Awards for Galway singers at Gradam Ceoil TG4
A world-class line-up of top trad talent took to the stage in the National Concert Hall on Sunday night to perform at this year's TG4 Gradam Ceoil.
In terms of awards, two singers from Galway were recognised for their talents – Dolores Keane, who won the Lifetime Achievement Award 2022, and Sarah Ghriallais, who was honoured with Singer of the Year 2022.
A traditional singer and an early member of the folk group De Dannan, Dolores Keane grew up in Sylane, a small village in Co. Galway, and was raised by her aunts Rita and Sarah Keane, who were well-known sean-nós singers.
Keane was singing from a young age due to the influence of her aunts and began her professional singing career in 1975 when she joined De Danann. She toured internationally with the band in the late 1970s and featured on their self-titled debut album in 1975 before leaving to pursue a solo career.
In 1978, she recorded her first solo album, There Was a Maid, followed by Broken Hearted I'll Wander (1979) and Farewell to Éirinn (1980). She later re-joined De Dannan and recorded albums Anthem (1985) and Ballroom (1987).
In 1991, Dolores contributed to the RTÉ/BBC television programme Bringing It All Back Home, where she performed in Nashville, Tennessee, with Emmylou Harris and Richard Thompson.
Keane was one of several female Irish singers to collaborate on the album A Woman’s Heart (1992), which also featured Eleanor McEvoy, Mary Black, Frances Black, Sharon Shannon and Maura O'Connell. The album featured Keane singing works such as ‘Caledonia’ and ‘The Island’, and became the best-selling record in Irish history at the time.
The group released a second album, A Woman's Heart Vol. 2, in 1994. She released her final solo album, Night Owl, in 1998, and has toured globally since, both solo and with De Dannan.
Sarah Ghriallais is a sean-nós singer from Muicineach Idir Dhá Sháile in the Connemara Gaeltacht. She is an acclaimed singer, winning the Corn Uí Riada award at the Oireachtas for the first time in 1984. The same prize has also been awarded to her son Michael, her sisters Nóra and Nan, and her niece Celia Ní Fhátharta.
Some of the most notable works in Ghriallais’ repertoire include 'Táilliúr a’ Mhagadh’, ‘Eileanóir na Rún’, ‘Póg Bhideog’ and ‘Amhrán Chamuis’. Ghriallais has recorded on the Cló Iar-Chonnacht label, and also featured on the Roger Doyle record Under the Green Time.
In 2017, she was appointed sean-nós singer-in-residence at NUI Galway’s Centre for Irish Studies, where she hosted a series of sean-nós singing workshops. She recently released the album Idir Dhá Sháile 2: Amhráin ar an Sean-Nós, which was recorded in 1987 and stored in the Gael Linn archives.
It includes works such as ‘Sagart na Cúile Báine’, ‘Eilieanóir na Run’, ‘Póg Bhideog’ and ‘An Draighneán Donn’, as well as a number of tracks featuring accordion-player Johnny Óg Connolly with accompaniment on piano by John Blake.
Other TG4 Gradam Ceoil 2022 recipients include Paddy Glackin, Diarmuid Ó Meachair, Edwina Guckian, Skara Brae and Connie O’Connell.
The award recipients, who represent the crème de la crème of traditional music and song, were joined in live performances on stage by their own special musical guests, including the Dolores Keane Band, Cathy Jordan, Paddy McEvoy, Rory McGorman, Robbie Hannon, Neil Martin, Áirc Damhsa, Stephen Doherty, Áine & Francis O’Connor, Eileen De Paor, and Skara Brae.
The highly anticipated live awards show, which was hosted by TG4 presenters Doireann Ní Ghlacáin and Páidí Ó Lionáird, featured live performances from the seven Gradam Ceoil 2022 recipients, who were recognised for their talent and contribution to traditional Irish music.
A range of VIP guest presenters also took to the stage to present the recipients with their awards, including President Michael D. Higgins, Stephen Rea, Mary Black, Liam O’Connor, Vincent Woods and Lillis Ó Laoire. If you missed it live on Sunday, you can watch the full concert on the TG4 player at www.TG4.ie.