Carrick-on-Suir's World Champion Irish dancer to perform at Clancy Festival's opening concert

A performance by Carrick-on-Suir’s World Champion Irish dancer Aoibhe Twomey will be the star attraction at the opening concert of the town’s Clancy Brother’s Music & Arts Festival next week.

The 17-year-old student from Castle Court, Carrick won the U17 World Championship Irish dancing title in Montreal, Canada last month and she is looking forward to performing at the Clancy Festival’s grand opening night at Brewery Lane Theatre next Wednesday, May 31.

“It’s lovely to be invited to dance in front of the people of the town, who have all supported me throughout the years. A lot of people haven’t seen me dance because I haven’t really danced much locally so it will be nice.”

This won’t be Aoibhe’s first performance in her hometown since winning the World Championship. She danced before an audience of family and friends at a celebration in the Carraig Hotel on April 30 to mark her great achievement. The World Globe trophy she won at the World Championships was proudly on display at the party.

Aoibhe, who is daughter of Barry and Marie Twomey, began Irish dancing at the age of five with the Michelle Higgins Academy in Carrick-on-Suir. She now dances with the Flynn O’Kane Dance Academy in Nenagh run by Bernadette Flynn and Damien O’Kane of Lord of the Dance fame.

The Scoil Mhuire Secondary School 5th year student travels to Nenagh three to four times a week for classes that last about two hours and also practices at home on days she has no classes.

Brewery Lane Drama Group actor and director Tom Nealon will officially open the Clancy Brothers Festival at the concert.

The show will also feature a strong line up of local singers and musicians including Maria O’Shea Enright, Gay Brazel, Lorraine Ní Murchú, Caoimhe Maher, Phila Grace, Anthony Dignam, Jane McLaughlin, Marie Walsh, Kate De Barra and Kevin Power.
Brewery Lane Theatre will be the venue for folk singer Emer Dunne’s Clancy Festival concert the following night, Thursday, June 1.

She will be accompanied by guitarist Eamonn Moran and Dr Robert Harvey on flute and whistle.

The same night, folk singers will vie for the top prize in the Festival's Eoghan Power Ballad Singing Contest in the Old Mill Pub on New Street while over in the Strand Theatre, Carrick Musical Society members will stage a Carrick Musical Society Goes Folk concert.

The thespians of Brewery Lane Drama Group will also be doing their bit for the Clancy Brothers Festival by staging JM Synge’s play The Tinker’s Wedding in the theatre at 1pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, June 2,3 and 4.

The play is directed by Barry Comerford and the cast includes Kyle Walsh, Kate De Barra, Denis Barry, and Paula O’Dwyer.

Brewery Lane Theatre will also host the Clancy Family concert on Friday, June 2. It will feature performances from singers and musicians from the extended family of the Clancy Brothers.

To book tickets for Clancy Festival events at Brewery Lane Theatre log onto: www.ticketsource.eu/
brewery-lane-theatre or contact Brewery Lane Theatre at (086) 1274736.

Tickets for Strand Theatre concerts be booked online at: www.ticketsource.eu/strand theatre, also at the Clancy Festival Office at the Tudor Artisan Hub or by phoning (051) 640921.