McGrath Academy News and Events

Feiseanna (or Competitions)

Feiseanna (fesh-anna) are Irish Dance Competitions held on Local, Regional, National, and World Levels. Competition is categorized by soft or hard shoe, music used, age & grade. These events are excellent opportunities to meet new people and enjoy Traditional Irish singing, music & lots of dancing.

Parents and students new to feiseanna may like to consult our Feising 101 guide.

Please click on the links below to find current listings of upcoming feiseanna.

To register for any feis please logon to EFeis

Upcoming Southern Region FEISEANNA

Upcoming Mid-Atlantic Region FEISEANNA

Upcoming Mid-America Region FEISEANNA

A special thanks to John Morgan:

We’d like to thank John Morgan from the Morgan School of Irish Dance in Manchester, England for the recent workshop! We enjoyed your classes very much and we look forward to having you back soon!”

For more information about the Morgan School please click on the following link: https://sites.google.com/site/morganschoolirishdancing/home

We have received these kind words regarding one of our performances

To the McGrath Academy of Irish Dance,

Thank you for bringing students of all ages from the McGrath Academy to perform at Hayfield Elementary School last night. Our International Night celebration was another fabulous event for our students, staff, and surrounding community. We greatly appreciate having an opportunity to see the many fine talents within your ensemble. Our students couldn't stop talking today about how much they enjoyed watching your group perform. Many of the students have never seen Irish dancing so this was a special treat! Your educational presentation captivated the audience. Please let your students know how much we appreciate them taking the time to join our festivities. They really helped to make this event extra special!

Thank you Paul and friends for setting up and taking down the wooden platforms. I have two platforms on hand that if ever they need a home you're the first person I call.

Best wishes as your group performs in the Manassas parade! And thank you once again for attending our International Night celebration. We hope your group will visit us again soon. Have a fantastic Spring Vacation!

Musically yours,
Carla Okouchi

Music Educator
Hayfield Elementary School

For links to Irish related, Irish Dance and Feis registration websites please visit our Contact page.

January 18th email from school director Lauren McGrath Dutton, ADCRG to the parents and dancers of McGrath Academy:

Dear Parents/Dancers,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this email to inform you that my mother, Jeanne McGrath Pearson, TCRG, passed away today. In memory of her life and her love for life, I feel it necessary that all McGrath families take a pause in their own lives to recognize her passing, as she was the original founder of the McGrath Academy of Irish Dance in the 70’s. Through her love and teachings she raised me to be the confident, knowledgeable person I am and without her the Academy would never have been established.

For these reasons, I think it is appropriate to shut down the entire school so that all families can take a day to recognize her passing and recognize her for all the wonderful things she did in her life. I thank God for the love, gifts, and talents she has bestowed upon me and I will forever miss her support, guidance, and company! I am the person I am because of her and I know my dancers/families are appreciative to have known her or to know me which is simply a reflection of her.

In respect of her passing, I will be shutting down the entire Academy tomorrow, Saturday, 1/19/13. I apologize for such late notice but this was beyond my control. I do hope that all will understand.
Sincerely,
Lauren McGrath Dutton, ADCRG
McGrath Academy Director