Talented Laois musician secures Ashling Murphy Scholarship

Spink Comhaltas extended congratulations to senior musician, David Vesey, after he was awarded an Ashling Murphy Scholarship for Education at Fleadh Cheoil 2026 in Belfast.

This scholarship was established a number of years ago in memory of Offaly woman Ashling Murphy who was killed in 2022.

Ashling was a talented teacher and an exceptional musician and sportswoman. Her death shocked the entire country, and her loss continues to be felt by everyone who knew her, and most especially by her family.

In her memory and thanks to the generosity of the Murphy family, Comhaltas established three scholarships to be awarded each year, covering Community, Education and Research. These scholarships are also funded by Ken Barrett of KB Leisurewear.

Ashling was a member of Spink’s senior Grupa Cheoil in 2018 and 2019. She made a strong and enduring impression on everyone who worked with her, and she continues to be fondly remembered.

David and Ashling were co-leaders of the Comhaltas Tour of Ireland and Britain in 2017 and 2018. Ashling was also a member of the National Folk Orchestra of Ireland with David.

David’s project is to develop educational resources for teaching piano in the context of Traditional Irish music. As a professional pianist and educator who operates on the boundary between traditional and classical music, David brings significant experience to this project. He is a teacher at the annual Scoil Eigse music school at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann, a music examiner for the Comhaltas SCT music exams, a teacher at the Royal Irish Academy of Music, and regularly delivers music workshops.

His debut album, ‘Carolan Reflections’, sets out his original arrangements and interpretations of Turlough O’Carolan’s music for piano. This album was launched in 2024 and has been critically received.

David’s project will create new online resources in the form of downloadable pdfs and videos, to which pianists can turn to for guidance in how to perform traditional Irish music on the piano. These resources will be available on the Comhaltas website for all musicians.

Spink Comhaltas are confident that his project will be a significant tribute to Ashling as a musician and teacher.

David has retained strong links with Spink Comhaltas and continues to be available to support the branch as required. He consistently credits Spink branch with developing his love and knowledge of traditional Irish music, as well as the wider ethos within the branch to focus on participation and love of the music first, with competitions a vehicle to measure progress rather than an end in itself.

David will be performing in Emo Court on Friday, September 18, 2026 as part of Culture Night 2026. This concert will be open to all and is free of charge.

Spink Comhaltas concluded a fantastic 2026 season with excellent performances in bands and solo competitions, winning medals in two of these – congratulations to Jack Tierney and Kallum Sheeran. Registration for the new season will commence shortly.