Leinster Fleadh: Westmeath top of the pile in sean-nós and set dancing competitions
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First and second place in the 15-18 ladies full set from Ballynacargy CCÉ pictured with their mentors Niamh Penrose and Katie Baird.Image 2 of 6
First and third place in the U12 full set ladies from Ballynacargy CCÉ.Image 3 of 6
The Moate CCÉ sean-nós dancing contingent pictured with their teacher Sharleen Doyle.Image 4 of 6
The Castletown Geoghegan mixed O-35 set were awarded second place at the Leinster Fleadh. Back row: Shane Heraty, Pat Clarke, Ian Corrigan and Ciaran Favior. Front: Aoife Lynam, Sandra McCann, Aine Maloney and Karen Lynam.Image 5 of 6
The Ballinagore U-18 half-set placed third at the Leinster Fleadh. The set comprised of Conor King, Deirdre O’Brien, Emma King and Shane King.Image 6 of 6
The Ballynacargy CCÉ winners of the senior mixed and ladies full-set as well as the senior mixed half set.By Shane King
Westmeath is renowned for its long tradition in set dancing and the county showed it's strength at the competitions in the Leinster Fleadh recently.
Moate CCÉ were the big winners in the sean-nós dancing categories with prize-winners right across the board. Éirinn Dully retained the senior title, which was won by her brother Rian last year, following a brilliant performance. The Dully family went and added another title to their collection, when Éirinn's younger sister Aoibh claimed first place in the 15-18 sean-nós dancing competition.
More medals headed back to the branch based at the Dún na Sí heritage centre, when Leo Glynn took home second place in the U-12 sean-nós dancing and Roisín O'Hara was runner-up in the senior category.
A big team of dancers travelled to Wicklow from Ballynacargy CCÉ, with numerous entries from the branch enjoying great success. The branch took home first place in every age category for the full set ladies, a remarkable achievement, along with second and third places also.
Ballynacargy continued their success in the mixed set dancing, with wins in the U12 and senior full sets. They also recorded a win in the senior mixed half-set.
The county was also represented by dancers from Clan Lir CCÉ, Castletown Geoghegan and Ballinagore. The teams earned silver and bronze medals, with those placed first and second marching on the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
The success at this year's fleadh has proven that the tradition of set dancing is well and truly alive in Westmeath.