Swapping the pitch for the dancefloor

THIS FRIDAY is a big night for the Sligo Ladies Gaelic Football Association. They are very excited to reveal their largescale 2018 fundraiser Strictly Come Dancing. It takes place in the Clayton Hotel and all 19 clubs in the county were invited to take part and nominated a dancer each. These dancers were then paired off geographically. As there is an odd number of clubs, one club formed a dance troop. There is a financial benefit for the clubs involved as all money raised is divided up with half of what a couple raise going to the county and the other half going to the two respective clubs.

Couples have been carefully selected and are currently in training under the experienced eye of Stacey Carty, choreographer. Weeks of rigorous training, planning and organising will culminate on the evening when the show begins with the dancers performing a group dance, followed by each couple performing their own individual dance. The dances being performed range from the Quickstep, to the Jive, to the Cha Cha Cha and a whole lot more.

St Farnans Troop

Joanne McAndrew: Joanne is a mother of four, U12 Coach and secretary of her club’s ladies section. The last time she danced in public was her epic Riverdance at her sister’s wedding so she is really looking forward to this occasion.

Jackie Donlon: Jackie is also a mother to four children and has never taken on a challenge like this before but is really looking forward to doing their group dance.

Mary Scott: Mary is a mother of three, U8 Coach and works as a Home Support Worker. It’s a long time since she danced and she’s really looking forward to the novelty of it.

Leah Kelly: Leah is more used to playing Gaelic or soccer than dancing but is up for a challenge. She won a Lip Sync Competition last year so maybe that might help her with this performance. She is one of the younger competitors at just nineteen years.

Cassandra McCloat: Also nineteen years old and a first year student of Medicine in Trinity College Dublin. Cassandra is a past pupil of Mercy College Sligo and is always up for something new and fun so this could be the stress reliever she needs from her studies.

Eileen Leonard (Drumcliffe) and Michael Duffy

Eileen lives in Carney and has been involved with Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point GAA for many years. She has helped out with several fundraising events and feels Strictly will be a good event to raise funds, while at the same time providing entertainment. Michael is a late entry into strictly but is no stranger to dancing and has in the past partnered Eileen in set dancing, Micheal is married to Emma and has 3 young kids always willing to support the Ladies

Mairead Gonley ( Calry) and Seamus Casey (St.John’s)

Mairead is a Primary School teacher in Manorhamilton Gaelscoil and Co-Manager of the local girls’ U14 team. She is delighted and honoured to be helping SLGFA with this great fundraising idea.

Seamus is the Chairperson of St. John’s GAA and a father of three young children. He reckons the last time he danced was to The Saw Doctors down at Féile back in ‘92. He is totally out of his comfort zone when it comes to dancing but is really enjoying the experience and the craic

Myriam Halloran ( Coolera) and Francis Fidgeon (St. Mary’s)

Myriam is a 53-year-old mother of three grown up children. This summer she challenged herself to swim 100 consecutive swims after losing partial sight in one eye. With this achievement under her belt, Myriam began to look for another challenge and as she loves to dance, this competition suits her perfectly.

Francis is a father of three children whom he claims are mortified at his inclusion in Strictly! It’s thirty years now since he danced in an 8-Hand for Scór in Leitrim.

Sarah Curley (Eoghan Rua) andColm Óg O Donnell (Tourlestrane)

Sarah is a 22-year-old Supervisor in The Ocean Sands Hotel in Enniscrone. She is a current player and her honours include an All-Ireland medal and a League medal in college football.

Colm Óg is twenty three years old and has combined running the local pub for the past three years with working in a cafe. He is looking for a career change and hopes Strictly will inspire him. With his multi tasking ability, coupled with his dancing skill we are sure he will be discovered on stage!

Aoife Marren (Curry) and David Curran ( Cloonacool/Tubbercurry)

Aoife is from Montiagh in Curry and is twenty six years old. She is nearly as active as her toddler son, Noah, having recently won the Junior Championship and with her ability to throw a shape or two on the dance floor.

David is thirty nine years young, a father of two and a customer service manager in Basta. He is another dancer who is totally out of his comfort zone but also has the right attitude that it’s only a bit of fun.

Sabrina Kelly (St.Michael’s) andShane O’Hara (Eastern Harps)

Sabrina is mum to thirteen year old Shane and is back playing football herself after a seven year hiatus. Always up for a bit of craic, she couldn’t say no when this opportunity presented.

Shane is an electrician by trade and is totally out of his comfort zone with a dancing competition of this nature. However, he is really looking forward to what lies ahead over the next few weeks and we’re sure he will be electric!

Eilis O’Connor (Shamrock Gaels) and Tom Kane (St Nathys)

Eilis is one of our younger dancers, only 20 years of age. She is an Intellectual Disability Nursing Student and has been playing GAA all her life. Dancing in this competition provides for a novel change and Eilis is doing it for her fellow Shamrock Gaels ladies.

Tom Kane from St Nathys has been involved in Sligo ladies football from the very beginning. He has served as chairman and overseen fixtures for many years and he has also managed teams and all grades up to and including the senior team.

Tom loves dancing and has been known to be the first man on the dance floor and the last one off it at parties.

Brid Cotter (Ballisodare Lgfa) and Ted Maloney (St Pats)

Brid Cotter is representing Ballisodare Lgfa , married to Tony ,with two young children who enjoy playing gaelic football.

No stranger to fundraising locally, she is delighted to be involved with this Strictly event and hopes it will be a great success and an enjoyable nights entertainment.

Ted has been involved for many years coaching and development of ladies football and is a very good dancer and enjoys going to social dancing whenever possible Choreographer: Stacey Carty Stacey has been teaching dancing for many years, fifteen in total so far and has her own school- Fun Fit Dance/Yoga. She has huge experience devising routines for stage and competitions and has an amazing way with people that endears them all to her. She says, “a smile is a dance move so if you can smile you can dance”. This was a relief for all the Strictly volunteers to hear but already Stacey has inspired them to add a little more to their routines! Stacey is mum to two little boys and despite a busy schedule, she had no reservation in joining our Strictly Team. We are lucky to have her on board.

You’ve met the dancers and the choreographer. The backroom team is the County Board Volunteers.

On Friday, come along to a brilliant night’s entertainment as the dancers showcase all their hard work in an attempt to win the final 2018 title of the Sligo LGFA season; winners of Strictly Come Dancing 2018. They need your vote. They need you there. See you there!

Strictly Come Dancing will start at 8pm on Friday and tickets are €10.

Keith Gilroy, chairman of Sligo LGFA praised everyone who has helped out so far in particular the dancers who organised an array of fundraisers in the run up to Friday’s event.

He said everyone is really looking forward to a brilliant night’s entertainment which is benefitting Sligo LGFA and he wished all the participants the very best of luck.