Nathan Dale is All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion AGAIN

Nathan Dale successfully defended his title in Boys 14-15
pictured here at 2011 All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championships
photo courtesy The Mullane Healy Godley Academy

Nathan Dale from the Mullane Healy Godley Academy of Irish Dance topped the podium again at the 2012 All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championships in Dublin on Tuesday!  Dale and Carrick Reider, from the Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance, were the only North Americans among 25 competitors; both hail from the Middle America region.  Dale has consistently placed in the Top 5 at the World Irish Dancing Championships, and was 3rd and the highest placing North American competitor in 2008.

Michael Fleck (3rd from left) places 7th in Boys 15-16
at All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championships
photo courtesy Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance

Also from the Middle America region, Michael Fleck from Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance, placed 6th in Boys 15-16.  The only North American to place this year, Fleck consistently places at the World Irish Dancing Championships, and in 2009 was third place and the highest placing North American competitor.

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Read more:

North American Boys Place at All-Irelands Sunday

Middle America Regional Championship Results

Lavin-Cassidy Girls Ceili Team Wins All-Irelands

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Both Mullane Healy Godley and Richens/Timm are known for their competitive Irish dancing programs, with    many successful male Irish dance champions to their credit.  Gary Healy, ADCRG, one of a host of gifted teachers at Mullane Healy Godley, himself holds champion titles from the All-Scotland, British National, Great Britain and All-Ireland Irish Dancing Championships, and was the 2008 World Irish Dancing Champion for Senior Men.  John Godley, also a member of the Mullane Healy Godley teaching team, won the Middle America Regional, All-Ireland and World Irish Dancing Championships in 2010.

The Richens/Timm Academy, founded more than 35 years ago by the late Ann Richens, ADCRG, is the longest established Irish dance school in central Ohio and central Indiana, with a reputation founded in regional, national and international titles and placements.  Richens partnered with her prize pupil, John Timm, in 1993 after he captured the Senior Men's World Irish Dancing Championship.  Today, John Timm ADCRG and four certified teachers instruct competitive dancers of all levels and perform for thousands every year.

Mullane Healy Godley and Richens/Timm both teach Irish dancing for solo and team competition from beginner to adult.

Bookmark this page and check back here on Irish Central's Irish dance page for timely updates and news from Dublin all week long!

Southern Region Irish Dancing Championships adult team results - PHOTOS

Adult Mixed Ceili 4-Hand Team Champions Culkin Schooltop the podium at Southern Region Oireachtas
photo Alissah McGill for Feis America LLC

All over the world, adults enjoy the camaraderie and fun of Irish step dancing at Irish clubs, cultural centers and  festivals, and private celebrations such as weddings and family reunions. Non-competitive groups of adult Irish dancers form clubs in cities and on college campuses, and many perform in the communities where they live and work.  In North America, competitive adult Irish dancers are a highly-valued component of many Irish dancing school programs.  Adult teams set the standard, in some cases, for the younger ceili dancers and, in many cases, help teach.  As with married couples who have been dancing for years together, it follows that the best team dancers are those who have been performing together since a young age.

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READ MORE:

Getting Back in the Game

Adult-Friendly Irish Dancing Competitions in December

St. Mary's University Offers Irish Dance

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At the Southern Region Irish Dancing Championships, the team competitions took place on Saturday.  The three adult-level team events were a joy to behold, and the awards ceremony found everyone cheering for their favorites.

Full results may be found here.  Here are the Top 5 results for the adult ceili team competitions:

Adult Ladies Ceili 4-Hand - 10 teams registered
CHAMPION Walsh-Kelley A
2 - Culkin A
3 - Culkin B
4 - Aranmore A
5 - Rhythm of Ireland A

Adult Ladies 4-Hand Ceili Team Champions Walsh-Kelley
top the podium
at the Southern Region Irish Dancing Championships
photo Alissah McGill for Feis America LLC

Adult Mixed Ceili 4-Hand - 5 teams registered, 4 competed
CHAMPION Culkin A
2 - Aoibhneas an Rince A
3 - Walsh-Kelley A
4 - Muggivan A

Adult Ladies Ceili 8-Hand Team Champions Culkin School
top the podium at Southern Region Irish Dancing Championships
photo Alissah McGill for Feis America LLC

Adult Ladies Ceili 8-Hand - 3 teams registered
CHAMPION Culkin A
2 - Walsh-Kelley
3 - Rhythm of Ireland


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Eastern Canada Regional Irish Dancing Championship Perpetual Trophy Winners

Patrick J. "Paddy" Butler Memorial Trophy
Girls under 8

One of my favorite webpages about Irish dancing in North America is the Eastern Canada Region's history page! Every perpetual trophy from the Oireachtas is shown along with a list of each trophy's winners. As the Eastern Canada Regional Championships get underway on Friday, I thought this was a good time to share a few of my favorite trophies with the 2010 winners listed.

The Girls under 8 competition has two perpetual trophies associated with it. This stunning piece of crystal, pictured left, is in memory of Patrick J. "Paddy" Butler, TMRF. Paddy and his wife, Mae, arrived in Toronto in 1953 with their three children and went on to have a tremendous influence on Irish dancing and culture in Eastern Canada and North America. In 2010, the Patrick J. "Paddy" Butler Memorial Trophy was awarded to Jaylene Kehoe from the McGinley Academy of Irish Dance in Toronto.

Girls under 10
Donated by the Plummer School of Irish Dancing
Parents Association

The Girls under 10 perpetual trophy was donated by the Plummer Parents Association and was most recently awarded to Shauna Deery of Woodgate-Shamrock in 2010.

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READ MORE:

Retired Irish Dancer Offers Advice

Western Canada Regional Irish Dancing Championship Top 5 Results

Breaking in New Hard Shoes for Irish Dancers

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Ladies under 19 Perpetual Trophy
Donated by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of Canada

Ashley Davidson of Butler-Fearon-O'Connor was the recipient of this handsome trophy in 2010, which was donated by the Irish Dance Teachers Association of Canada for the Ladies under 19 event.

Good luck to all the dancers, teachers and families heading to Ottawa this weekend!  Stay tuned to Feis America on Irish Central for results and photos!

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