About Us
About Ceol na nÓg Trad Orchestra
🎶 Musical Direction & Artistic Team
Ceol na nÓg is a vibrant youth traditional orchestra established in 2021, bringing together over 85 talented young traditional musicians from across Sligo, Leitrim, Mayo, Galway, Roscommon, Longford, Donegal, and Fermanagh.
The orchestra provides teenage musicians with a unique opportunity to experience orchestral performance within the Irish traditional idiom — developing musicianship, teamwork, and creativity while performing both new and traditional repertoire. Members, aged 11–17, audition to join and rehearse twice a month during the academic year.
🎶 Musical Direction & Artistic Team
Composers~Michael Rooney & Stephen Doherty. Director: June McCormack
Senior Orchestra: 55 musicians
Junior Orchestra: 30 musicians
Since September 2022, the orchestra has worked closely with Stephen Doherty (composer and multi-instrumentalist). His commissioned composition, The North-West Suite, was supported by an Arts Council Commissions Award (2023) and premiered in April 2025 at the Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo.
In September 2025, the Senior Orchestra began working with Michael Rooney, composer and harper, who has a long-standing connection with the group. Michael is currently composing a specially commissioned new work to be premiered at the Orchestrating Community Festival in December 2025.
The Junior Orchestra continues to work under the guidance of Mossie Martin, Noelle Carroll, and Síofra Hanley.
🌱 Education & Access
Alongside the orchestras, Ceol na nÓg runs weekly traditional-music classes at Summerhill College, Sligo, in partnership with Craobh Loch Gile.
As of September 2025, these Monday- and Tuesday-evening classes attract over 140 participants — children, teenagers, and adults — from across the North-West.
They nurture players at every level and provide a pathway into orchestral participation and lifelong music-making.
💼 Organisation & Support
Ceol na nÓg is organised and supported by Ballintogher Community Enterprise Centre, which established the orchestra in 2021 and continues to coordinate its activities and community classes.
Funding & Awards include:
Arts Council Commissions Award (2023) – commissioning Stephen Doherty for The North-West Suite(premiered April 2025).
Arts Council Festival Award (2025) – supporting the Orchestrating Community Festival, Ballintogher, December 2025.
Music Capital Scheme 2024 – Award 1
We were delighted to receive support through the Music Capital Scheme 2024 – Award 1, which enabled the purchase of community instruments for our programme — including 5 harps, 5 concertinas, and 10 flutes.
These instruments are now rented to students through our classes helping to increase access to high-quality instruments for young musicians across the region. This investment strengthens our commitment to making music education more inclusive and accessible, ensuring that every young musician has the opportunity to learn, play, and perform. 🌟
Ceol na nÓg is supported by Music Network’s Music Capital Scheme, funded by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Music Network is funded by The Arts Council.
🌟 Recent Performances & Collaborations
Dec 2025 Performance at Orchestrating Community Festival.
Sep 2025: Performance at John Egan Festival Concert.
April 2025 – Premiere of The North West Suite, Hawk’s Well Theatre
Nov 2024 – John Egan Festival Concert, Ballintogher
May 2024 – Collaboration with Sean Keane, Hawk’s Well Theatre
Mar 2024 – St Patrick’s Festival collaboration with Sligo Academy Orchestra
Oct 2023 – Sligo Live Festival
Sept 2023 – Culture Night performance with Music Generation Sligo Youth Choir
June 2023 – Sold-out concert with Sean Keane, Hawk’s Well Theatre
Nov 2021 – Debut performance at the John Egan Festival, Ballintogher
💫 Our Mission
To inspire, educate, and connect young traditional musicians across the North-West through shared performance, creative collaboration, and access to high-quality music experiences within their community.
