BUFFALO, N.Y. — It’s been three years since Western New York, let alone the world, experienced what was even a sliver of a traditional St. Patrick’s Day with the celebrations, parades, and performances. Arguably the most impacted, and now most excited for the return of the holiday, are our local Irish dancers.
Last year, Storm Team 2 Meteorologist and resident Irish Dancer Elyse Smith spoke to both Clann Na Cara and Rince Na Tiarna about the impact of not having St. Patrick's Day "season" for the second year in a row. But with restrictions lifted and advancements made since in the COVID-19 pandemic began, this year's holiday will look and feel closer to pre-pandemic expectations.
With that in mind, Elyse checked back in with the two dance schools heading into the long holiday weekend... their own version of "March Madness."
First stop was Clann Na Cara in Kenmore, where co-founder and instruction Mary Kate Conrad shared some encouraging words with her dancers and described a few observations from their first performances of the season.
"For the dancers who know what it was like to be back, they loved it. For our little dancers who are always nervous for their first show, you had to take a step back and realize, they’ve never been in a crowd this size before," said Conrad of the lingering impact and result of the isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Next was Rince Na Tiarna in South Buffalo, where founder and instructor Mary Kay Heneghan echoed the sentiment and added some of the other challenges they faced in scheduling performances within the community.
“This year, there’s a new little stumbling block. There’s do we need to wear masks at this facility, do we need to show vaccinations at this facility. And it’s a moving target," she said.
But even with those new found challenges, it was evident that dancers at both schools were overwhelmingly excited and ready to perform after missing those opportunities two years in a row. And as Rince Na Tiarna dancer Meghan Murphy put it, “Buffalo is definitely very passionate when it comes to St Patrick’s day so that’s definitely really nice that we live in a place that celebrates so well.”
And of course, Elyse couldn't pass up a moment to join in and dance with members of both dance schools, as the Irish spirit is as strong as it ever.
For more information on Clann Na Cara, click here.
For more information on Rince Na Tiarna, click here.
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