Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy committee, from left to right: David McDermott, Maureen Kilduff, Séamus Ó Rócháin, Harry Hughes, Deirdre Comber and Éamon McGivney. (Photo: John Kelly)
Glór has announced that the recipient of this year’s MÓRglór Award is Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, the traditional music summer school that takes place every July in Miltown Malbay, Co. Clare, and is now in its 53rd year. A special concert to celebrate the school will take place on Saturday 17 May at Glór.
Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy was founded in 1973 following the death of the renowned uilleann piper in January of that year. It was established by Muiris Ó Rócháin in collaboration with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann timire ceoil Séamus Mac Mathúna and local musicians Martin Talty, Paddy Joe McMahon and Junior Crehan. Today, the school offers classes in music, song and dance, as well as lectures, céilís, workshops, concerts and sessions, and commemorates the Clare piper each year. The week is organised by a committee comprising Harry Hughes, Éamon McGivney, Séamus Ó Rócháin, Deirdre Comber, David McDermott and Maureen Kilduff. This year’s event takes place from 5 to 13 July and the programme has just been announced.
The award concert on 17 May will feature musicians including the O’Brien, Cotter and Kelly families; the Kilfenora Céilí Band; The Drôle and Cór Chúil Aodha, along with Bríd O’Donohue; Tim Dennehy; Bobby Gardiner; Kseniya Rusnak and Paul Dooley; Josephine Marsh and Mick Kinsella; and Marian Curtin and Therese McInerney. The event will be hosted by Áine Hensey, who was recently announced as the recipient of the TG4 Gradam Comaoine award.
Commenting on the award, Marie O’Byrne, Director of Glór, said:
We are absolutely delighted to recognise and celebrate the committee of Scoil Samhraidh Willie Clancy, who lead a festival that has rightfully earned legendary status. We look forward to a concert that will honour their outstanding contribution to the development and promotion of traditional music – locally, nationally and internationally – in the company of many of the festival’s long-standing friends and allies.
MÓRglór is named in memory of Muiris Ó Rócháin, who passed away in 2011. Previous recipients include the Corofin Traditional Music Festival (2014), Eoin O’Neill (2015), Frank Custy (2016), Geraldine Cotter (2017), Chris Droney (2018), Mary MacNamara (2019), The Shannon Family (2021), Malbay Studios (2022), and Siobhán Peoples (2023).
For tickets and further information, visit: https://glor.ie/events/morglor-2025-celebrating-scoil-samhraidh-willie-clancy.
