Carlow piper Colm Broderick wins Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal

Na Píobairí Uilleann would like to convey its congratulations to Carlow piper Colm Broderick on the receipt of the Seán Ó Riada Gold Medal last weekend.

Colm Broderick, 22, comes from Graiguecullen in Carlow.  He is an All-Ireland winning uilleann piper, and is in demand as a teacher too. Colm plays a set of pipes loaned to him by Na Píobairí Uilleann that were made by Leo Rowsome in 1936. This set belonged to Seán Reid, and was previously loaned to piping legends including Willie Clancy, and Liam O’Flynn.

Speaking of his win, Colm said: “I’m grateful and humbled to have been selected as the winner, because the standard of musicianship was so high. Peadar Ó Riada has done a great job developing a competition like this which is friendly and supportive to musicians, which is not always the case. It’s an honour to be in possession of these historic pipes, and this award will keep me motivated to keep playing them as best as I can.  To win the Seán Ó Riada medal on them was really something special.”