Limerick girl Kate dances to the very peak of the world

A LIMERICK girl is quite literally on top of the world after winning a global title at the first time of asking.

Kate Phelan, 10, from Dromroe, won the world championship for Irish Dancing at the national champions which took place in Belfast.

The talented youngster, who studies at An Mhodh Scoil, beat 110 other girls of her own age to the under-11s title, leaving her father Mark and mum Katrina overwhelmed with pride.​

The pair had a party to celebrate their daughter’s achievement, while messages of congratulations have been arriving at the family’s home in Dromroe.

Mark, a stalwart of St Patrick’s GAA Club, said: “It’s unbelievable. We are still processing it! But we are so, so proud of her. The females in our family are massively into dancing. For the last few weeks, she has been dancing every day, and it’s paid off.”​

Mark said he is also pleased for his wife Katrina, who helped young Kate through the contest.

Taoiseach meets Ukrainian PM at Shannon to discuss further sanctions and evidence of war crimes

“She puts a lot of work into it,” he said. “I’d say Kate’s family would be her biggest fans!”

In order to win the title, Kate had to go through a number of rounds of qualifying.

Among her routines was an oireachtas dance in two sets – one titled light shoe, the other with heavy shoe.​

Her set piece for the following round was a routine known as The Vanishing Lake.

Katrina said of her daughter, who is enrolled at Flynn O’Kane Academy of Dance in Nenagh: “I’m so, so shocked.​ I cannot believe it. She had trained so hard. She'd put all the work in, and she was ready and so very well prepared. At your first Worlds at 10 years of age, you just want to get as close to the podium as possible. But to win, it was just unbelievable.”

Mark thanked the huge number of people who had contacted the family to offer their congratulations.

“It's been described as the Olympics of Irish dancing. Limerick has had a few world champions, but it's something to be very proud of,” he concluded.

Latest news: www.limerickleader.ie