World titles galore for Bree dance school!
WHILE World Titles aren’t too easy to come by, Wexford Academy of Irish Dancing in Bree rounded off a successful year with no less than six World Titles recently following the 2018 World Open Championships at the INEC in Killarney. In addition to the six solo World Championship titles, the talented group also managed to bring back five team chapionship titles to Wexford, much to the pride of their family, friends and teacher Catriona Leacy.
Conor Long managed to capture the gents U21 belt, while his sister Amy managed to see off some strong competition to the Ladies U18. First cousins and brother and sister Erin and Cian Fortune brought home the Ladies U17 and Boys U11 titles making it an extremely proud weekend for the Long/Fortune families. This represented Erin’s second World Title having won the U15 title in 2016, while Emma Murphy from Poulpeasty kept her winning streak going in the wake of her Irish Open Championship U14 win by adding the coveted Ladies U14 title. Cian also captured the boys U11 Irish Open Championship.
At 11 years of age Ciara Byrne from Curroughnaboola, Bree, had already won four Irish Open titles and three World titles not to mention the many regional and major titles. Amazingly she claimed her fourth World title and fifth Irish Open title this year.
The Wexford Academy of Irish Dance has carved out a wonderful reputation over the years and they managed to fulfil their potential at the World Championships with the U13 team claiming the Mixed Ceili title and the Aosanach U16 team claiming the ladies Ceili title. In the Foirne competitions, the school won a total of three out of five competitions, performing their own choreographed pieces and winning top marks from all five adjudicators in each competition.
There was a definite flying of the Wexford flag as the U10, U13 and U16 teams danced to ‘A Trip to Puck Fair’, ‘Meandering by the River Slaney’ and ‘ The Treasure of County Wexford’.
They absolutely nailed their performances and choreographers and teachers Kay Keeley, Sinead Long and Catriona Leacy were over the moon.
In other competitions, the school cap- tured 15 placings in the solo competitions which included two second placings by Emily Slevin and Kasey Doyle while Cillian Dempsey, Aine Byrne and Ciara Mckelvie all captured third place Globes. Five more Ceili teams placed in what was an incredibly successful outing for the academy.