I enjoy traveling especially around New York State and the last couple of years to Europe. I like to listen to Irish music, especially traditional jig/reel music (always looking for a good dance tune). I am a member of the Broome County LAOH and the Director of the Ballyclare Irish Dancers, and if you are wondering why Ballyclare, we just liked the name. We perform in the Broome County area, and some of us around the New York area as well as Pennsylvania.
The group performs a lot of traditional ceili dances - Glencar Reel, Four-Hand Jig, Fairy Reel, Walls of Limerick, Siege of Carrick, Siege of Ennis, Haymakers Jig, Stack of Barley, Gay Gordons, etc, and we choreograph our own dances, such as the Connors Reel, Roan Inish Reel, Dance of the Ladies, Clare Jig, Hyatt Reel, Cooney Reel (named after Rita's grandfather), Slip Jig, the Travelers Reel and the The Fairy Dance. So if you get the chance, come out and see our group perform some time! Our next performance is at Binghamton's First Friday, June 7 at Orion Beauty & Balance Salon on Washington Street.
As part of my dance instruction, I teach ceili dances at the AOH Hall on Monday evenings in January. This is in preparation for the Hibernian Parade Committee's Dinner Dance held each February. I've taught at restaurants, halls on The Cruise of Irish Stars, spring and fall weekends at the Villa Roma Resort, Callicoon, NY and at Gavin's Irish Country Inn, East Durham, NY. In July 2005 in East Durham, my friends from Connecticut, Joe and Maureen, exchanged wedding vows. At their wedding reception, they asked me to perform a dance, I chose my favorite, the Slip Jig. I met them a few years back in East Durham at the Irish Festival and we bonded immediately and have a wonderful friendship. Some of the music I use is from Paddy Noonan's "New Irish Dance Party, Matthew Fisher’s "Reed between the lines", and John Whelan's "The Old High Reel".
You can call me for information/bookings at 607.727.2262 and leave me a message! If you prefer, you can send me an e-mail.
I was the co-host of the Irish Radio Show with Stu Fralick, heard in the Binghamton area on AM 1360-WYOS on Sunday mornings and when I retire I'm hoping to bring another show back to the greater Binghamton area, so 'stay tuned'... As Past President of the County Board and current President of Division 2 of the Broome County Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, I do some traveling and attending meetings and conventions where I get to meet Hibernians from all over New York State and the United States. I was honored at the Hibernian Parade Committee's Dinner Dance in 2005 with the Community Service Award. As a member of the Hibernian Parade Committee, it was my pleasure in working hard to bring one of the largest St. Patrick's Day Parades in upstate New York. For 5 years, I had the pleasure of bringing to the area such stars as Andy Cooney and His Band, Dermot O'Brien, Deirdre Reilly, Pat Marnane, Aideen O'Donnell, Noel V. Ginnity, Emer Hartnett, Seamus Brett, George Casey, Odette Woods, Emma Kate Tobia, The Irish Sopranos and Irish Dancers for an Irish Christmas Concert. Over the past few years, I had the opportunity to travel/work for some of these stars in Andy Cooney's Classic Irish Christmas tour, Forever Irish tour and the Cruise of Irish Stars.
