Once again, Westmeath Scór followers who travelled in large numbers to the Kerry beauty spot of Killarney for the staging of the 2016 Scór Sinsear All-Ireland finals weren’t disappointed as all of the five acts from Westmeath gave a brilliant account of themselves and gave their large legion of followers plenty to cheer about.
Pride of place has to go to the Bunbrosna Set Dancers and St. Joseph’s Hugo Slevin in the Recitation discipline, who claimed All-Ireland titles from what can only be described as one of the best Scór finals in recent years. On Saturday evening last, 2nd of April, after this great event, it was just indescribable the look of joy, happiness and pride that was on the faces of those loyal Westmeath followers, who were so proud to be from the Lake County.
HUGO SLEVIN A CLASS ACT
Hugo Slevin, representing the St. Joseph’s Club and Westmeath in the recitation/storytelling discipline, was drawn last on the clár in this discipline. The first competitor to go on stage was from the Kilworth club in Cork, and he was followed by the competitor from the Saul Club in Down, followed by the next competitor from the St. Mary’s Club, Carrick-on-Shannon, in Leitrim. It was then the Westmeath man’s turn to face the crowd and the adjudicators. Hugo, over the years, has built up a sizeable amount of supporters, and all of them were anticipating how the St. Joseph’s man would perform, but once Hugo hit the stage, we all knew that this would be his day. Reciting a piece called ‘Mary Ann’, he had most of the crowd falling around the place with laughter, and when he was finished, he was loudly applauded by all of the large attendance and his opponents alike.
This was an unforgettable performance by the Horseleap man, and the majority of the crowd, along with the Lake County followers, were tipping Hugo to win his second Celtic Cross, his first having being in 2014 in the Léiriú discipline. And they were proven to be right, as Fear an Tí, Kerry born Padraig Ó Sé, announced that the winner was Hugo Slevin from Westmeath. There were unbelievable scenes of joy and celebrations after the announcement as Hugo and achieved his dream.
SCÓR IS HUGO’S LIFE
For most Scór competitors, competing is their contribution to Scór and we all appreciate this, as without competitors, we would have no Scór. Not so with Hugo Slevin, he puts so much work in to organising Scór in his own club, both in Scór na nÓg and Scór Sinsear and also at county level. One can rely on Hugo, let it be in the role of Fear an Tí or adjudicating or whatever, Hugo is always there to help. Hugo you are a gem. Congratulations, you deserve it.
BUNBROSNA WIN SECOND ALL-IRELAND TITLE
Back in 2000 in the Ulster Hall in Belfast, Fear an Tí that night, Sean Kelly famously said, “Where is Bunbrosna?” Since that unforgettable night, both Sean and Bunbrosna have reached new heights, Bunbrosna winning their first All-Ireland on that night and Sean later becoming President of the GAA, and is now a member of the European Parliament.
That’s now history, and last Saturday in the INEC Killarney, there was a new beginning for this great club as they once again competed for top honours. Reaching this All-Ireland final was no easy task for the boys and girls from Bun’ as first of all they had to win in Westmeath, which is a big ask when you have to compete against such well-known and respected clubs as The Downs. This they did and won the Westmeath county title. They then went on to qualify for the provincial final, which they duly won in flying colours.
Last Saturday, Bunbrosna, like St. Joseph’s, were also drawn last on the clár and had the honour of being the last act to go on stage for 2016. This didn’t seem to bother the very talented bunch of dancers, Veronica Moran, Sandra McGurran, Orla Connaughton, Susan Lambden, Kenny Murphy, Robbie Wilson, Christopher McCormack and Seamus Moran. Performing two parts of the ‘Claddagh Set’, they were magnificent, and for the Westmeath supporters who were in Belfast in 2000, this performance brought it all back to them and gave them the belief that another All-Ireland could be on its way to this very proud club.
When the Bunbrosna group finished their dance and left the stage, we had to reflect on their opposition, which came from some very well-known clubs, for their participation in this wonderful discipline, such as Boherbue, Cork, Emyvale, Monaghan and Abbeyknockmoy in Galway.
We just had to wait and see what the adjudicator would do, and eventually he announced, to all the Westmeath people’s delight, that Bunbrosna were All-Ireland champions. What an achievement for Bunbrosna and their followers, and all of the Westmeath Scór followers. What a way to finish this fantastic event!
Bunbrosna last Saturday in Killarney made their own piece of Scór history as they are the only club from the province of Leinster to win two All-Ireland titles. This is one discipline that the province of Leinster has very little success in, with only three All-Ireland titles coming to the province, with Airell from Co. Laois in 1986 and Bunbrosna in 2000 and now in 2016 the winners. Bunbrosna, congratulations and well done, we are all so proud of you.
Three of the 2016 Bunbrosna winning group were on the 2000 winning group, sisters Sandra McGurran (née Eades), Susan Lambden (née Eades) and Kenny Murphy. The other members of the 2000 group were Deirdre McCabe, Martin McCabe, Antoinette Connell, Colin Burke and Owen Clarke, while the late Bert McCabe was their musical accompanist.
GREAT PERFORMANCES FROM WESTMEATH
COMPETITORS
It is great to win a few All-Ireland titles and we have to applaud and congratulate the winners and deservedly so, but we can’t forget all of the other remaining acts and competitors who made up the programme for the 2016 Scór Sinsear All-Ireland finals.
At a 11am on Saturday morning, the table quiz team from St. Joseph’s competed in this discipline, and as many will testify, it was definitely an All-Ireland final standard as the questions were very tough and really tested the twenty-seven counties that competed in this gruelling contest.
Although the men from the St. Joseph’s club, Dick Stokes, Aidan Walsh, Ciaran Reynolds and Johnny Hannify weren’t in the winners’ enclosure, they nevertheless played a blinder, finishing in fifth place, just a few marks off the silver medals. We say well done to them and wish them well in the future and know that they will make a bold bid for outright victory in 2017.
A GREAT PERFORMANCE FROM MULLINGAR
SHAMROCKS
The Lake County’s first act to go on stage came from the Mullingar Shamrocks Club in the figure dancing competition. Representing the Mullingar club were Mary Jo Geraghty, Geraldine Cornally, Kim Darby, Katie Murphy, Sarah Murphy, Aileen Martin, Sile Marie Martin and Maura Buckley. Dancing the ‘Trip to the Cottage’, they gave a tremendous performance and like last year must have been very close. Being close doesn’t win All-Ireland medals, unfortunately, and we know that those girls have to very disappointed as there is no doubt they are one of the best groups in the country.
It would have been lovely to see them taking this title back to the Lake County as this is the only discipline that so far Westmeath have failed to win.
We say thank you to those wonderful girls who have over the past number of years represented their club and county with pride and passion and we in Westmeath Scór know that your day in the sun will arrive.
NO LUCK FOR THE DOWNS
The Downs, who were represented by Noel Lynam, John Kennedy, Patrick Doherty, Kenny Colgan, Anthony Rowan, Niamh Moriarty, Sinead Lynam and Trudy Rowan were Westmeath’s flag bearers in the Léiriú discipline and what an act they had to follow as this title was held by Westmeath clubs for the past three years – Mullingar Shamrocks 2015, St. Joseph’s 2014 and Moate All-Whites 2013. Could The Downs, who were appearing in this discipline for the first time since the nineties’, make it four in a row ? Drawn second on the clár, they gave an excellent performance and can be very satisfied with the way they presented their act.
They were just a bit unlucky and the award went to Truagh Gaels, from Monaghan. To The Downs, we congratulate them also as they did their club and county proud.
WESTMEATH WELL UP IN THE HONOURS LIST
Westmeath are well up now in the Scór honours list and after winning two titles last Saturday, the Lake County has won eighteen All-Ireland titles in Scór Sinsear, the record reading as follows; Solo singing (3), Recitations (5), Instrumental music (2), Léiriú or Novelty acts (4), Ballad group (1), Rince seit (2). Not a bad record and hopefully there will be a lot more coming the way of Westmeath.
