Shamrocks deliver on the big stage
April 30, 2011Shamrocks deliver on the big stage
The 2010 All-Ireland Scor Sinsear finals in the INEC in Killarney on April 24 produced yet another winning Westmeath act with Mullingar Shamrocks becoming the first club from the county to triumph in the Novelty Act discipline.
All-Ireland success in this discipline had proven elusive before last year, despite the best efforts of talented acts from St. Malachy's, their sister club Castletown-Geoghegan and Cullion. But Mullingar Shamrocks were not to be denied and their place in the annals of Westmeath Scor is now forever assured.
Shamrocks' historic victory gave Westmeath its 12th All-Ireland title in Scor Sinsear and means the Lake County has won in every discipline with the exception of figure dancing. The winning group of Paul Doolin, Joe Earley, Aaron Purcell, Robert Ryan, Mary Irwin, Jemma McNamee and Mary Hughes gave as good a performance as has ever been seen in the discipline with the decision of the adjudicators being loudly applauded by the large Westmeath contingent who made the long journey to the Co. Kerry town. For Mary Hughes, it was her second All-Ireland victory, having also won in the recitation discipline three years ago.
The Bunbrosna set dancers also made it all the way to Killarney and hopes were high that their feat of 10 years earlier when they triumphed in Belfast could be replicated. But it wasn't to be as 2009 champions Abbeyknockmoy from Galway retained their title.
Mullingar Shamrocks and Bunbrosna had earlier dominated the county Scor finals in The Downs GAA Centre, claiming six of the eight titles between them. It was an especially good night for Shamrocks who picked up half of the titles on offer.
The packed audience was treated to a superb night's entertainment of song, dance, music and storytelling. And at the end of it all, there were very few patrons who didn't agree with the decisions of the panel of adjudicators, who were drawn from counties Cavan, Leitrim, Armagh and Galway.
As ever, the first discipline of the night was Figure Dancing, which saw Mullingar Shamrocks reclaim the title from Ballymore. The Springfield-based club has dominated this discipline for many years and after being relieved of their crown in 2009, they were more determined than ever to succeed. Represented by Aileen Martin, Sile Marie Martin, Kim Darby, Sarah Murphy, Geraldine Cornally, Katie Murphy, Mary Jo Geraghty and Una Fagan, they not only defeated Ballymore but strong groups from The Downs and St. Mary's, Rochfortbridge as well.
There was further joy for Shamrocks in the Solo Singing competition when 2007 All-Ireland Scor na nOg champion Katie McCarthy won her first senior title. A sister of top handballer Robbie McCarthy, Katie's success was all the more noteworthy given that it came at the expense of 2008 All-Ireland winner Jenny McNamee from The Downs and 2009 county and Leinster champion Padraic Keena from Ballymore. The other competitor was Ballycomoyle's Siobhan Murphy, who also performed strongly in what was her first county senior final in this discipline.
In the Instrumental Music competition, Bunbrosna hit the right notes to dethrone Ballymore. While Westmeath Scor officials will be concerned that only two acts took part in this discipline, it shouldn't take away from the performance of the Bunbrosna group which comprised Niell Quinn, Emma McCormack, Lorraine Glynn and sisters Leona McKenna and Sharon Morgan.
The shock of the night was undoubtedly Hugo Slevin's victory over reigning All-Ireland champion Peter Dolan from Moate All-Whites in the Recitation discipline. St. Joseph's clubman Hugo gave a breathtaking performance of a piece from the John B Keane play 'The Field' to reclaim the title he last held in 2008. Also taking part were Catherine Daly from Ballycomoyle and Ballinagore's Pius Kirby, who both contributed enormously to the competition.
Ballycomoyle made it two-in-a-row in the Ballad Group, proving that their maiden success in 2009 was no fluke. They were first on stage, followed by St. Joseph's, Ballymore and a Moate All-Whites group that has won every honour in Scor. The tension was unbearable before the result was finally announced by local man and Fear an Ti Peter Shanley. So when Ballycomoyle were announced as the winners, there was sheer delight for their group which consisted of Catherine Daly, Doreen Farrelly, Siobhan Murphy, Grainne Healy and Michael Fagan.
Mullingar Shamrocks were crowned Question Time champions once again, and in doing so, retained the Johnny Garvin Memorial Cup. Their quiz team, comprising Tom Hunt, Joe Nyland and Willie Geraghty, got the better of teams from Delvin and St. Mary's, Rochfortbridge.
Shamrocks captured their fourth title of the night when they triumphed over the previous year's county and Leinster champions Castletown-Geoghegan, 2008 county winners Ballycomoyle and The Downs in the Novelty Act. Of course, it wouldn't be the last piece of silverware this talented act would win in 2010.
The big talking point of the Set Dancing competition was Bunbrosna's dethroning of The Downs, who had been county and Leinster champions for the previous two years. Castletown-Geoghegan and Delvin also took part in what was a fiercely contested discipline.
The winning acts were back on stage in the Ballymore Community Centre one week later (March 7) for the Leinster semi-finals. It was a night of mixed fortunes for the host county with four of the eight acts - the Bunbrosna Instrumental Music group and Set Dancers, the Ballycomoyle Ballad Group and the Mullingar Shamrocks Novelty Act - making it through to the provincial final.
Hundreds of Westmeath Scor enthusiasts returned to Ballymore on March 28 for the Leinster finals. And it wasn't a bad evening for the Lake County as the Bunbrosna Set Dancers and the Shamrocks Novelty Act won Leinster titles as well as the right to represent the province in the All-Ireland finals.
And while there was bitter disappointment for Bun' on the biggest stage of all, the Shamrocks group ensured Westmeath didn't leave the Kingdom empty-handed by giving a magnificent performance. Another star performer from the Lake County on the night was Central Council delegate and former long-serving county board chairman Seamus O Faolain, who excelled in his role as Fear an Ti. Tweet
