Wednesday, May 30, 2012

The Clark Academy of Irish Dance gets 3 yes votes on America's Got Talent

A garoup of  ceili team dancers from The Clark Academy of Irish Dance
in St. Louis, Missouri
Photo courtesy Clark Academy of Irish Dance
Fifteen talented Irish dancers from The Clark Academy of Irish Dance competed as a group on the Tuesday, May 28th edition of America's Got Talent Season 7.  The dancers - Carlee Miller, Brooke Reimann, Francine and Katie Jane Lawler, Abby and Jake Sieve, Briley Mastis, Ellie and Maggie Gannon, Olivia Smugala, Colleen Crutsinger, Julie Brennan, Erin Tilley, Isabel Kaiser and Kate Hermann - delighted the audience and the judges with their big smiles, gorgeous costumes and lively hard-shoe dancing.



Sharon Osbourne, one of the three judges, was especially enchanted with 5 year-old Katie Jane Lawler, whose finishing touch to the performance was compared to an "Angelina Jolie" move by judge Howie Mandell.  Howard Stern, not to be upstaged, accused the girls of stealing his hairstyle - curly wigs are a traditional part of the competitive Irish dancing costume.

America's Got Talent Season 7 Judge
Howard Stern
Photo courtesy America's Got Talent
The Clark Academy of Irish Dance team makes the second Irish dancing group to make it to the televised show in Season 7.  The New York Irish Dance Company, comprised of competitive and retired Irish dancers from Metropolitan New York from several Irish dance schools - appeared last week to great accolades and a YES vote from Howie Mandell.

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Read more:

The New York Irish Dance Company on America's Got Talent VIDEO

Interval training for Irish dancers to build stamina

Youngest Riverdance fiddler has a hip-hop side VIDEO
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Three YES votes from the judges means The Clark Academy Irish dancers are headed to Las Vegas, Nevada for the next stage in America's Got Talent!  Good luck!


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page! Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Inaugural Murray School Feis great success - championship list

Open Championship Girls under 13 Top 5
with podium topper Clare Murray Macritchie
Murray Academy Feis
Photo courtesy Natalie Grant


The Murray Irish Dance Academy, from New Hampshire, hosted its first Irish dancing competition on Sunday, May 20, 2012.  Parents and dancers from across New England were quick to send kudos to Anne Murray Macritchie, TCRG, on the Irish dancing school's first feis.  Three random comments on the feis' webpage tell it all:

"Thank you--job well done.  Especially liked all the little touches - from the bright green poster boards to lead us in off the highway and greeters at the door offering to help us get settled and especially the concerted effort to start on time!"

"The awards were really great and so were the people who helped out.  Loved the musicians in the large gym.  We hope to be back next year - GREAT JOB!"

"Nice venue, easy to get to, incredible organization and on time, signs everywhere... Anne you definitely set the bar for all future feis to follow!"

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Preliminary Champion Girls under 13 Madysin Finn from O'Shea-Chaplin and friends
Murray Academy Feis
Photo courtesy Madysin Finn

Seven Murray Academy dancers earned the top spot on the podium, with strong dancers from Brady, Bremer, Dunleavy Shaffer, Lenihan, McInerney and O'Shea-Chaplin rounding out the Preliminary and Open Champions.

Two Preliminary Champions - Bridget O'Connor from Murray and Ainsley Welch from Brady - scored perfect 300s in the Boys & Girls under 8 and 9, and Boys & Girls under 10 events.  Other Preliminary Champions were Brynn Golden - Dunleavy Shaffer (under 11), Deirdre Kelly - Brady (under 12), Gabrielle DeSisto - Murray (under 13), Caitlin Lynch - McInerney (under 14), Madisyn Finn - O'Shea-Chaplin (under 15), Bridget Forbes - Lenihan (under 16) and Conor McTavish - Brady (16 & Over).



Sydney Paine, Open Champion Girls under 17
with fellow Dunleavy Shaffer dancers
at Murray Academy Feis 2012
Photo courtesy Sydney Paine
An astounding SEVEN Open Champions also clinched perfect scores!  Congratulations to Brady's Maeve Williams (Girls under 12), Bremer's Siobhan O'Neill (Girls under 16) and Billy Petrocelli (Boys under 14), Murray's Kate Babcock (Girls under 14) and Caroline Mega (Ladies under 18), and O'Shea-Chaplin's Parker Armstrong (Boys under 16) and Kevin McCormack (Boys 16 & Over).

Other Open Champions were Maeve White - Brady (Girls under 9 and under 10 combined), Emily Varga - Murray (Girls under 11), Clare Murray Macritchie (Girls under 13), Harper Mills - O'Shea-Chaplin (Girls under 15),  Sydney Paine - Dunleavy Shaffer (Girls under 17) and Madeline Muench - Murray (Ladies 18 & Over).

Congratulations to the Murray Academy and all the volunteers who helped to make this one of New England's most memorable spring Irish dancing competitions!


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Guaranteed fun summer camp themes for Irish dancing schools


Irish summer dance camp-themed days 
Photos and post by Caitlin Buck, Feis America LLC

Every summer my Irish dance school holds its own camp in our studio. Five days of intense dancing that have traditionally all been themed to add a dash of fun for the younger dancers. As an older dancer, there are more opportunities to get involved in the booster club, and my first thing I was ever in charge of was (get ready): camp themes and snack sign up. Major stuff eh?? Anyway the last few years I have come up with themes, and as summer kicks off, it got me automatically pondering new possibilities.

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Googling camp themes one lazy evening, I happened upon several sites offering lengthy lists of theme inspiration, but what I was really inspired to do was create an Irish dance version of the tradition summer camp themes:

Going off the word REEL:

Reel Nerdy- Huge black nerd glasses, high capris with suspenders, poodle socks, pigtails & the serious faces of very determined dancers on the floor. Picture it. Who wouldn’t keep cracking up all day?

Reel Tough OR Reel Treble- Dress like a solider or pirate or wear camo

Reely Different-Use imagination

Reel Special-Favorite dance outfit

Reel Comfortable- Pajama day!

Reel Glamorous-Movie star glam!


A little Celtic

Fairy or Leprechaun day-Big hit with the youngest dancers

Design your own celtic t-shirt-Utilizing Celtic clip art or gaelic words.

Celtic Socks (instead of crazy socks) -Grab an old pair of poodle socks & some fabric paint & paint on shamrocks, trinity knots & other Celtic designs. (Celtic Socks for the anti-paint: Wear your favorite store bought pair of St. Patty’s day socks.)

Wear Green OR Wear Shamrocks-Note: This one radiates originality.



Oireachtas Survivor

Class survivor theme for the entire week!  Age groups or levels can be made into tribes or clans for extra camaraderie. Teams get together to make bandannas, arm bands, or t-shirts.

Wear camo, black, war paint

Create a shirt for Oireachtas

Think Hunger Games: Working on the Odds being in our favor!


Summer is an opportunity to mix fun with Irish dance training and practice at Irish dance schools. With most studios offering their own version of intensive summer Irish dance camp, it's a chance to meet older and younger dancers at every level, and often, it means a college-level or guest workshop dancer joins for skill or choreography work. Make the most of your summer camp Irish dance experience!

Please share your thoughts about what makes the most fun and your ideas for keeping dance in the summer,whether you are headed for a big competition or just want to stay in shape by posting in the comments section below.

Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Songs for the 26th – 28th May Irish dancing competitions – VIDEOS

by PATRICIA MCNAMARA

Heading to British Columbia this weekend for the West Coast Irish Dance Championships or Illinois for the Chicago Feis? Ohio for the Akron AOH Feis or Cleveland Feis? How about California for the California Spring Feis or Maryland for the Comhaltas Irish Dance Festival? Or perhaps Tennessee for the Memphis Feis.

No matter your competitive destination this weekend, we want to share four tunes you should add to your own playlist before lacing up and taking the stage. Best of luck to all competitors. And be sure to come back here and share your results!  

“Dance, Dance, Dance” – The Beach Boys
Summer’s so close! So forget school for a second and just dance this weekend.  

“The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie” – Red Hot Chili Peppers
Part smooth, part toe-tapping, this puts you in the perfect mood to grab those shoes.  

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READ MORE:
Songs for the 12th - 13th May Irish Dancing Competitions - VIDEOS

Songs for the 5th - 6th May Irish Dancing Competitions - VIDEOS
 
Songs for the 28th - 29th April Irish Dancing Competitions - VIDEOS
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“Dancing in the Street” – Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
C’mon, you know you’re guilty of doing a li’l step no matter where you are.

“Dance With Me Tonight” – Olly Murs
Play this and you’ll immediately get the energy to dance.


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page! Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Doherty's Carson and Taylor Defend Irish National Irish Dancing Championship Titles: Top 5 Ladies Results

Therese Corless, 2012 Ladies 19-20 Champion with 3rd place Niamh O'Sullivan
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships
Photo courtesy Therese Corless

At the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday, several of the ladies' competitions brought smiles and tears to long-time friends and competitors in Dublin.  2012 World Irish Dancing Champion Therese Corless from Aaron Crosbie topped the podium for Ladies 19-20.  Amy Monaghan, who came in 2nd, also placed 2nd in her age group at the All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships to England's Jessica Hindley.

Top 5 Ladies 19-20
Champion Therese Corless from Aaron Crosbie in Munster Region
2-Amy Monaghan from Siobhan McDonnell in Connaught Region
3-Niamh O'Sullivan from Elaine Kavanagh in Leicester Region
4-Rachel Hallahan from Higgins in Munster Region
5-Rachel O'Meara Curran from Doherty in Ulster Region

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Irish National Irish Dancing Championships top teams

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Sinead Carson (right) Ladies 17-18 Champion with 3rd place Anne-Marie Keany
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships
Photo courtesy Sinead Carson
Sinead Carson and Niamh Taylor, 2012 World Irish Dancing Champions from Doherty clinched the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championship for Ladies 17-18 and 18-19, respectively, in Dublin.


Top 5 Ladies 17-18
Champion Sinead Carson from Doherty in Ulster Region
2-Eadaoin McGinley from Croghan-Greene in Munster Region
3-Anne Marie Keany from Hession in Connaught Region
4-Muriel Burke from Mona Ni Rodaigh in Ulster Region
5-Beth Gorman from Doherty in Ulster Region

Top 5 Ladies 18-19
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships
Photo courtesy Melanie Kane (far left)

Niamh Taylor holds four World Irish Dancing Championship titles from 2007, 2008, 2011 and 2012.  Top 3 in Ladies 18-19, Taylor, Clodagh Roper and Tara Walsh were, respectively, the three highest-placing Irish competitors in Ladies 18-19 at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships.  4th place Chelsea Kane and 5th place Niamh McMahon also each placed in the Top 20 at 2012 Worlds.

Top 5 Ladies 18-19
Champion Niamh Taylor from Doherty in Ulster Region
2-Clodagh Roper from Domican in Ulster Region
3-Tara Walsh from Higgins in Munster Region
4-Chelsea Kane from Cresham Academy in Connaught Region
5-Niamh McMahon from Jackie O'Leary in Leicester Region

Claire Greaney, Rebecca Loughran and Clare McDermott
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships
Photo courtesy Norah Loughran
2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion Claire Greaney, who placed 2nd at the 2012 Worlds to Suzanne Coyle from Scotland, is the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion for Senior Ladies.  Two additional ladies who placed in the Top 10 at 2012 Worlds - Loughran and Callanan-Ryan - claimed the 2nd and 3rd placements in Dublin.  McDermott and Caden, who placed 4th and 5th in the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships, were also Top 20 in the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships.

Top 5 Senior Ladies Over 20
Champion Claire Greaney from Hession in Connaught Region
2-Rebecca Loughran from Doherty in Ulster Region
3-Ciara Callanan-Ryan from Michael Ryan in Munster Region
4-Clare McDermott from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue in Ulster Region
5-Ann-Marie Caden from Elaine Kavanagh in Leicester Region


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Irish National Irish Dancing Championships More Teen Girls Top 5 Solo Results

Irish National Irish Dancing Championships 2012
Top Five Girls 15-16
Photo Breda Gregan
The 2012 Irish National Dancing Champion for Girls 15-16, Ellen Kennedy, placed 9th at Worlds and 10th at the All-Irelands.  Shauna Ryan, who placed 4th at the Irish Nationals, was the highest-placing Irish dancer in her age group at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships, taking 5th place in both Belfast and at the 2012 All Irelands.  Rounding out the Irish Nationals Top 3 was Codie Shiels who placed 6th at Worlds and 4th at the All Irelands in 2012.

Top 5 Girls 15-16
Champion Ellen Kennedy from O'Connor in Connaught Region
2-Rachel Galligan from Lyons in Ulster Region
3-Codie Shiels from Doherty in Ulster Region
4-Shauna Ryan from Scoil Ui Nuallain in Munster Region
5-Ann-Marie McDonnell from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue in Leicester Region


Cyra Taylor, who tied with North America's Melanie Valdes for the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championship, won the Girls 13-14 event at last weekend's Irish National Irish Dancing Championships in Dublin.  Taylor also is the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion in her age group.  Meghan Bonner placed third at both the Irish Nationals and Worlds this year.

Cyra Taylor wins Girls 13-14
Irish National Irish Dancing Championship 2012
Photo courtesy Scoil Rince McConomy Bradley


Top 5 Girls 13-14
Champion Cyra Taylor from McConomy Bradley in Ulster Region
2-Aine McGill from McNelis Cunningham in Ulster Region
3-Meghan Bonner from Bonner-Cannon in Ulster Region
4-Rebekah Bell from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue in Leicester Region
5-Aoife Cremins from Croghan-Greene in Munster Region

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Irish National Irish Dancing Championships team results

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Taylor and Valdes share 2012 World Irish Dancing Championship title
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Shannon Bradley clinched the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championship for Girls 14-15.  Bradley also holds three World Irish Dancing Championship and All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championship titles, including 2012.  Amymae Dolan, the 2010 World Irish Dancing Champion took second at both the Irish Nationals, All Irelands and World Irish Dancing Championships this year.

Shannon Bradley
Girls 14-15 World, All Ireland and Irish National Dancing Champion 2012
Photo courtesy Bradley Family


Top 5 Girls 14-15
Champion Shannon Bradley from Doherty in Ulster Region
2-Amymae Dolan from Carson in Ulster Region
3-Olivia Murray from Mona Ni Rodaigh in Ulster Region
4-Caitlin Simpson from Elaine Kavanaugh in Leicester Region
5-Amy Harley from Doherty in Ulster Region


Congratulations to all who qualified and competed, and special congratulations to the Top 5 and their teachers on an amazing weekend!

Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!








Monday, May 21, 2012

Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Top Team Results

Champion team dancers from Kiely-Walsh
2012 World Irish Dancing Championships
Photo courtesy Paul Seale

Seven team competitions involving hundreds of skilled Irish dancers kept audiences enthralled this weekend at An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha's Irish National Irish Dancing Championships in Dublin.  Irish dancing schools from every region of Ireland competed for the top spot on the podium, and seven winners, including three teams from Ui She in the Leicester Region, were the delight of Irish dance enthusiasts in attendance at CityWest.

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Full results are available at FeisResults.  Champions are as follows:

2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championship Teams
  • Minor Girls' Ceili Under 11 Champions Mona Ni Rodaigh from the Ulster Region
  • Junior Girls' Ceili 13-16 Champions Team B from Ui She in the Leicester Region
  • Junior Mixed Ceili 13-16 Champions Ni Chearra-O'Baolain-McMahon from the Ulster Region
  • Girls' Senior Ceili 16-19 Champions Kiely-Walsh from the Munster Region
  • Senior Mixed Ceili Over 16 Champions Ui She from the Leicester Region
  • Ladies' Ceili Over 19 Champions Ui She from the Leicester Region
  • Senior Over 16 Figures Champions Kiely-Walsh from the Munster Region

2012 World Irish Dancing Champions for the Junior Mixed Ceili 13-16 competition took the Irish National Irish Dancing Championship title.  The highest-placing Irish team for the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championship Girls' Senior Ceili 16-19 event was Kiely-Walsh (after Cashel Dennehy and Claddagh, both from North America) and Kiely-Walsh won the Irish National Irish Dancing Championship for this event.

Ui She Ladies' Ceili Over 19 Team which won the Irish National title this weekend placed second at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships after Doherty's Midlands team topped the podium in Belfast.

Congratulations to all the team members from the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championship teams!


Stay tuned for more results from the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday competitions right here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog.

Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion Slemon Clinches Irish National Title: Saturday Boys Results 5

Sean Slemon
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Boys 9-10
Photo courtesy Annette Foley Slemon


Sean Slemon, the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion for Boys 9-10, claimed the Irish National Irish Dancing Championship title Saturday in Dublin.  Slemon, who dances with Rinceoiri na Riochta in the Munster Region of Ireland, was followed by his friendly rival Jack Lynch from Ui She.  Lynch placed 2nd at the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships.

Top 5 Boys 9-10
Champion Sean Slemon from Rinceoiri na Riochta in Munster Region
2-Jack Lynch from Ui She in Leicester Region
3-Cathal Doughan from Gleann Oir in Munster Region
4-Thomas Colangelo from McCafferty in Ulster Region
5- Ryan Miskelly from Brennan Miskelly McCormick in Ulster Region

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Irish Nationals girls solo results Saturday

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In the Boys 10-11 competition, Ronan McKiernan topped the podium.  McKiernan, placed 3rd at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships and 5th at the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships.  Placing 2nd at the Irish Nationals, Ray Shanahan  from Kiely-Walsh tied his 2nd placements at both the 2012 Worlds and 2012 All Irelands.  Adam McGhee who placed 3rd was also in the Top 5 for this age group at the 2012 Worlds.


Top 5 Boys 10-11
Champion Ronan McKiernan from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue in Ulster Region
2-Ray Shanahan from Kiely-Walsh in Munster Region
3-Adam McGhee from Coleman in Connaught Region
4-Ciaran Rodden from McConomy Bradley in Ulster Region
5-Christoper Reaney from Coleman in Connaught Region


Eoghain Murphy
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Boys 16-17
Photo courtesy Eoghain Murphy


Eoghain Murphy, the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion for Boys 16-17, placed 3rd at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championship after Champion Caolan McKeating-Lynch and 2nd place Richard Murray.  Murray, from Higgins also took 2nd place at the Irish Nationals and 3rd at the All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships in 2012.  Michael Gardiner, who came in 4th in Dublin Saturday, was also in the Top 5 for all three major 2012 Irish dancing competitions.

Top 5 Boys 16-17

Champion Eoghan Murphy from Mona Ni Rodaigh in Ulster Region
2-Richard Murray from Higgins in Munster Region
3-Eoghan O'Neill from Siobhan McDonnell in Connaught Region
4-Michael Gardiner from Hession in Connaught  Region
5-Matthew Gillespie from Hession in Connaught Region

Congratulations to all who qualified and placed at the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships!


Stay tuned for more results from the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday competitions right here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog.

Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

World Irish Dancing Champion Kelly Clinches Nationals: Top 5 Results

Ronan Kelly
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Boys 11-12
shown here as 2011 World Irish Dancing Champion
Photo courtesy Sylvan-Kelly

Two-time World Irish Dancing Champion and All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion Ronan Kelly has won the Irish National Irish Dancing Championship for Boys 11-12.

The 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships, hosted at CityWest in Dublin by An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha, is taking place this weekend.  In the Girls 11-12 and 12-13 events, two-time World Irish Dancing Champions Keeva Corry and Brogan McCay topped the podium as well.

Conor Stack, who placed second at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships to Kelly's first, followed suit in Dublin with his second placement.  Both Conor Macklin and Darragh McGranaghan, 3rd and 4th respectively, placed in the Top 10 in this year's World and All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships.

Gerard Byrne
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Boys 12-13
shown here in 2nd place at 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships
Photo courtesy John Whitehurst

2011 World Irish Dancing Champion and 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion Gerard Byrne won the Boys 12-13 Irish National Irish Dancing Championship.  After winning the 2012 All Ireland title, Byrne placed second at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships after Carey's John Whitehurst reclaimed that title.  Also in the Irish Nationals Top 5 were Matthew Gardiner and Cian Walsh; each placed in the Top 5 at the 2012 World and All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships.

Two competitors in the Boys 12-13 Top 5 dance with Kiely-Walsh in the Munster Region of Ireland.

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Top 5 results (full results available at FeisResults) are as follows:

Boys 11-12
Champion Ronan Kelly from Sylvan Kelly in Connaught Region
2-Conor Stack from Fleming Ball in Munster Region
3-Conor Macklin from Brennan Miskelly McCormick in Munster Region
4-Darragh McGranaghan from Smith McCarron in Ulster Region
5-Eoghan Boyce from McConomy in Ulster Region

Boys 12-13

Champion Gerard Byrne from McNelis Cunningham in Ulster Region
2-Matthew Gardiner from Hession in Connaught Region
3-Aaron O'Flynn from Kiely-Walsh in Munster Region
4-Cian Walsh from Kiely-Walsh in Munster Region
5-Brendan Kerr from Doherty in Ulster Region

Congratulations to all who qualified and good luck to the rest of the weekend's competitors!



Stay tuned for more results from the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday and Monday right here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog.

Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Girls Solo Saturday Results

Top 5 Irish National Irish Dancing Championship Girls 16-17
Photo courtesy Sinead Maguire

The Irish National Irish Dancing Championships, hosted by An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha, continued on Saturday with three girls' solo competitions as well as boys' and team events.

Siobhan Phelan, 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Girls 9-10
with teachers Bernadette Flynn and Damien O'Kane, TCRG
Photo courtesy Flynn O'Kane Academy

Champion Siobhan Phelan is the first Irish National Irish Dancing Champion to come out of the Flynn O'Kane Academy of Irish Dancing, founded by Lord of the Dance phenomenons Bernadette Flynn and husband Damien O'Kane TCRG.  Aesha Coyle, the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion for Girls 9-10 placed second.  Emma Manion, who placed 4th at the 2012 All Irelands, placed 3rd in Dublin Saturday.

Girls 9-10
Champion Siobhan Phelan from Flynn O'Kane in Munster Region
2-Aeisha Coyle from McConomy Bradley in Ulster Region
3-Emma Mannion from Geraghty in Connaught Region
4-Rosie Kavanagh from Scoil Rince Ui Bhriain in Munster Region
5-Emily Keane from Geraghty in Connaught Region

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Champion for the Girls 10-11, Emma Casey, is also the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships.  Clodagh Davis, from Carson, placed 2nd at Worlds and 2nd at the Irish Nationals.  Leah Carter, who placed 4th at the Irish Nationals took 3rd place at the 2012 Worlds.

Girls 10-11
Champion Emma Casey from McConomy in Ulster Region
2-Clodagh Davis from Carson in Ulster Region
3-Nicole McConway from McConomy Bradley in Ulster Region
4-Leah Carter from Anthony Costello in Munster Region
5-Lara Ni Oisin from Scoil Rince Ui Bhriain from Munster Region

Girls 16-17 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Layla Healy placed second at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships after three-time consecutive World Champion Michaela Hinds.  Three of the Irish National Top 5 Girls 16-17 also placed in the Top 5 at the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships: Laura Casey 3rd, Etain Mulvenna 4th and Layla Healy 5th.

Girls 16-17
Champion Layla Healy from Fegan in Leicester Region
2-Etain Mulvenna from Mulvenna in Ulster Region
3-Sinead Maguire from Doherty in Ulster Region
4-Megan Brady from Armstrong in Ulster Region
5-Laura Casey from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue in Leicester Region

Full results for these competitions as well as Friday's events may be seen at FeisResults.


Stay tuned for more results from the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday and Monday right here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog.


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

World Irish Dancing Champions Brogan McCay and Keeva Corry Clinch Irish National Titles

Keeva Corry
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Girls 11-12
Photo courtesy Camelia Rose

Keeva Corry, the two-time 2011 and 2012 World Irish Dancing Champion and 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion from Croghan-Greene in the Munster Region of Ireland has clinched the Irish National Irish Dancing Championship for Girls 11-12.

Brogan McCay
2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Girls 12-13
Photo courtesy McCay Family

The 2011 and 2012 World Irish Dancing Champion Brogan McCay, whose claims to fame include a starring role in Jig! The Film, is the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion for Girls 12-13.  McCay dances with McConomy Bradley in the Ulster Region of Ireland.

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Read more:

2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships early results

Brogan McCay from Jig! defends World Irish Dancing Championship title

Jig's John Whitehurst reclaims World Irish Dancing Championship

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Top 5 Results (view full results at FeisResults) for Girls 11-12 and 12-13 are as follows:

Girls 11-12
Champion Keeva Corry from Croghan-Greene in Munster Region
2-Liadh McGrath from Sylvan Kelly in Connaught Region
3-Rachel Cummins from Linda Martyn in Connaught Region
4-Niamh Neale from Doherty in Ulster Region, Ireland
5-Sophie Mayse from McConomy in Ulster Region

Girls 12-13
Champion Brogan McCay from McConomy Bradley in Ulster Region
2-Roisin Naughton from Coleman in Connaught Region
3-Alannah Lynch from Ui She in Leicester Region
4-Laura Cotton from McNeilis Cunningham in Ulster Region
5-Olivia Gough from Doherty in Ulster Region

Congratulations to all those who qualified to compete and who placed today at the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships in Dublin, Ireland.



Stay tuned for more results from the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday and Monday right here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog.


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!





Saturday, May 19, 2012

Irish National Irish Dancing Championships 2012 Early Results

2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Girls under 7
Caoimhe Devlin from McConomy Bradley
Photo courtesy Shannon McLaughlin

An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha is hosting the 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships, Craobhacha Rince Naisiunta na h'Eireann, in Dublin this weekend. Thousands of competitive Irish dancers are competing over three days at CityWest.

Solo competitions for boy and girl Irish dancers from age 7 up to and over 20 years old are taking place in ballrooms there alongside team events which include girls' and ladies' ceili, mixed ceili and figure competitions.

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Read more:

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Recap of solo results at the CLRG World Irish Dancing Championships


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Early results are in!  Congratulations to 2012 Irish National Irish Dancing Champion for Girls under 7 Caoimhe Devlin from McConomy Bradley, Champion for Girls under 8 Erika Long from Croghan-Greene, Champion for Boys under 7 Andrew Stack from Staic and Champion for Boys under 8 Tiernan Fahy from McDonagh-Byrne.  These four young dancers represent the Ulster, Munster and Connaught Regions of Ireland.

Congratulations also to 2012 Irish National Ceili under 11 Champions from Mona Ni Rodaigh in the Ulster Region.

Top Five in the youngest age groups (full results available at Feis Results) are as follows:

Girls under 7
Champion Caoimhe Devlin from McConomy Bradley in the Ulster Region
2 - Sophie Duffy from Smith McCarron in the Ulster Region
3 - Lauryn Kane from Carson in the Ulster Region
4 - Tegan McConomy from McConomy in the Ulster Region
5 - Shannon McHugh from Duggan in the Connaught Region

Girls under 8
Champion Erika Long from Croghan-Greene in the Munster Region
2 - Eleanor Murray from Mona Ni Rodaigh in the Ulster Region
3 - Ella Ni Oisin from Scoil Rince Ui Bhrian in the Munster Region
4 - Emma Hynes from Croghan-Greene in the Munster Region
5 - Orlaith Murphy from Lorraine Duggan in the Munster Region

Boys under 7
Champion Andrew Stack from Staic in the Munster Region
2 - Gearold Fahy from McDonagh-Byrne in the Connaught Region
3 - Denis Kinsella from Callanan School in the Munster Region
4 - Colum Higgins from Tahany in the Connaught Region
5 - Ronan Hegarty from O'Connor in the Connaught Region

Boys under 8
Champion Tiernan Fahy from McDonagh-Byrne in the Connaught Region
2 - Ronan O'Brien from Scoil Ui Ruairc in the Munster Region
3 (Tie) - Cormac McKeogh from Louise Smith in the Ulster Region
3 (Tie) - Mark Clifford from Sheehan-Murphy in the Munster Region
5 - Cian Mulligan from Ursula Moore in the Ulster Region

Ceilí under 11 (Ceilí Fo-Mionuir)
Champion Team A from Mona Ni Rodaigh in the Ulster Region
2- Team B from Ni Chearra-O'Baolan-McMahon in the Ulster Region
3 - Team A from McDonagh-Byrne in the Connaught Region
4 - Team B from Ard Rialla O'Donoghue in the Ulster Region
5 - Team A from Coleman in the Connaught Region

Stay tuned for more results from the Irish National Irish Dancing Championships Sunday and Monday right here on Go Feis! The Irish Dance Blog.


Like us on Facebook, comment in the box below, Tweet this post to your friends or follow us here on Irish Central's Irish dance page!  Feis America LLC is the world's most respected media feed for Irish dance and has been selected by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America to provide live commentary and results at the 2012 North American National Irish Dancing Championships!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Wisconsin's Cashel Dennehy Irish Dancers Bring Home the Gold Again

2012 World Irish Dancing Champions
Ladies under 19 Ceili Team
courtesy Cashel-Dennehy School of Irish Dance


by Sarah Klopp, Feis America intern

Eight hard-working girls from Wisconsin have brought home their second world Irish dancing title for their school, the Cashel-Dennehy School of Irish Dance. They showed incredible teamwork and dedication when they won the Ladies Under 19 Ceili Team competition at the 2012 World Irish Dance Championships in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

“This team represented Cashel Dennehy at the World Championships so incredibly well and we are thrilled to once again bring home a world title to Wisconsin,” said teacher Laura Gottschlich, TCRG, who was in Belfast for the event. “All of our dancers showed amazing dedication and hard work and we couldn’t be more proud of every one of them.”

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The members of this two-time world champion team include Kate Abbott, Mackenzie Bryant, Jessica Gibson, Mary Beth Jablonowski, Kayla Jashinsky, Natalie Rondinelli, Lauren Sayles, and Gabrielle Caron-Schuler. These amazing girls earned a well-deserved congratulations from the Irish dance community.

Cashel-Dennehy also had other impressive placements. Its Under 16 Mixed Ceili Team received 3rd place and the Under 16 Girls Ceili Team received 20th. In the Girls Under 16 competition, Colette Harling placed well at 23rd, and in the Girls Under 13 competition, Abby Reynolds placed an amazing 47th. It takes a great deal of commitment and perspiration to get this far in Irish dance competition, and these Cashel-Dennehy dancers proved their hard work through their high placements.

Since 1982, Cashel Dennehy School of Irish Dance has offered lessons to boys and girls of all abilities, from ages 5 and up. The school has locations in Wauwatosa and Madison, Wisconsin. Teachers include Kathy Dennehy, ADCRG; Laura Gottschlich, DO, TCRG; Kate Habel, TCRG; Maura Heck, TCRG and Alyssa Harling, TCRG. For more information, visit here or find the school on Facebook.


Check back here for news, results, photos, interviews and more! Help us celebrate Irish dancing by sharing this story with your friends, like us on Facebook, Tweet the link or start a conversation with a comment in the message box below. THANK YOU!


Friday, May 11, 2012

Songs for the 12th – 13th May Irish dancing competitions – VIDEOS

by PATRICIA MCNAMARA
Heading to Massachusetts this weekend for the Cape Cod Feis or Toronto for the Mae and Paddy Butler Memorial Feis? How about Texas for the Emerald School Bluebonnet Feis or New York for the Sheahan-Gormley Orange County Feis? Ohio for the Queen City Feis? Or maybe you’re off to Kentucky for the Bluegrass Feis.

No matter your competitive destination this weekend, we want to share four tunes you should add to your own playlist before lacing up, taking the stage and honoring our favorite Feis Moms. Best of luck to all competitors. And be sure to come back here and share your results!  

“Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud” – Elliott Smith
Of course she’ll be proud of your dancing—regardless of your results!  

“Right Here” – Miley Cyrus
Your Feis Mom will always be right there, cheering you on.

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READ MORE:
Songs for the 5th - 6th May Irish Dancing Competitions - VIDEOS

Songs for the 28th - 29th April Irish Dancing Competitions - VIDEOS

Songs for the 21st - 22nd April Irish dancing competitions - VIDEOS
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“I Hope You Dance” – Lee Ann Womack
Play this while stretching…and remembering Mom is your biggest fan.  

“Best Day” – Taylor Swift
Blast this on the way home from the feis, thanking your mom for all her help.

Friday, May 4, 2012

Songs for the 5th – 6th May Irish dancing competitions – VIDEOS

by PATRICIA MCNAMARA
Heading to Atlanta this weekend for the Peach State Feis or Edison for the Shea-Jennings School Feis? Wisconsin for the Wisconsin Spring Feis or Connecticut for the Lynn Academy Spring Feis? Or maybe you’re traveling to Canada for the Victoria Feis or Forest City Feis.

No matter your competitive destination this weekend, we want to share four tunes you should add to your own playlist before lacing up and taking the stage. Best of luck to all competitors. And be sure to come back here and share your results!  

“You’ve Got the Love” – Florence + the Machine
Play this on the ride to competition while thinking about how much you love to dance.  
“Shine A Little Love” – Electric Light Orchestra
Not feeling the love just yet? You will after this upbeat song.  

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READ MORE:
Songs for the 28th - 29th April Irish Dancing Competitions - VIDEOS

Songs for the 21st - 22nd April Irish dancing competitions - VIDEOS

Songs for the 24th - 25th March Irish dancing competitions - VIDEOS
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“Say” – John Mayer
Take away frustrations from past competitions and play this while stretching.  
“Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites” – Srillex
Play this before going on stage to shoo those scary nerves away.