Bardic / Ceannródaithe Awards Ceremony 2025

Bardic / Ceannródaithe Awards

This annual ceremony honours exceptional musicians and singers who are considered to have made an exceptional and unique contribution to Irish Traditional Music through their instrumental musicianship, singing and/or dancing. This gala dinner with presentations incorporates performances by each of the recipients all nationally and internationally renowned for their virtuoso talent, mastery and their consistent commitment to the music over decades.

The 2025 recipients are as follows:

John Furlong

Josephine Nugent

Padraig McGovern

Benny McHugh.

Tickets for the 2025 award ceremony are available to purchase from the National Opera House website at this link: Bardic Awards | National Opera House

Bardic / Ceannródaithe Award Recipients 2025

Josie Nugent

Josie Nugent, PhD, a native of Co. Clare, is a fiddle player, music teacher and music therapist. Josie and her siblings were encouraged from a young age to play music by their parents and attended the early CCÉ classes in Ennis and hinterland. She competed successfully at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, 1976-1983, in solo fiddle, grupaí cheoil and trio competitions. Josie and her sister Mary were amongst a group of then young teenage and young adult musicians from Ennis, its hinterland and County Clare who, supported by their families, commanded the respect and admiration of their musical peers and the broader musical community for their mastery and understanding of Irish traditional music, and their commitment to the music. Josie achieved the highest award when she completed her Comhaltas Teaching Diploma, the TTCT Diploma, one of only nine graduates at the time to achieve what was regarded as an exceptional competency as teacher and musician. She has taught at CCÉ Cambridge in England, and at CCÉ’s Scoil Éigse where she demonstrated her wide variety of educational skills, teaching fiddle, adult mixed instrument class and Foundation class for young people with learning difficulties (YPLD). Josie has led on music project work with YPLD which has included performances at Ulster fleadh, All-Ireland Fleadh and the Dublin Trad Fest. Receipt of an Aisling Murphy Scholarship, 2024, has allowed further growth of her YPLD project work; she has led by example throughout her life as a musician and educator, and inspired others to broaden their understandings of education and inclusivity. Commissions include ‘The Bridges of Derry’/ ‘Droichid Dhoire’ for the closing ceremony of Derry Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireannn, 2013, and ‘Engaging Through Irish Traditional Arts for the Irish Diaspora with Dementia’ for Comhaltas in Britain, 2019. Josie has also featured on Gradam Ceoil TG4 (2020), BBC 1 – The One Show (2019) and Blue Peter (CBBC, 2018). CD recordings include ‘Modal Citizen’ (2016), ‘Caves of Cong’ (2014) and ‘Hills & Hollows’ (2010).

Brendan Mc Hugh

Brendan Mc Hugh from Glasgow started playing fiddle at the age of ten, learning from his father Jimmy, from whom he always cites that he learnt almost everything he knows. The rich musical background in the home was further enhanced by his mother Anne who was a dancing teacher, adjudicator and organiser. Brendan and his father played for over 30 years at dancing Feiseanna. Brendan took part in Comhaltas competitions winning titles in every age group. Brendan has performed all over Ireland, Scotland and England and spent many years involved in Comhaltas playing, teaching and promoting music and organising trips to Fleadhanna. He has travelled all over Scotland, Ireland and England as a member of the Four Provinces Céilí Band and as a solo performer and band member of various folk groups playing at folk festivals across Europe and America. His father had an outstanding collection of music from 78rpm, reel to reel tape recordings. Old manuscripts and music books; growing up around this and listening to Jimmy’s almost encyclopaedic knowledge gave Brendan a wealth of information and a great love of Irish music. Brendan cites that ‘This love for listening to and playing music has continued and hopefully inspired others. After his father’s death in 1999 Brendan organised a tribute concert; this has since grown into the Annual Jimmy McHugh Festival, each year continuing to bring world class musicians, singers, dancers and lovers of Irish music to Glasgow and bringing an awareness of Irish culture and music to Glasgow. Brendan continues to keep weekly to keep weekly music sessions going, sessions that have recently seen a continuing revival with musicians coming from both Irish and Scottish fraternity.

John Furlong

John Furlong’s name is well known in the traditional singing circles of Wexford and further afield. John won the prestigious All-Ireland Fleadh Senior Men’s Ballad Singing Championship in 1985 and 1999 and subsequently was a member of Comhaltas Concert Tours of Ireland, Britain and North America. John’s talent as a singer and his ability to interpret and convey a story song invariably captured audiences far and wide. John has been committed to Comhaltas and Irish traditional instrumental music, song and dance for 65 years; he first became a member of CCÉ in 1960. He was involved in the establishment of Kilmuckridge Comhaltas branch and is currently the Cathaoirleach of Ferns CCÉ, a position he has held for many years, and one that he has filled with tireless enthusiasm, commitment and energy. John’s tenure of office as Chair of Wexford County Board is also remembered for his consistent commitment and leadership. John Furlong is synonymous with Comhaltas Seisiún – he has been producing and performing in Seisiún shows throughout the summer months since 1973 in various locations including Arklow, Courtown and currently in Kilmuckridge. John has an innate pride in our Irish traditions, in Wexford’s ballad singing, and has a unique understanding of how our culture can bring fulfilment and enjoyment to its followers and practitioners. John’s dedication to promoting Irish culture over the years is admirable and this is being recognised with the presentation of a Bardic Award at Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann 2025 in Wexford town.

Pádraig McGovern

Pádraig McGovern hails from Ballymagovern, a townland in the Cavan-Leitrim border area but has resided in County Monaghan for over a decade. He was taught by Belturbet piper PJ Flood and heavily influenced by accordionist Vincent Tighe and the Leitrim researcher and collector Fr John Quinn. Pádraig and his musical siblings, were supported on their musical journeys by their parents from a young age, attending Fleadhanna Ceoil and all musical events. Pádraig has recorded with numerous artists over the past decade: a duet album with Peter Carberry ‘Forgotten Gems’ (2013); more recently with the highly acclaimed band ‘Garadice’ on their ‘Garadice album(2018) and ‘Sanctuary’ in 2023. Pádraig’s recording of ‘Easter Snow’ and ‘Sally Gally’ with pianist Ryan Molloy was shortlisted in the best folk track category at the 2021 RTE folk awards. He has worked as a researcher/performer on many projects including ‘The Leitrim Equation 4’ and ‘The Pipes, The Pipes’, Padraig has also performed with many household bands and artists including Lúnasa, Dervish, Téada, Gatehouse, Steve Cooney, Dónal Lunney and Ryan Molloy. He has taught many pipers over the years and continues to teach at many recognised festivals such as The Joe Mooney Summer school, Scoil Acla and the PJ Flood piping Festival in Belturbet. A Comhaltas concert tour performer Pádraig has taught at Scoil Éigse and at other CCÉ workshops, including at Tionól Ceoil Leo Rowsome, Cultúrlann na hÉireann.Pádraig’s exceptional musicality, mastery of music and piping, has been was acknowledged by his peers and piping fraternity and followers of the music for many years; his exceptional talent and skills and underlying modesty as a person are truly inspirational.