Callum Jeacle practising his Choral Conducting before the competition - Photo- Leon Farrell

Outstanding Success for RIAM Students at Feis Ceoil 2025

Published: 23rd Jun, 2025

RIAM students across Junior, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate levels have once again excelled at the prestigious Feis Ceoil competition, with an impressive total of 215 prizes and commendations earned this year.

Headline Results:

  • First Place: 72
  • Second Place: 38
  • Commendations (VHC, HC, C): 
    • Very Highly Commended (VHC): 38
    • Highly Commended (HC): 43
    • Commended (C): 24

This year’s results reflect the extraordinary talent, dedication, and work ethic of RIAM students, guided by the commitment and expertise of their teachers.

Feis Ceoil 2025 Gala Concert Performers

We are proud to celebrate the following RIAM students selected to perform at the Feis Ceoil Gala Concert at the National Concert Hall on Monday 23rd June 7:30pm. Book tickets here.

  • Anastasia Sereda, Soprano (alum)
  • Emma Power, Mezzo Soprano (alum) 
  • Dean Glynn, Guitar
  • Senan Sheridan, Piano
  • Iris De Mot Diez, Brian Clinton, Matei Balasca & Michael Healy, Saxophone Quartet
  • Johanna Dietz & Rohan Harron, Piano & Violin Duo

Their selection is testament to their artistry and the high regard in which they are held by the competition adjudicators.

Spotlight Achievements

  • Two RIAM students or alumni have qualified to compete for the prestigious RDS Music Bursary 2025 through winning a senior Feis Ceoil competition: Morris Grant Bursary (Piano) winner Senan Sheridan, and Gervase Elwes Memorial Cup (Vocal) winner Emma Power.
  • Anastasia Sereda achieved an exceptional four First Prizes, including the Dramatic Cup and €5,000 Margaret & Tony Quigley Award, and will perform at the Gala.
  • Aimee Banks secured three First Prizes and multiple commendations in senior vocal categories.
  • Senan Sheridan claimed three First Prizes in piano, including the Morris Grant Bursary, and will also perform at the Gala.
  • Dean Glynn won the Classical Guitar category and will represent RIAM at the Gala.
  • Johanna Dietz & Rohan Harron earned First Place in the Elsner Memorial Cup, leading to their Gala selection.
  • Matei Balasca, and Emma Power also secured top prizes and recognition for Gala performance.

RIAM Community Excellence

These achievements span a diverse range of instruments and disciplines, from solo voice and piano to ensemble, string, wind, brass, guitar, and harp categories. The success reflects the Academy’s commitment to nurturing artistry and high performance, with students consistently placing at the top levels of their fields.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all students, their families, and teachers who supported their journey through Feis Ceoil 2025. A full list of prize winners is available on the Feis Ceoil website and RIAM’s own channels.

Photo (c) Leon Farrell / Feis Ceoil 
Prizes & StudentsTeacher(s) 
2.01 The Marchant Cup, for duet, trio or quartet for equal or mixed voices 
1st Shauna Claire and Jacq Herbots DuoSylvia O'Regan/Owen Gilhooly-Miles
  
2.06 Veronica Dunne - Operatic Ensemble 
1st Shauna Claire & Jacq Herbots DuoSylvia O'Regan/Owen Gilhooly-Miles
  
3.02 Gervase Elwes Memorial Cup 
1st Emma PowerRIAM Alumni (Imelda Drumm) 
  
3.03 Plunket Greene Cup 
1st Anastasia SeredaKathleen Tynan
C Charlotte Finnegan QuirkeImelda Drumm
  
3.04 Lieder Prize 
1st Aimee BanksKathleen Tynan
HC Eva KavanaghKathleen Tynan
  
3.05 Percy Whitehead Cup 
1st Aimee BanksKathleen Tynan
VHC Ashton MurphyLynda Lee
VHC Charlotte Finnegan QuirkeImelda Drumm
  
3.06 Nancy Calthorpe Cup 
2nd Éadaoin HassettVirginia Kerr [Mary Brennan]
HC Ashton MurphyLynda Lee
  
3.08 Dermot Troy Trophy 
1st Emma PowerRIAM Alumni (Imelda Drumm) 
2nd Anastasia SeredaKathleen Tynan
HC Aimee BanksKathleen Tynan
HC Eva KavanaghKathleen Tynan
  
3.09 German Government Cup 
VHC Éadaoin HassettVirginia Kerr [Mary Brennan] 
HC Tracy ChinSylvia O'Brien
  
3.10 Denis O'Sullivan Medal 
1st Evan Myles ByrneImelda Drumm
  
3.11 Thomas Moore Cup 
1st Aimee BanksKathleen Tynan
VHC Abbey Marie McGiffVirginia Kerr
  
3.12 Milne Cup 
1st Éadaoin Hassett and Oana - Alexandra LelutiuVirginia Kerr[Mary Brennan]/Owen Gilhooly Miles/Maria McGarry
VHC Ava Ridge and Iseult LawReamonn Keary/Sylvia O'Brien
  
3.14 Dramatic Cup and €5,000 Margaret & Tony Quigley Awards 
1st Anastasia SeredaKathleen Tynan
2nd Lorna BreenRIAM Alumni (Mary Brennan, Andrew Synnott and Dearbhla Collins)
  
3.15 Mrs. P.J. Geoghegan Memorial Cup 
1st Anastasia SeredaKathleen Tynan
VHC Aimee BanksKathleen Tynan
  
3.16 Joseph O'Mara Memorial Cup 
1st Jacq HerbotsOwen Gilhooly-Miles
VHC Evan Myles ByrneImelda Drumm
  
3.18 The Young Cup 
1st Éadaoin HassettVirginia Kerr [Mary Brennan]
2nd Caitlin MinnockKathleen Tynan [Mary Brennan]
  
3.19 The Vincent O'Brien Memorial Cup 
2nd Eva KavanaghKathleen Tynan
  
3.21 John McCormack and Margaret Burke-Sheridan Cups & Bohemians Awards 
McCormack 1st: Callum JeacleRIAM Alumni
Margaret Burke-Sheridan 1st: Aobha CoroonLynda Lee
  
3.22 Soprano Solo 
C Caitlin MinnockKathleen Tynan [Mary Brennan]
C Lanyi YanSylvia O'Brien
  
3.23 Mezzo-Soprano Solo 
1st Rachel ReidSylvia O'Regan
  
3.24 Contralto/Countertenor Solo 
1st Aobha CorroonLynda Lee
  
3.25 Tenor Solo 
1st Jacq HerbotsOwen Gilhooly-Miles
2nd Callum JeacleRIAM Alumni
  
4.02 Junior Vocal Recital 
1st Maiú Levi LawlorOwen Gilhooly-Miles
HC Molly VerdierSylvia O'Regan
  
4.03 Paul Deegan Cup 
2nd Conor ByrneLynda Lee
VHC Jack MorrisseyOwen Gilhooly-Miles
  
4.07 Girls Vocal Solo (A) 
2nd Molly VerdierSylvia O'Regan
  
4.11 Cailíní (A) 
1st Molly VerdierSylvia O'Regan
  
4.13 Junior Musical Theatre and Rathmines & Rathgar Award 
C Maiú Levi LawlorOwen Gilhooly-Miles
  
6.01 Elsner Memorial Cup 
1st Johanna Dietz & Rohan HarronMaria McGarry/Sarah Sew
VHC Doireann Ní Aodain and Rowel FriersMartin Johnson/Reamonn Keary
  
6.03 Chamber Music Cup 
1st Iris De Mot Diez, Brian Clinton, Matei Balasca & Michael Healy, Saxophone QuartetNatalia McGough
  
7.01 Arthur Catterall Cup 
1st André StokesMichael d'Arcy
VHC Eva PaturyanSebastian Liebig
VHC Rohan HarronSarah Sew
  
7.05 Aileen Gore Cup & RTÉ lyric fm €1,500 award 
VHC Julieanne ForrestRIAM Alumni
C Catherine CotterRIAM Alumni
  
7.10 Classical Guitar 
1st Dean GlynnPeter Katona
2nd Laszlo VargaPeter Katona
HC Benjamin DietzRIAM Alumni (Peter Katona) 
C Niall PhelanAlec O'Leary
  
7.11 Guitar Bach Prize 
1st Benjamin DietzRIAM Alumni
2nd Alan GuerreiroRIAM Alumni
  
7.14 Corn Uí Chearbhalláin (Lever) 
2nd Yuhan GuoÁine Ní Dhubhghaill
  
8.02 Terry O'Connor Trophy 
VHC Elizabeth TroupAnnette Cleary
HC Xiou (Iona) WuMichael D'Arcy
  
8.05 Junior Violin (C) 
HC Aisling Mac CannaYvonne Donnelly
C Linden ChenMia Cooper
  
8.06 Junior Violin (D) 
VHC Ciara JamesLynda O'Connor
VHC Rosie LiaoMia Cooper
C Yifei ZhaoElena Quinn
  
8.07 Junior Violin (E) 
2nd Angela LiuKlara Janu
  
8.08 Junior Viola (A) 
1st Joanne ShawLisa Dowdall
  
8.10 Junior Violoncello (A) 
1st Ryan KeoghMiriam Roycroft
2nd Conor JamesMartin Johnson
  
8.11 Junior Violoncello (B) 
1st Shirley LuMartin Johnson
2nd Yihan Jasmine ChenMiriam Roycroft
  
8.12 Junior Violoncello (C) 
1st Ethan BaiAilbhe McDonagh
2nd Joseph WileyAilbhe McDonagh
VHC Emily (Dongni) LiuWilliam Butt
  
8.13 Junior Violoncello (D) 
1st Ian SkorzewskiWilliam Butt
2nd Arabella LinMiriam Roycroft
VHC Oscar CullenPeggy Nolan
HC Patrick CotterAilbhe McDonagh
  
8.15 Junior Classical Guitar (A) & Kevin Fitzpatrick €5,000 Bursary - New from 2025! 
1st Michael Mac CannaAlec O'Leary
  
8.16 Junior Classical Guitar (B) 
2nd Hongcheng DuPeter Katona
HC Nick WatsonPeter Katona
C Simone LoughmanPeter Katona
  
8.17 Junior Classical Guitar (C) 
1st Chuqiao(Jody) WangAlec O'Leary
HC Squire DempseyAlec O'Leary
C Jacob LiPeter Katona
  
8.18 Junior Harp 
VHC Jane SunÁine Ní Dhubhghaill
  
8.19 An Chruit (A) 
2nd Ruby McMahonÁine Ní Dhubhghaill
  
8.20 An Chruit (B) 
1st Jane SunÁine Ní Dhubhghaill
  
8.21 An Chruit (C) 
1st Niamh YuRun ZouGeraldine O'Doherty
VHC Clodagh WangÁine Ní Dhubhghaill
  
9.01 Morris Grant Bursary 
1st Senan SheridanAnthony Byrne
  
9.02 Hamilton Harty Cup 
1st Lucy ByrneHugh Tinney
VHC Brian DietlmeierMaria McGarry
VHC Sulamita PyvovarLance Coburn
  
9.03 John A. Pigott Memorial Cup 
1st Senan SheridanAnthony Byrne
  
9.04 Nordell Cup 
1st Pawel WaleskiRIAM Alumni
VHC Johanna DietzMaria McGarry
VHC Rachel O'HaraTherese Fahy
HC Aurélie CimbéTherese Fahy
  
9.05 Anthony Glavin Trophy & Awards 
1st Senan SheridanAnthony Byrne
  
9.06 Huban Cup and Patrick Brennan €1,000 Award. 
2nd Ava DuffyThérèse Fahy
HC Leo MacNallyReamonn Keary
  
9.07 Mrs. M. T. Heneghan Memorial Cup 
1st Brian DietlmeierMaria McGarry
  
9.08 John Benson Memorial Cup 
2nd Ava DuffyThérèse Fahy
HC Dean KellyRIAM Alumni
HC Karel LievensHugh Tinney
HC Laoise McMullinThérèse Fahy
  
9.09 Esposito Cup 
1st Karel LievensHugh Tinney
C Clare HealyTherese Fahy
C Túathfhlaith Flynn ConnollyMaria McGarry
  
9.10 Senior Pianoforte Solo 
1st Christopher KavanaghAnthony Byrne
2nd Clare HealyTherese Fahy
  
9.11 Mabel Swainson Pianoforte Award 
1st Laoise McMullinThérèse Fahy
VHC 3rd prize: Sulamita PyvovarRIAM Alumni
HC Aurélie CimbéThérèse Fahy
C Grace MinnockMaria McGarry
C Juliette Carroll-BreenConor Linehan
  
11.01 Trimble Cup (Two Pianos) 
1st Brian Dietlmeier and Sulamita PyvovarMaria McGarry/Lance Coburn
  
11.03 Junior Pianoforte Duet (A) (One Piano) 
1st Ríona Scahill & Yuhan XueTherese Fahy
  
11.05 Junior Pianoforte Duet (C) (One Piano) 
HC Emily Xinning Zhao & Ella Siyu LiuAnthony Byrne/Lance Coburn
  
12.01 Patricia Read Memorial Cup 
1st Ríona ScahillTherese Fahy
2nd Zoe YuHugh Tinney
HC Yikai ZhaoTherese Fahy
HC Yuhan XueTherese Fahy
  
12.02 Dorothy Stokes Cup 
1st Ríona ScahillTherese Fahy
HC Scout Juliet HusseyTherese Fahy
HC Yuhan XueTherese Fahy
  
12.03 Claud Biggs Memorial Cup 
1st Rebecca YuTherese Fahy
2nd Ethan BaiAilbhe McDonagh
  
12.04 Junior Concerto 
1st Dylan KeaneAnthony Byrne/Peter Tuite
2nd Grace BaiHugh Tinney
VHC Louise ByrneReamonn Keary
C Gracie-Bell HusseyReamonn Keary
C Zoe YuHugh Tinney
  
12.05 Rhona Marshall Cup 
1st Grace BaiHugh Tinney
2nd Dylan KeaneAnthony Byrne/Peter Tuite
VHC Ethan BaiAilbhe McDonagh
VHC Rebecca YuTherese Fahy
Emily (Dongni) LiuMaria McGarry
C Anthony O'ReillyAlexander Bernstein
C Jasmine HennessyMaria McGarry
C Landuo LiuHugh Tinney
  
12.06 John Field Cup 
1st Lee EnnisLance Coburn
VHC Jasmine HennessyMaria McGarry
HC Jacob YuanLance Coburn
  
12.07 Junior Pianoforte Solo (A) 
1st Aleksei LiubomirovConor Linehan
HC RuaidhríO'DeaHugh Tinney
  
12.08 Junior Pianoforte Solo (B) 
1st Louise ByrneReamonn Keary
VHC Anthony O'ReillyAlexander Bernstein
  
12.09 Junior Pianoforte Solo (C) 
1st Rebecca YuTherese Fahy
2nd Emily (Dongni) LiuMaria McGarry
C Rita ruitong ChenAlexander Bernstein
  
12.10 Junior Pianoforte Solo (D) 
VHC William ChenReamonn Keary
HC Gabriel OprisanMarta Erdei
HC Oscar ShiConor Linehan
HC Stacey (Qingze) WangConor Linehan
  
12.11 Junior Pianoforte Solo (E) 
VHC YIMO SUIMarta Erdei
HC Angela LiuMaria McGarry
  
12.12 Junior Repertoire 
2nd Oscar ShiConor Linehan
HC Stacey (Qingze) WangConor Linehan
  
13.03 Senior Organ 
2nd Alexander KellyDavid Adams
  
13.04 Junior Organ 
1st Sorcha McDermottDavid Adams
VHC Christina TroupDavid Adams
  
14.01 McCullough Cup & RTÉ lyric fm €1,500 award 
VHC Grace MercerRuby Ashley
HC William CurranJohn Finucane & Paul Roe
  
14.02 Senior Flute 
VHC Maiia ShpakWilliam Dowdall
HC Aran CahalanWilliam Dowdall
  
14.06 Senior Saxophone 
VHC Matei BalascaNatalia McGough
  
14.07 Senior Recorder 
2nd Clara Nic SíomóinHilda Milner
  
15.01 Junior Flute (A) 
1st Zoe YuWilliam Dowdall
  
15.05 Junior Clarinet (B) 
HC Sean Ming WangFintan Sutton
C Shaobo MaFintan Sutton
  
15.06 Junior Oboe 
2nd Conor Ó HanlonRuby Ashley
  
15.08 Junior Saxophone 
2nd Yaromir SamoylenkoNatalia McGough
  
15.09 Junior Recorder - Descant (A) 
1st Rowan O'LoughlinAedín Halpin
2nd Filip BottelierAedín Halpin
  
15.10 Junior Recorder - Descant (B) 
1st Rupert WardAedín Halpin
2nd Seán FinneganAedín Halpin
VHC Paula McQuadeAedín Halpin
HC Christian Bailey-RocksAedín Halpin
  
16.02 The Walton Cup 
1st Juliette HarfordDavid Collins
2nd Christina TroupFergus O'Carroll
  
17.01 Junior French Horn (A) 
1st Joshua LynchFergus O'Carroll
  
17.02 Junior French Horn (B) 
2nd Squire DempseyCormac O hAodain
  
17.04 Junior Trumpet/Cornet (B) 
1st Harry LynchColm Byrne
2nd Oliver DuffyDavid Collins
  
17.11 Junior Brass Ensemble Cup 
1st RIAM Trumpet Ensemble RIAM 
(Juliette Harford, Nayan Levy, Harry Lynch and Oliver Duffy)
David Collins
  
20.01 Junior Percussion 
1st Thibaud EmpeyJonathan Herbert