All roads lead to Ovens for Scór na nÓg Munster finals
FOUR Kerry clubs take to the stage in six out of the seven disciplines - Figure Dancing, Recitation, Ballad Group, Leiriu (Novelty Act), Instrumental Music, and Set Dancing - at the Munster Finals of Scor na nOg, which take place next Sunday at the Ovens Community Centre, Cork commencing at 2pm.
Certainly the standard of competition at this stage is top class as one would expect with the winners just one step away from competing in an All-Ireland Final where clubs from Cork, Tipperary, Limerick, Clare and Waterford will no doubt provide tough opposition. However, after impressing in their run up to this stage Kerry competitors will have worked hard since their tremendous Munster semi-final appearance and will be well up for the challenge that lies ahead.
Both the East Kerry Board and Tralee/St. Brendans District Board will be doubly engaged on the day. Spa will feature in Figure and Set Dancing; in fact the Spa Set Dancers are the 2016/17 Munster and All-Ireland champions and on this occasion will be defending their Munster crown.
Tralee club Na Gaeil, representing their District Board will be involved in the Leiriu while Dearbhla Quirke will perform in the Recitation catagory. The remainder of Kerry programme will come from; Glenflesk in Ballad group and Kilcummin will fly the Club colours in Instrumental Music.
The following will represent the Kingdom with the winners on the day going forward in this order to the All Ireland Scor na nOg Finals which this year will be held in the Knockrea Arena, Sligo IT on Saturday, February 17.
Figure Dancing - Spa, East Kerry Board: Alice O’Donoghue, Orlaith Spillane, Aislinn O’Donovan, Leah Murphy, Ailbhe Gallagher, Erin Holland, Kate Lawlor, Laura O’Carroll.
Recitation - Dearbhla Quirke (Na Gaeil, Tralee/St. Brendans Board)
Ballad Group Glenflesk, East Kerry Board: Aileen Healy, Eabha Healy, Caitlyn Cronin, Sinead Gleeson, Sarah Moran.
Leiriu - Na Gaeil, Tralee/St. Brendans Board: Barry Sugrue, Dearbhala Quirke, Joshua, Roche, Liam Og Kingston, Emily Crowe, Isobel Crowe, Aine O’Sullivan, Aoife O’Sullivan.
Instrumental Music - Kilcummin, East Kerry Board: Clare Stag, Bebhinn, Brosnan, Ailbhe Brosnan, Olwyn Evans, Ewan Evans, Kirill Healy.
Set Dancing - Spa, East Kerry Board: Erin Holland, Meghann Cronin, Siona Moynihan, Orlaith, Spillane, Liam Spillane, Gary O’Sullivan, Cian O’Sullivan, Eoghan Mulvaney.
The County Finals of Scor na nOg Chiarrai in the Quiz category will take place in the Austin Stack Park, Pavilion on Thursday, January 4 with a starting time of 6pm.
The format for the Quiz in Scor has changed. It now consists of a one night County Table Quiz. All clubs will come together on the evening of the County Finals where the outright winners will then go forward to the All Ireland Finals on Saturday February 17 in the Pegasus Ballroom, Clayton Hotel, Sligo with a 11am starting time where all 32 counties will battle it out as to who will be crowned Quiz Scor na nOg All Ireland champions for 2018.