Well, the Jersey girls have done it. Fiddler Haley Richardson of and harpist Emily Safko of Medford came home with first place trophies from the Fleadh Cheoil NA hEireann in Derry City (August 11-18), the Olympics of Irish music.
Haley, who is 11, won firsts in slow airs and fiddle, while 11-year-old Emily took home a first place trophy for slow airs on harp in the under 12 competition. The two played together last week on Marianne MacDonald’s (she’s a Jersey girl too) Sunday radio show on 800 AM, Come West Along the Road.
Check out Haley’s award-winning performances.
Read an interview we did with Haley after last year’s second place Fleadh finish.
We recorded Emily ourselves a few weeks ago. This is why she won.
Read more about Emily, and some of the obstacles she’s overcome, to get where she is.
Congratulations to both girls, their parents, family, and teachers!