Eithne Vallely, an 81-year-old traditional Irish musician and educator, has died following a road traffic collision on the Portadown Road in Armagh on Friday morning. Tributes have poured in from local politicians and the cultural community, with Sinn Féin MP Dáire Hughes calling her a "giant of Irish cultural life" and praising her enormous influence on music and cultural expression in the region.

Originally from Donegal, Vallely made Armagh her home and, with her husband Brian, founded the Armagh Pipers Club in 1966, serving as its director of music for six decades. SDLP Councillor Thomas O'Hanlon described her death as "devastating", praising her patience and generosity as a teacher, while the Armagh Pipers Club said her contribution to Irish traditional music had been recognised nationally with numerous awards and honours.