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Lenihan School of Irish Dance perform to a capacity crowd at the Fairfield County Irish Festival
John Burgeson ~CT Post.com
“One of the most well-attended shows was staged by the Lenihan School of Irish Dance”
FAIRFIELD —- For the last three days, Fairfield University effectively became “Irish University” as its athletic field served as a home for the 2012 Fairfield County Irish Festival.
More than 25,000 people visited the event over the three days, with nearly 10,000 streaming through the gates on Sunday. Dublin is about 3,000 miles away, but you’d never know it with Irish acts taking place in four tents, and about a dozen vendors selling goods from the old country.
“We had a huge turnout, thanks in part to the weather,” said Maura O’Donnell, of Bridgeport, festival chairwoman. “Even though most of the attractions are in the tents, it’s very weather-dependent.”
For many families in the region, the festival has become a Father’s Day weekend custom, she said. “A lot of those here today began coming when they were kids,” O’Donnell said. “Now, they’re here with their own children.”
Brad Baldwin, of Bridgeport, hasn’t missed a single one.
“I was on the committee for 10 of those years,” he said. “There’s always a band here that I can enjoy.”
He was there with his wife, Jude, and his daughter, Sarah, 19.
“I like the people. You get to see people who you haven’t seen in awhile,” Sarah Baldwin said.
One of the most well-attended shows was staged by the Lenihan School of Irish Dance, which featured about 50 girls showcasing the demanding art of the Irish step dance. One of the performers, Grace Kiley, 17, of Hamden, is ranked 18th in the world. She said that she has been dancing since she was 4. The 2012 competition took place in Belfast.
“I’m more of a soft-shoe dancer,” she said.
“She’s a gorgeous soft-shoe dancer,” said her mentor and school founder, Patricia Lenihan, who said there are two types of shoes employed, hard and soft. The hard shoes are more difficult to master, but enables the audience to hear the steps.
One thing the audience might notice is the lack of childhood obesity among the dancers.
“Irish dancing is a lot more athletic than it used to be,” Lenihan said. “It’s not easy. The heel can’t touch the floor, unless the step calls for it.”
Once strictly an activity for Irish girls, today competitors are from around the world. The world championships take place all over, too; in 2013, the world finals will take place in Boston.
The Fairfield County Irish Festival has been staged in its present form since 1988; in those days, the venue was Roger Ludlowe High School. As with the Irish seafarers and tinkerers of old, the festival wandered about from one year to the next after Fairfield began work on its new high school in 2001; other locations were Jennings Beach, Seaside Park and Indian Ledge Park. As organizers are quick to point out, the festival is in its 25th year, although this is the 24th such event. A venue couldn’t be found in 2009, effectively canceling it that year.
It’s at Fairfield University where the “Fies” finally came into its own, thanks to a playing field that could host regulation Gaelic football tournaments. “Peil Ghaelach,” as it’s also called, appears to the uninitiated as an amalgam of American tackle football, rugby and soccer.
The ball looks like a soccer ball, but it has a good deal more heft.
“The soccer ball is a balloon by comparison,” said Tommy Moran, coach of the St. Patrick’s Football Club of Fairfield. “It’s a much nicer ball to kick — the soccer ball has gone too light in my humble opinion.”
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BELFAST BOUND
Lenihan Dancers Ready to Rock the Worlds!
Often referred to as the Olympics of Irish Dance “The Worlds” is the ultimate experience for any Irish Dancer. A massive event spanning nine days (3/31 -4/8) with over 5,000 competitors ranging from ages 8-22+, who travel from all over the globe to dance and win the title of the world’s best.
This year the Lenihan School is proud to have six dancers competing in The World Championship of Irish Dance. As pictured above ~ Erin Collins, Erin Kiley, Mary Kate Firsin, Emily Lynch, Grace Kiley and Jamie Rush will all be departing later this week for Belfast Ireland, for their opportunity to dance with the “Best of the Best” ~ an honor they earned by qualifying at the New England Oireachtas last November. With these dancers we send along our well wishes for a safe and very successful trip!
Good Luck to Our 2012 World’s Girls!
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Lenihan School of Irish Dance featured on New Haven Channel 8′s CT Style
Lenihan School of Irish Dance kick up their heels on Channel 8′s CT Style!
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What a Great 2011 Oireachtas!!
Congratulations on a fabulous Oireachtas weekend. We are so proud of each and every one of you. Lenihan School of Irish Dance had brilliant results! We had dancers in solo championships, traditional sets and teams. In those categories we had 37 win in the top 20 places.Of those, 32 were top 15, 22 top 10, 12 top 5… which included two 4ths, two 3rds, four 2nds and three 1st place winners.
FANTASTIC !!!!!
We also had 6 of our dancers qualify for the World Irish Dance Championships in Belfast! Erin Collins, Erin Kiley, Grace Kiley, Mary Kate Firisin, Jamie Rush and Emily Lynch.
IRELAND HERE WE COME !
