Rush woman wins Macra title

A NORTHSIDE woman has won her club’s first ever Macra na Feirme national title.

Macra member Grace Dowling, from Channel Road, Rush, won the Solo Instrumental Music section in the landmark 30th National Final of the Macra National Talent Competition in the Solstice Arts Centre, Navan.

Solo Instrumental Music is one of eight entirely separate events – some for individuals, some for groups – in music, song, comedy, dance, acting and quiz which make up the Macra National Talent Competition.

Grace had qualified for the national final from the semi-final held in May in Summerhill, County Meath. It was only the second time ever that North County had reached the national final following Clodagh Barnwall’s appearance in the 2011 final in The Helix, also in Solo Instrumental Music.

The Solo Instrumental Music section had one of the highest standards of any of the eight events in this year’s final but Grace, playing the button accordion, gave excellent performances of her two tunes –

‘The Queen Stream’ and

‘The Mason’s Apron’, – to emerge victorious over runner-up and guitarist Danny Dineen from Carrigaline, County Cork.

Grace was presented with her winner’s trophy, an engraved piece of Dublin Crystal, by Macra na Feirme President, Kieran O’Dowd.