WITH just two days to go until the start of this year's World Irish Dancing Championships, four young dancers from Manchester are preparing to jet off to Canada.
Lawrence Hennigan, Patrick McKenna, Orla Dunne and Olivia Boylan from St Bede’s College are among the 334 dancers from Britain, who will compete against 5,000 others in Montreal in one of the world's top Irish dancing events.
Despite the scale of the competition, which took place on home turf in London last year, these four are excited to compete.
“I am really looking forward to it, but I am also a bit nervous," said 14-year-old Lawrence. "There are very high expectations coming from my teacher but I just cannot wait to dance.”
There is additional pressure on 17-year-old Olivia, who has just two months to go until her A Levels kick off.
“I’m very, very excited. It’s a-once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but I’m trying to keep focused and not go adrift. I’ve got my first exam on May 10 so I’m taking my revision with me,” said the former North West Regional Champion.
Olivia and Lawrence, as well as 15-year-old Orla and Patrick, 16, will travel to Montreal this weekend for the championships, which starts on Sunday in Palais des Congres.
All four are pupils at St Bede’s College, a Catholic school in Manchester.
Headmaster Richard Robson said: “To have four St Bede’s pupils competing at the World Championships is a major achievement and something we are all extremely proud of.”
The 2015 World Irish Dancing Championships run from March 29 to April 5.
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