Producer:
Mary O'Regan
Musical Director: Sheila Cagney
Set Dancing: Pat O'Dea
Figure Dancing: Orla Ni Bhriain
Plearacha
na nOg is an annual Comhaltas competition confined to performers under
eighteen years of age. T'he aim of the competition is to provide activity for
as wide as possible a range of branch members anti to encourage initiative in
the presentation of Irish traditional music, song and dance. The presentation
lasts for thirty-five minutes and it includes a mix of music (solo &
group), singing, (Gaeilge & English), figure dancing, set dancing, solo
dancing, storytelling & recitation.
The
C.A.H. Branch is made up of children, not only from the above branches but
also from Banogue, Bruff, Boher, Croom, Cloverfield, Feenagh. Granagh,
Hospital and Knockea.
The
Plearacha competition is a big undertaking for any Branch because it means
extra practices have to be fitted in. between the usual music classes and
rehearsals for the County Fleadh Cheoil. This entailed extra pressure on the
music teacher as well as the. students. who have to fit in studies and maybe
exams.
C.A.H
first entered Plearacha in 1993, with a great show, ably produced by Mary
Liston, Banogue. They brought home second place that year.
The
Branch decided to give it another try in 1999.
Mary
O'Regan, Granagh. produced the show with a cast of sixty-two children no less.
The
first competition was the Munster Final in Templeglantine on 9th May. with
Kerry Clare and Limerick
competing.
C.A.H.
were the outright winners, with Clare second. both going through to tile next
round.
To
see a photo of the group click here
Of
course. a lot of adjustments and fine tuning had to be done before the All-lreland.
This was done over
the following three weeks and the end result was presented in Danlann and
Clair, Ennis on 29th June. Everyone
played his or her part excellently, with the result that we achieved 1st place
in the All lreland.
The
music teacher Sheila (Cagney) Fitzgibbon put in an enormous amount of work and
was responsible for all
the
musical arrangements. As a result we were placed first in the music section on
both occasions.
We
also had fabulous help from Pat O'Dea. He and "The Teach" set
dancers were a number one hit
Both
Pat and Orla Ni Bhriain was responsible for the lovely dance routines, which
their dancers showed
off to perfection.
Finally,
the most important people in the show were the children, without them it would
not have happened.
As
a matter of interest. the instruments in the group consist of 16 Fiddles. 4
Banjos, 6 Piano Accordians, 5 Concertinas, 6 Flutes, 2 Button, Accordians, 2
Bodhrans and one set of Uileann pipes'.
With
their combined talents in musicianship, singing. Dancing, speech
and drama, it is a fitting tribute tothem to have won an All-Ireland.
The
children may not realise it now, but they are a very important link in the
chain and will ill he responsiblefor carrying forward our Irish traditions
into the next Millennium
Adjuciation
Music:
35 marks out of a
total of 40
Singing
17 marks out or a total of 20
Dancing
18 marks out of a total of 20
Production
18 marks out of a total of 20
