Winifred Horan was an American classical Celtic and Irish folk violinist and fiddler from New York City. An All-Ireland fiddle champion and nine-time champion Irish stepdancer, Horan won the Junior Championship at age 11. Horan studied piano under her father before graduating from the New England Conservatory and the Aspen Music Festival and School. After performing with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Horan joined the ensemble Cherish the Ladies in 1990. In 1994, Horan co-founded the group Solas, providing fiddle and backing vocals on recordings including Solas (1996) and The Hour Before Dawn (2000). Horan collaborated with the Sharon Shannon Band and Pierce Turner and released the solo albums Just One Wish (2002), Lost Girl Found (2014), and The Memory of Magic (2019). Horan also released the recording Serenade (2006) with Mick McAuley, which featured the track “A Daisy in December”.
