Topic Newspaper Review

Mullingar and Bloomfield praised as WIDA brings Irish dancing home
Topic Newspapers • 15 September, 2011 BY MARY McGUIRE

E X C ITE M E N T prevailed at Bloom field House Hotel, Mu llingar, last Saturday, September 10, as more than 100 Irish dancers from across the country converged on the local hotel to take part in the first World Irish Dance Association (WIDA ) National Grade Examinations ever held in Ireland.

This is a huge coup for local Irish dancing schools and particularly, for local hotel, Bloomfield House, who the judges described as ‘extremely accommodating’ and as a result, have also decided to hold the upcoming WIDA Teacher and Examiner Workshop in the local hotel. The convention will attract the creme de la creme from Irish dance circles in Ireland, the UK and from across the continent and Bloomfield House Hotel will be the venue for this prestigious weekend, which will take place on January 15 and 16.

Speaking to Topic this week, local dance teacher, Kevin Lyster, was thrilled with the success of the weekend and the fact that Mullingar had been selected to host the upcoming workshop. “The upcoming convention did not have to be held in Mullingar. It could have been held in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kerry - basically anywhere. But the judges and WIDA were so impressed with Mullingar and the Bloomfield House Hotel that they made no hesitation in booking the convention in for January, so it’s really fantastic,” he enthused. “The fact that the National Grade Examinations are going to remain in Ireland every year now is also a testament to the good work that went on in Mullingar last weekend. Hopefully, they will come back to Mullingar again next year, as it is extremely central when you take into consideration that dancers are coming from north, south, east and west to take part,” he continued.