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  Dancing competitionsEntry to the provincial championships is strictly limited to dancers within the catchment area; for example only dancers from schools in the nine counties of Ulster are eligible to enter the Ulster championships. Only dancers who have entered the Dublin or Provinces Championships can enter the All-Ireland and World Championships. Competitors from outside Ireland must have entered equivalent competitions in their own countries such as the All-England, All-Amercia and All-Scotland Championships. The competitions are conducted bilingually, in Irish and English.There are All-Ireland and World Champion titles for each competition category, a male winner for Under 11, a female winner for Under 10 and so on. Most of the All-Ireland and World Champion titles are for solo dancers but there are group awards for set dancing and céilí dancing for groups. The number of adjudicators varies from one for local feiseanna and competitions to seven for the World Championships. This number is divided between members from home and abroad. Most adjudicators are at least thirty before they can sit for the examination to become adjucators. Competitions in the local feiseanna range from Under 5 for beginners to over 21 for adults. Competitions for girls in the All-Ireland and World Championships begin at Under 10 and move upwards by a year per grade to Over 21. Boys competing in the All-Ireland begin at Under 11 and move upwards by two years as there are less boys competing. To reach this level a dancer must practise two to three hours per day and attend up to five classes per week. In the solo competitions a dancer can choose a reel, jig, slip jig or hornpipe. In the local feiseanna the prizes are small trophies and medals. The All-Ireland and World Champions win a gold medal and perpetual trophy on which their name is engraved. Michael Flatley and Jean Butler, who performed in the original Riverdance show, are two of the best known World Champion dancers. In March 1951, a group of musicians which included the master piper, Leo Rowsome and Willie Reynolds, met to discuss holding a Festival of traditional music and dance in Mullingar, County Westmeath. This meeting led to the first Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann being held in Mullingar in June 1951. It attracted only a few hundred patrons - a small but enthusiastic crowd. Eventually Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann was to emerge from this event. Within five years this annual gathering had grown to a national festival attended by thousands of traditional musicians, singers and dancers from all parts of Ireland and from overseas. The Fleadh Cheoil developed as a mainly competitive event, but with concerts, Irish dancing, parades and street sessions of Irish music.
> > > Read the final part of this article Illustrated by Anne Farrall |
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