corners of Ireland, as well as two musicians from the US, taking part in the final.  
 
One of those American finalists, New York Concertina player Caitríona Fee, is also a talented music teacher and counts the well-known actor Steve Martin among her former pupils. She said she had the privilege of teaching Steve Martin the concertina for several seasons of the TV show Only Murders in the Building. Caitrióna lives in Virginia and teaches the concertina and coaches céilí bands for the Baltimore Irish Music School.  

Third-generation Irish American Colin Kadis was encouraged to play the accordion at the age of seventeen by his Irish-born grandfather, whose parents hailed from Ballydesmond and Castleisland. Colm learned the accordion from Tommy Sheridan and Colm Gannon, and he likes to play when he's not travelling around the Pacific Northwest advising dairy farmers.  

2

Colin Kadis.

The remaining 13 contestants come from all corners of Ireland, with two coming from Northern Ireland, both from Armagh, one playing concertina and the other the accordion. 

The competition has been running since 2010 and is renowned for attracting a large number of talented musicians from Ireland and overseas. Organised byCuireadh Chun Ceoil presenter Peadar O Riada, this year’s judges are the renowned concertina player Mary McNamara and accordion players Johnny Óg Connolly and Danny O Mahony.

Event organiser and presenter Peadar Ó Riada said that “we are very pleased that the competition is going from strength to strength with entrants from all over the world and two American finalists in the competition this year. The standard is very high and we are particularly happy to see the younger generation attending the concert every year, even when their own instrument doesn’t feature, they come back to meet up with each other and to play in the music session afterwards.”  
 
Tickets for the event can be bought at the door for €10, and those attending the concert can avail of a special room rate at the Rochestown Park Hotel on the night. 
 
The Seán O Riada Bonn Óir Competition will be broadcast live on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta on Cuireadh Chun Ceoil, presented by Peadar Ó Riada from 7pm. The competition will also be streamed live on Facebook @rternag.