Tucson Dancers at Oireachtas
This weekend a number of Tucson’s Irish step dancers competed at the Western Region Oireachtas in Portland, Oregon. This championship level competition is the precursor to the North American and World Championships. Riley Lopez, Maguire Academy of Irish Dance, placed 2nd in Boys Under 9. Caitlin Meaney, McElligott-Gallagher School, placed 4th in Girls Under 18. Kyren Lynch, Maguire Academy placed 5th in Boys Under 15. Patrick Lopez, Maguire Academy, placed 9th in Boys Under 11. Amanda Harrington, Maguire Academy, placed 10th in Girls Under 20. (Every school has its own, proprietary choreography for step dances. Maguire Academy is Tucson’s newest Irish dance school, so it is amazing that these children could do so well with steps they had only learned since August!) Julia Martin, Tir Conaill Academy of Irish Dance, placed 18th in Girls Under 13. Alexis Plevel, Maguire Academy, placed 31st in Girls Under 12. Anna Louise Martin, Tir Conaill Academy, placed 33rd in Girls Under 11. Congratulations to all the dancers and their teachers, Darren Maguire, Glynis Gawn, Michael Pat Gallagher, Chris McGrory, and Rosemary Browne.
