A TALENTED young musician from Lifford has had a year of success on her piano accordion and topped it off with a third-placed finish at the All-Ireland Fleadh.
Jessica O’Donnell’s success began when she won the U-12 Piano Accordion at the Ulster Fleadh, Dromore back in July and then qualified for the All-Ireland for the second year in a row.
She travelled to Wexford and competed against 11 others in what was a fantastic competition. Her playing impressed the adjudicators and she was awarded third place at the All-Ireland – a fantastic moment for Jessica, her family, friends and teacher Anne-Marie Devine.
Strabane musician and teacher, Anne-Marie, has had the privilege of teaching many talented students, through her music school, Up-Beat Music Tuition.
Now in its fifth year, Up-Beat provides tuition in many instruments including piano accordion, button accordion, banjo, tin whistle and fiddle.
Classes are offered online via zoom, and in person in Strabane, Gortin, St Johnston and Derry. Anne-Marie said: “For Jessica to come home from Wexford with All-Ireland success has given Up-Beat a huge boost.
We are over the moon and couldn’t be more proud of a pupil who continues to strive for her best.”
Meanwhile, CRAIC Strabane are holding an event in the Alley Theatre, Strabane on Saturday, September 28, called ‘CRAIC Presents… A tribute to John and Shiela McElhinney’.
Tickets cost £10 and the show starts at 8pm. John and Sheila McElhinney are the grandparents of young Jessica and the night of music, dance, stories and song in the Alley is not to be missed.
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