The performing stars from our local Roscommon GAA clubs will take to the stage in the Dean Crowe on Sunday 11th December at 1pm with County titles at stake.
By Mary Grehan
Roscommon GAA has a very proud tradition of Scor na nOg and we have been successful on the National stage. Katie Heneghan St. Aidan’s is the current All-Ireland Champion in Recitation. Hoping to progress further in the competition this year will be the St Dominic’s Figure Dancers and Solo Singer Aoife McLoughlin from Kilbride. They represented Connacht in the All-Ireland Final last year. No stranger to the stage is St Dominic’s Patrick Mullooly. Patrick has competed in the last three county finals in Recitation and was the All-Ireland Champion in 2015.
After Preliminary Rounds four competitors were chosen in each of the seven categories and will compete for County titles this Sunday
It is great to see St Brigid’s back in a Scor final. Their young figure dancing team definitely have a great future ahead of them. Do not be deceived by their “cute” factor. Like all St Brigid’s GAA teams, they are in it, to win it!
Roscommon Gaels also make a welcome return to the Finals with their Instrumental Music group. It is interesting to note that Naoise Wynne is a daughter of well know musician John Wynne. Family ties are very strong in Scor. The three Green sisters (Eva,Gillian & Carol) join Naoise in their Instrumental group. The three Keane sisters (Sarah,Maria & Emily) from Elphin will compete against them for the county title. In fact neighbours, friends & family will compete against each other in some categories, where St. Dominics and Kilbride have more than one team in a category.
The Leiriu competition can be a favourite with audiences as clubs act out short sketches which usually are very funny & entertaining. There will be large support from Tulsk and Oran travelling to Athlone to support their young competitors.
The Set Dancing competition consisting of St Dominic’s, Elphin & Kilmore will batter the floors in the hope of taking the title.
St. Croans will be hopeful that their Figure Dancers & solo singer Emma Burke will put in a winning performance on the day. St Barry’s Ballad Group & Shannon Gaels’ Molly McCreevy (Recitation) will also be extremely competitive. Who will win? As Molly’s character would say “Och, I don’t know!” Ellen Ryan of St Faithleachs, daughter of former County football Tom Ryan, will have her say in the Recitation. Hopefully she is not too busy “looking after her teeth”!
This afternoon of drama, song & dance will provide great entertainment for the audiences, headaches for the adjudicators & nervous anxiety for the parents/mentors. But, for each and every competitor it will be either a day of huge joy or tremendous disappointments. Only one winner who will go forward to the Connacht Final in January. But for each and every child who competes, they will have gained invaluable experience and created magical memories with their clubs. Come along on the day and share these memories with them!
Tickets for the Roscommon GAA Scór Finals are available from the Dean Crowe Theatre Box Office and from their website.
