Scléip 2012 Final, March 24th
March 21, 2012
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is delighted to announce that the national talent contest Scléip will take to the stage again this year. Scléip is a competition for Irish-medium and Gaeltacht post-primary school pupils, and it gives students the opportunity to stage music, dance and drama in professional theatres through the medium of Irish. 21 schools took part in the 2012 regional heats held in Dublin, Cork, Derry and Galway in February and March, and students from 15 of those schools will take part in the competition final in the Axis Theatre in Dublin on March 24th. The competition will be divided into six different categories, with a junior and senior prize awarded in each division and the Scléip Award for the best act overall.
Scléip started in 2005 and the competition has gone from strength to strength each year. Although the traditional arts were previously included in the programme, the 2012 competition focuses on contemporary arts. “We want to challenge the students and give them the chance to stage newly-composed music, song, dance and drama in front of an audience and a panel of professional judges” said Clare Spáinneach, Development Officer with GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. and manager of the Scléip competition. “The schools have really taken up the challenge and more than 500 students took part in the regional heats – which was some challenge for the judges!” she said. This year’s judging panel is comprised of professional musicians, dramatists, dancers and broadcasters, and they had high praise for the students who took part in the heats, commenting on the confidence and talent they exhibited on stage. The musician John Spillane was amongst this year’s panel, and he told students that similar school competitions gave him great inspiration as a student. We hope that the participants in Scléip go on to do as well in their chosen arts!
Another musician who took inspiration from this year’s competition is Fiachna Ó Braonáin, guitarist with the Hothouse Flowers and broadcaster for RTÉ. Fiachna is recording a series of radio programmes based on the competition and the contestants’ talent will be broadcast on Raidió na Gaeltachta in April. GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. hope that this will encourage more schools to participate in the competition in future and that more students will have the opportunity to take part in an exciting, inspiring and fun event through the medium of Irish.
GAELSCOILEANNA TEO. is the national coordinating body for Irish-medium schools at primary and post-primary level. It provides assistance and support to parents and local communities who wish to found a school and it supports existing Irish-medium schools in their development.
Students from the following schools will take part in the Scléip final in the Axis on March 24th:
- Coláiste an Eachréidh, Galway
- Colaiste an Phiarsaigh, Cork
- Coláiste Chilliain, Dublin
- Coláiste Chineál Eoghain, Donegal
- Coláiste Cois Life, Dublin
- Coláiste de hÍde, Dublin
- Gael Choláiste Chill Dara, Kildare
- Gaelcholáiste Cheatharlach, Carlow
- Gaelcholaiste Chiarraí, Kerry
- Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Limerick
- Gaelcholáiste Mhuire A.G, Cork
- Gaelcholaiste Reachrann, Dublin
- Meánscoil Gharman, Wexford
- Pobalscoil Chorca Dhuibhne, Kerry
- Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, Donegal
