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Boston to host World Irish Dancing Championships

By
ANTOINETTE KELLY,
IrishCentral.com Staff Writer

Published Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 4:35 PM
Updated Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 7:28 PM

 

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An awards ceremony at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Philadelphia, 2009
An awards ceremony at the World Irish Dancing Championships in Philadelphia, 2009

Massachusetts tourism officials have won the bid for their capital city to host the 2013 World Irish Dancing Championships.

An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha, the Irish Dancing Commission in Dublin, chose Boston among 20 cities around the world that applied to host the championships. The commission recently announced their decision, and stated that the championships would be held at the John Hynes Memorial Auditorium in the city.

"This event is the Super Bowl of the dance world and what better city to stage this in 2013 than in Boston, with its world-renowned Irish culture," said Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau chief Patrick B. Moscaritolo.

The 2013 event will mark just the second time the World Championships have been held in North America. The first Worlds were held in Philadelphia this year, and attracted thousands of Irish dancers, families and friends, proving the U.S. could host a hugely successful compeitition. Michael Flatley even paid a visit to the Philly venue.

The Lord of the Dance, however, probably won’t be pleased to hear that in winning the bid, Boston beat out his home city of Chicago.

Massachusetts Convention Center Authority James Rooney told the Boston Emigrant: “We were in competition with Chicago and other big cities, and we won based on our award-winning facilities, our top-tier service and - we admit it - being the most Irish city in America. We can't wait until 2013.”

The huge event will take place March 24-31, 2013.

Massachusetts tourism officials expect the competition to draw in approximately 6,500 dancers, plus families and spectators, and estimate that the event will pull in about $11 million.

The World Irish Dancing Championship is an annual event that brings in Irish dancers from nations all over the planet including Ireland, Great Britain, Australia, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

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