WATCH: Grúpa Ceoil Beag to perform in Glasgow’s Celtic Connections Festival

A talented group of young Irish traditional musicians from Derry has struck a chord with the local community in its quest to perform at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections Festival.

Selected to compete in what is described as the “premiere winter festival and international celebration of Celtic music” in Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, the 14-strong Grúpa Ceoil Beag is well on track to reach the online fundraiser target to enable the musicians and their chaperones to travel to Scotland.

Speaking to The Derry News, Derry musician Paul Cutliffe, revealed he had created Grúpa Ceoil Beag, along with Marty Coyle from the North West Folk Collective, as a way of keeping his own children interested in music once they became teenagers.

A young fan listening to Grúpa Ceoil Beag.

“They go to music lessons in An tAcadamh Ceoil at Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin here in Derry along with their pals and I was just thinking, if there were sessions where they could play or performance opportunities with their peers that might keep them interested,” he said. “So Grúpa Ceoil Beag was born. It comprises students from an tAcadamh Ceoil, CCE Craobh Doire, and schools in Claudy.

“Our members are aged 10 to 17 and they play Harp, Concertina, Fiddle, Banjo, Guitar, Whistle, Flute, Bodhran and the uilleann pipes.

“We also have some amazing singers. Some members are country Fleadh winners and others have performed in musicals on stage, and we are all proud to represent Derry wherever we play.

Young Trad musicians performing in Grúpa Ceoil Beag.

“We practice in the Rocking Chair Bar and we have now played many venues including the Belfast Mela Festival, Guildhall Gig Rig during Hallowe’en and the Jazz Festival, with our special mix of Trad and Jazz.”

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A parent of one of the Grúpa Ceoil Beag musicians said Paul had “inspired these young musicians to gain confidence, develop a love for playing, and grow as a group”.

“The children absolutely love going,” she added, “and over the past year and a half Grúpa Ceoil Beag has grown into a real musical family.

A delighted audience in St Eugene's Parish Hall.

“Thanks too must go to Marty Coyle who kindly put together the Grúpa Ceoil Beag performance recording which secured their place in the Celtic Connections Festival.”

For anyone interested in tuning in to Grúpa Ceoil Beag’s performances, all of the Celtic Connections competitions will be broadcast live on www.celticmusicradio.com. Grúpa Ceoil Beag is competing on Saturday, January 31, 2026.

Grúpa Ceoil Beag: A big musical family.

Keep up to date with the group’s progress on its Facebook page: Grúpa Ceoil Beag.

Donations to Grupa Ceoil Beag Derry to Glasgow Celtic Connections can be made HERE.