All ready for this years CLRG All Ireland Championships??

So, the countdown has begun, only a few more days before the dancing kicks off in Kilarney for this years Oireachtas Rince Na hEireann! So is everyone ready? everyone got their new solo costumes? steps perfected? fitness levels at their peak????

So much preparation goes into getting ready for a competition like this, isn't it madness that you prepare for a whole year or even lifetime to reach the level when you can compete at this level and in the end you only have about five minutes on stage to prove that you are worthy of a recall, a medal or even to become an All Ireland champion! I think it is really important for every dancer to really cherish the time when they are preparing for a competition like this. It is great to think that you can someday be an All Irelandchampion , medalist or even have the honour of dancing in this historical competition but I think the most important part is the whole process in getting there. After all, its not the destination but the journey there that really counts.



If you are nervous about the upcoming competition try to remember how you have gotten to this stage in the first place. Go back to your first dance class when you met your teacher for the first time, heard the music and learned your first steps. Think about all the amazing friends you have met up to now through dance and the lifelong bond you have built with your fellow class mates through tough workshops & classes. Think of all the friends you haven't even met yet! Imagine the amount of blisters, broken bones, tears and pulled muscles you have gone through but also the smiles, the laughs and the amount of times you have felt that feeling of accomplishment after mastering a step or while holding your well earned medals or trophies!! You have come a long, long way since learning your lead and sidestep of the beginners reel!

I want all dancers to have the time of their lives at the All Irelands, think about only the good times and all your accomplishments so far and dance your heart out on stage in celebration of everything you love about Irish dancing! If you dance with this in mind I am positive you will give your best performance and will be able to add this event to one of your many, many happy memories in Irish dance!! And remember, if it all goes wrong or you don't get that recall it is not the end of the world! You are only as good as your NEXT competition! Whats most important is that you were there and enjoyed every minute of it!


Best of luck to everyone in Kilarney, I will there for the whole week with my own dancers so if you see me don't be afraid to come up and say hello!

Don't forget to keep everyone on Diddlyi updated with stories, pictures and videos from the championships. I am sure there will be plenty of dancers who will not be going to Kilarney but will be sitting at home dreaming of the day when they will dance there too and I am sure they would like to see lots of updates on Diddlyi!!



Good luck and Fly High everyone!!