Leithinis Donabate Portrane CCÉ

Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann – traditional Irish music & culture on the Donabate-Portrane peninsula

Teachers

Get to know our experienced and highly competent teachers here! Their classes have a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, regardless of student level.

Éamonn Galldubh – Musical Director

Uilleann Piper – Bodhrán, Flute, Guitar and Tin Whistle Teacher

Éamonn Galldubh is our Musical Director and also teaches tin whistle and bodhrán with Leithinis.
He began playing traditional Irish music on the tin whistle at age eight, moving on to the uilleann pipes, flute, bodhrán, guitar and saxophone. Éamonn has toured and recorded with artists including Riverdance, Moya Brennan, Clannad, Niamh Ní Charra, Lorcán Mac Mathúna, Kíla, Jiggy, Ragús, Celtic Woman, Druid Theatre, Cara Dillon, Hazel O’Connor, Damien Dempsey, Bruce Guthro, Caitríona O’Leary, Tarab, Zoe Conway, Karen Leitner and the National Symphony Orchestra. These performances encompass over 35 countries across five continents. Venues have ranged from Moscow’s Kremlin Palace Theatre to a stage set up in front of the pyramids at Giza.
Éamonn has made television appearances as a soloist on Flosc (TG4 2003), The Reel Deal (RTÉ 2008) and Geantraí (TG4 2010), as well as many as part of ensembles. He has conducted international masterclasses at Lorient Interceltic Festival (France, 2006), Cacares Festival (Spain, 2012), Goderich Celtic College (Canada, 2013) and Celticimes Festival (France, 2013).
Éamonn’s awards include the All-Ireland Uilleann Pipes Under 18 title. He holds a first class honours Masters degree in music performance from DIT Conservatory of Music and is currently completing a PhD at DkIT, researching the performance of baroque repertoire on the uilleann pipes. He also lectures for the Music and Folklore Departments in UCD. As a composer, Éamonn’s work has been performed and recorded by artists including Moya Brennan and Zoe Conway. More details can be found at his website www.galldubh.com.

Aoileann O’Connor – Concertina and Tin Whistle Teacher

Aoileann teaches concertina and tin whistle here at Leithnis CCÉ and also masters the Fiddle! She is from Baldoyle/Dublin and started playing music with her family when she was younger. She has competed at Fleadhs and group competitions Siansa Gael Linn in the past and has organized musical events. She has also completed all the grades on violin with TUD, The Conservative of Music and Drama. She enjoys playing, teaching and traveling to various festivals around the country and the world!

Deirdre Fennell – Button Accordion Teacher

Deirdre commenced teaching button accordion in Donabate in September 2024. She first learned tin whistle and button accordion in her native County Wexford under the tutelage of Nora Byrne from Ferns and the late Johnny Bass from Gorey. Deirdre played in the Ballyroebuck Marching and Céilí Bands and The Glenside Céilí Band in Wexford during the 1980s and ‘90s. Deirdre comes from a very musical family that play together regularly. Deirdre taught tin whistle and button accordion in the Wexford area during the early 1990s alongside her father and 2 of her sisters. Deirdre returned to music through the Leithinis group, enjoys playing music in sessions in the local area and started off a Grúpaí Cheoil class on Mondays.

Margaret Findley – Banjo and Fiddle Teacher

Margaret is an accomplished performer of the violin, low whistle, whistle and singer. She completed the Comhaltas SCT exams in the whistle and fiddle. In our Leithinis branch she teaches the fiddle and banjo. She organises our 2 weekly Friday Grúpaí Cheoil every second and fourth Friday of the month in the Donabate Parish Hall and leads our junior and adult members.

Sadhbh Nic Artáin – Fiddle Teacher

Sadhbh teaches fiddle classes with Leithinis. She is from Artane in Dublin and has been playing traditional music since she was five years old. She’s currently in her second year of European Studies at Trinity College. She has competed at Fleadh Cheoil, winning titles at county, provincial and All-Ireland level. Throughout her music career, she has performed nationally and internationally, including performances at Internationalen Jugendfestwoche Wewelsburg, radio performances on Céilí House and performances on Comhaltas Live. She has also achieved her Grade 8 Violin with ABRSM.

Iarlaith Mac Artáin

Iarlaith MacArtáin is a banjo and mandolin player from Artane in North Dublin and teaches in our branch Leithinis CCÉ. He started playing music at the age of 8 and enjoys playing music with friends all over the country at festivals. He has won medals at county, provincial and All-Ireland level and has also been to Germany and Portugal playing music for Irish dancers.

Orla Mannion

Coming from a very musical family in Mayo, Orla began playing music at the age of seven on the tin whistle before moving on to the fiddle at twelve. She also studied classical piano, completing all grades with the Royal Academy of Irish Music, and undertook the Comhaltas SCT exams in traditional music. As a former of the Cleary Coyne Comhaltas branch, Orla performed throughout Connacht in Fleadh competitions and gig rigs. For many years she played with a music group that brought traditional music to pubs, stages, television, and radio. In 2013, she was chosen to be part of the Mayo Music Generation group, performing at venues across Ireland with a wide range of musicians. In 2023, Orla began teaching tin whistle with the Leithinis Comhaltas branch, passing on her love of music to the next generation. Today, she plays fiddle, tin whistle, piano, guitar, and sings, with her style strongly influenced by the legendary Kevin Burke.