Claire Gallibois
photo Deirdre Gallibois
Thursday was the first day of the British National Irish Dancing Championships, and a total of five competitions took place at the Royal Northern College of Music. Claire Gallibois, who dances with Butler-Fearon-O'Connor Irish Dance of Eastern Canada, clinched the Girls under 16 British National Irish Dancing Championship Thursday in Manchester, United Kingdom.  This year marks the 25th anniversary of the British National Irish Dancing Championships.

Gallibois, who placed third at the 2012 North American Irish Dancing Championships held earlier this month in Chicago, placed 6th at the All Ireland Irish Dancing Championships and 11th at the World Irish Dancing Championships.  Gallibois elevated her performance from  her 11th and 15th placements, respectively at the 2011 All Ireland and World Irish Dancing Championships.  Due to an association with an adjudicator, Butler-Fearon-O'Connor dancers were not able to compete at the 2011 North American Irish Dancing Championships.

Gallibois is also a two-time Eastern Canada Regional Irish Dancing Champion, having won in both 2010 in Girls under 14 and 2011 in Girls under 15.


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Read more:

Thursday results from 2012 British National Irish Dancing Championships

World Irish Dancing Champion Kelly clinches Irish National Dancing Championship Title

Middle America dominates male North American Irish Dancing Championships
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The Girls under 10 Champion for 2012 is Aeisha Coyle who dances with McConomy Bradley in the Ulster Region of Ireland.  Coyle, the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion also placed second in the 2011 Irish National Irish Dancing Championships.  The 2012 Boys under 10 Champion is George Semple from the Turley School in Midlands Region of England/Wales.

Roisin Naughton
photo courtesy Irish Dance Madness
Roisin Naughton from Coleman Academy in the Connaught Region of Ireland is the Girls under 13 Champion.  Naughton placed second at the 2011 British National Irish Dancing Championships in Girls under 12, as well as at both the 2012 All Ireland and World Irish Dancing Championships in Girls under 13.

Gerard Byrne, the 2012 British National Irish Dancing Champion for Boys under 13, dances with McNelis Cunningham in the Ulster Region of Ireland, is the 2012 All Ireland Irish Dancing Champion.  Byrne placed second at the 2012 World Irish Dancing Championships after John Whitehurst who reclaimed that title after his loss to Byrne in 2011.  Whitehurst took second place in the 2012 British National Irish Dancing Championships.

Congratulations to all the dancers, and special congratulations to Feis America's friend Claire Gallibois and her family!

For more Thursday results, see the Go Feis! Irish Dance Blog post here.