‘Best Choreography’ in All-Ireland for Coláiste Fionnchua TYs
This year, we entrusted the well-known and well-loved musical ‘Mamma Mia’ to our talented TY group, with the hopes of shortening the story line into a 20-minute spectacle for the annual Briery Gap AllIreland Light Entertainment competition. Our students certainly rose to the challenge.
With a frontline of wonderful vocalists and actors, they made the show their very own and revelled in doing so. Our 2023 Fame winner, Sophie O’Shea, played the role of Donna and took on the part with gusto and enthusiasm. Her daughter, Sophie, was played by Tara Fitzgerald who also captured the spirit of her character with passion and aplomb. However, the strength
of the production lay in the supporting characters, Jayden Lynch, Martha McDonald, Sean Walsh, Jacqui Fitzgerald and Liam Morrissey to name but a few and our fabulous chorus who worked tirelessly on their singing and dancing skills over the last 5 months.
Such was the strength of their performance, that our TY students were awarded ‘Best Choreography’ in the All-Ireland final and received high praise from the adjudicators on their teamwork and energy as a group. We were unlucky to not place in the final itself but again, the competition was of an exceptionally high standard this year and we were all still so proud of how the students performed and presented themselves both on the Cork Opera House stage and off.
Well done to all involved and a huge thank you to our director, Ms Enda McCafferty, musical director, Ms Aoife O’Neill and, now award-winning, choreographer, Ms Rachel Browne. A huge success for Coláiste!
BAND 1ST BRIGADE, CORK VISIT COLÁISTE FIONNCHUA
On Thursday, April 18th our staff and students were treated to a wonderful concert performed by the men and women of the Cork Army Band. Led by conductor Noel Galvin, students and staff were introduced to a variety of genres, instruments and styles. This was done through the most beautifully orchestrated programme of music, including musical theatre favourites such as Chess, The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables and Jekyll and Hyde, modern tunes Uptown Funk and Green Green Grass and jazz, swing and blues standards from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.
This was a fantastic opportunity for our music students to see a variety of career pathways they might like to pursue and to witness the importance of the history and status of music in our Irish Defence Forces. It was also a wonderful experience for all our students to experience such an array of music which they might not otherwise be exposed to.
A huge thank you to Ms Aoife O’Neill for facilitating and organising the concert for the students – it was such a welcome 90 minutes of entertainment for the school.