Kitty Sabry, a sixth-year student at Seamount College in Kinvara came third at the 2026 TopSec Frank Maher Classical Music Awards, Ireland’s largest classical music competition for secondary schools.
Sabry, who plays the violin, was one of six finalists at the competition evening on Friday, October 23, held in the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin. Lyric FM presenter Marty Wheelan was master of ceremonies for the evening, which saw outstanding talent. Sabry performed two pieces – Sonata in G Minor by composer Guiseppe Tartini and Scherzo by composer Pytor Tchaikovsky.
Violinist Iona Wu from Wesley College Dublin won the €5,000 prize and trombonist Yannick Daly Trillaud from Colaiste an Spioraid Naoimh in Cork violinist came second. To mark the 25th anniversary of the Awards inception and as part of their prizes, Kitty, Iona and Yannick will attend European classical music masterclasses in next summer.
The Awards were created in 2001 by Top Security chairman Emmet O’Rafferty to honour the memory of his late teacher, Fr Frank Maher, who taught music at Castleknock College in Dublin.
Emmet O’Rafferty says “It was a great pleasure to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the TopSec Frank Maher Classical Music Awards and to experience the extraordinary standard of young musical talent coming through Irish schools.
“Congratulation to Kitty on her third-place finish and I hope that the opportunity to attend masterclasses in Europe next summer will help to develop her talent further and broaden her musical horizons.
“My congratulations to all our finalists who took part in the competition night and over the past 25 years, it has been hugely rewarding to see how the Awards have helped young musicians pursue their ambitions. I look forward to seeing what the next generation will achieve,” O’Rafferty finishes.
