Comhaltas in Britain are delighted to announce our first "Ceoltóir Ambassador", flute player Órlaith McAuliffe.

Órlaith, whose parents hail from Killarney, Co. Kerry, was brought up in the vibrant London music scene. The household was musical and at the age of 7, Órlaith was taught to play the tin whistle at home by her mum. She was inspired by the whistle playing of Mary Bergin, Séan Ryan, Carmel Gunning and Vinnie Kilduff. At the age of 9, Órlaith decided to take up the flute after receiving a Hammy Hamilton flute as a gift from her aunty Siobhán. Over the years, she attended various flute and tin whistle workshops such as those at The Return to London Town Festival (formely known as the ‘Return to Camden’) and The Queen Maeve Summer School in Sligo, whilst also attending classes with Joe Searson and Sinead Linane at her local East London CCÉ branch in London. Her major influences on the flute include Olivia McTernan, Matt Molloy, Michael McGoldrick, Seamus Tansey, Peter Horan, Tom Doorley, Conal O’Grada, Aoife Granville, Paul McGlinchey, James Carty and Mick Mulvey. Órlaith is delighted to have been awarded the Gradam Ceoil ‘Ceoltóir Óg na Bliana’ for 2016 and has over twenty gold medals from the All Ireland Fleadh Cheoils under her belt.

Órlaith said of her appointment, "I am honoured to have been asked to take on this new role as a Ceoltóir Ambassador and look forward to helping promote some of the wonderful work and events that Comhaltas in Britain offers, for young, aspiring musicians and singers across the country. Traditional Irish Music has been a fundamental part of my life and I am very grateful for the fantastic musical opportunities, social activities, sessions, fleadh cheoils and events that I have been a part of since joining my local Comhaltas branch many years ago."