Chch Irish Society wins Mahoney Shield

Press, 31 October 1983, Page 8

Chch Irish Society wins Mahoney Shield

The Christchurch Irish Society continued a long tradition by winning the Mahoney Shield for the centre gaining the most points at the National Irish Feis held in Invercargill at Labour Day week-end. Entrants from 15 Irish dancing schools in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Invercargill took part in the competitions which included traditional dancing, speech contests, choreographed dance sequences, and a variety of sports. The Christchurch society won 49 cups and sections of the 78 being competed for. Rhonda Morgan, of the Kay Hallissey School, won the Erie Cup for the senior open championships with the most points over four dances. She also won the Eugene Fitzpatrick Memorial Cup for the over 18 set dance section. The Ulster Cup for the open

section of the hard shoe jig competition went to Belinda Walsh of the Gaelic School. She was also runner-up in the senior open championship. Grace Mallock, aged 10, of the Gaelic School, won three trophies — the Denney Mother’s Cup for 11-13-year-old dancing, the Tom and Mary McCabe Cup, and the Mary Love Cup for singing. In the intermediate sections, Amber Cunliffe, of the O’Neil School, won the Kerry Cup for dancing and the Margaret Mahoney speech trophy. The Munster Cup for the dancing school gaining the most points over all sections was won by the Kay Hallissey School for the twelfth time in 14 years. The Christchurch Society also won the Brosna Cup for gaining most points in the singing section and the Overall Sports Cup.