Maria has world at her fingers

By Tom Sheil

Ballyhaunis musician Maria McGarry literally has the world at her fingers.

The 19 year old won a £15,000 Bursary at the weekend which will enable her to improve further on her breathtaking talent.

She is one of the five Irish pianists selected to compete in the Guardian Dublin International Piano competition next month.

Maria, who lives at Devlis, Ballyhaunis with her parents, Pauline and Gerard McGarry, was introduced to the piano at the tender age of four by her mother.

"Like her older sister, Niamh, who is also studying music, Maria showed talent from an early age", Mrs. Pauline McGarry recalled last night.

Maria is the third eldest of five children and sacrificed much of her free time as a youngster in order to improve as a musician.

"She travelled to Dublin every Saturday for lessons", proud mother Pauline explained. "Sometimes when there were competitions she would travel to Dublin a couple of times per week".

Maria has already given numerous recitals at venues throughout Ireland. She was a finalist in the piano class of last year's "Musician of the Future" and was also the recipient of the "Morris-Grant Cup and Bursary", the highest piano award at Dublin Feis Ceoil.

Maria recently received an award from the Fitzwilton "Exceptional Talent Search" Trust. She was selected unanimously by the 5 member International Jury at the weekend . Part of her prize is a specially designed Waterford Cut Glass Trophy.