St Germans band Tom O’Reilly and the Swaggers have won this year’s battle to represent Cornwall at the Pan Celtic Festival in Ireland from March 29 to April 2.

Last year’s Cornish representatives, Looe-based The Changing Room, not only won the Celtivision but went on to win two other trophies at the festival including best band. 

Cornwall’s entry for 2016 was decided at a live event in the Penventon Park Hotel, Redruth last month. The winning song was Lugh Glow (Black Lung), a story of the hardships of the miners in Cornwall, written by the band and translated into Cornish through support from the Maga translation service.

 Five songs were shortlisted with entries performed by The Grenaways, Goslowes, Seafolk, Elizabeth Sidebotham and Colin Arthur.  

This year’s competition was sponsored by Looe Music Festival, who have not only contributed to the costs of sending the winners to Ireland, but have offered the opportunity to all entrants to perform their songs live at Looe Music Festival in September.

 Listen to all the entrants’ live performances courtesy of Radyo an Gernewegva at www.anradyo.com  

A video of the winning song can be found  at www.tomoreillyandthe

swaggers.com