Cian's talent takes second

Twenty-year-old flute player and Collinstown Macra member Cian Farrelly from Ballymanus, Castlepollard did himself, his club and his county proud when he finished runner-up in solo instrumental music at the National Final of the Macra National Talent Competition in The Helix Theatre, Dublin on May 19.The competition, now in its 28th year, comprises eight separate events - disco dancing, solo instrumental music, novelty act, solo singing, mastermind, set dancing, comedy and pop / folk / ballad group.There were four finalists in each event in The Helix Theatre and following the two national semi-finals Cian was Westmeath's sole representative in The Helix.Cian was the third of the four finalists to perform and he gave splendid renditions of his two pieces, An Raibh Tú ag an gCarraig? and The Caucus Reel.When the results were announced he had finished runner-up in an event of overall high standard in which there was little between the four finalists.The winner was concertina player Rory Kennedy from Codagh, County Tipperary while the other finalists were a guitar player from Carrigaline, County Cork and a fiddle player from Togher, County Louth.Cian received an engraved Dublin Crystal runner-up trophy from Macra president Alan Jagoe on stage at the end of the night.http://westmeathexaminer.ie/news/roundup/articles/2012/05/11/4010375-collinstown-macra-member-bids-for-talent-title-in-the-helix-/