By Paddy McCarthy
I am starting my Out&About with the sad news of Mick Moloney, who passed away last Wednesday. Mick served as the artistic director for several major arts tours, including the Green Fields of America, an ensemble of Irish musicians, singers, and dancers which toured across the US on several occasions. He produced and performed on over 70 albums and acted as advisor for scores of festivals and concerts all over America. In 1992, Moloney received a Ph.D. in Folklore and Folklife from the University of Pennsylvania. For his work in public folklore, he received a 1999 National Heritage Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts. Mick was the author of Far From the Shamrock Shore: The Story of Irish American History Through Song released by Crown Publications in February 2002 with an accompanying CD on Shanachie Records. He hosted three nationally syndicated series of folk music on American Public Television; was a consultant, performer, and interviewee on the Irish Television special Bringing It All Back Home; a participant, consultant, and music arranger of the PBS documentary film Out of Ireland; and a performer on the PBS special The Irish in America: Long Journey Home. As you can see Mick was a very talented man from Limerick, Ireland, Rest in Peace.
I have been laid up a bit with my back and had to go to a doctor to find out what was wrong. No, nothing too serious and it was not by lifting some pints either it was my stupidity as I helped a neighbor by lifting some boxes that I thought were light! Ah but they were not of course. Yes, I was playing the hero as usual course as I lifted the heaviest one and boy did I pay for it as it put me out of action for a while. The doctor performed an X-ray on my lower back and saw what was wrong and gave me some good and some bad news as he discovered I had a little bit of arteritis, that was not the cause of the pain and that was the good and bad news. He advised me to go to a physiotherapist which I did this Monday and it helped a lot I might tell yea. I will have to go back to the physiotherapist a few more times and hopefully I’ll be right as rain again.
Now that’s out of the way, I was supposed to go and see The Butcher Boy last Wednesday at The Irish Repertory Theatre but I couldn’t with the pain I was in. My entertainment editor Brad Balfour who was also a guest did attend and he was more than impressed with the production as you can read next week.
This bit of good news came to my attention about a rising sophomore and Sacred Heart University Claddagh dancer Maeve Cahill who recently placed third in the nation at the 2022 North American Irish Dance Championships in Montreal. Cahill’s home is nestled in central Massachusetts. She’s lived in Auburn for most of her life, graduating from Auburn High School before she became a Pioneer. Though dancing takes up most of her time, Cahill successfully completed her freshman year as a political science major with hopes of adding minors in Spanish and global business management. “I’ve loved being at Sacred Heart. I am only going to be a sophomore next year, but my freshman year was awesome! I’m involved in a bunch of things on campus, but dance is my favorite,” said Cahill. Allison O’Riordan, SHU’s Irish dance ensemble instructor, called Cahill “a fantastic dancer” to have in the University’s Irish Dance Ensemble. “Maeve is not only a strong dancer but an asset to the team with her enthusiasm and willingness to put work in on a variety of numbers. She pushes herself to try something new,” O’Riordan said.
Cahill started dancing at age four and has been jet-setting around the world for dance competitions since she was 9 years old. The McInerney School of Irish Dance in her hometown provided Cahill with all her training prior to SHU. Cahill has traveled all over the United States and parts of Europe and Canada for opportunities to test her talent in Irish dance. She spoke of missing that after the pandemic prevented travel, and how her fellow Claddagh dancers at SHU were supportive and helpful in keeping her spirits up: “I’ve been able to learn so much from the other girls on the team because they come from different studios and they have an eye for different things. They have really unique opinions that I value.”
“It’s been great to be able to collaborate with other dancers in that way, and to have such great facilities, teachers and coaches supporting us at Sacred Heart.”
“Irish dance is a highly specialized, complicated, athletic and cultural performance art. It takes years of dedication and practice to be able to compete on the national and world leveIs,” she continued. “I think it should be known that the level of focus and dedication to be successful, like Maeve is, is not an easy thing to do. It takes hours of practice, intense stamina and endurance.”
While Cahill’s dream is to go on a professional tour one day, she is currently working towards earning her teaching certification so she can pass along what she has learned to others hoping to master the skill.
“I get the privilege of teaching and helping out now, and I love it. The kids are so full of energy and they’re so excited to be there, which makes me excited to be there. And they’re adorable! Even the little ones are good, and I love watching them grow up,” she said. “I’ve helped mentor them a little bit and it’s been awesome watching them mature in their dancing and in their personalities and advance in all aspects of life.”
Cahill encourages any and all future dancers to “never give up.” She recounts setbacks throughout her dance career and, instead of dwelling on the past, she always finds a reason to think positively. “Sometimes things don’t make sense, but they’ll always work out the way that they’re supposed to,” she said.
I hope you enjoyed this lovely feature on Maeve Cahill that I am proud to feature in my column this week. I will be back next week with some bit of gossip and hopefully good news to wet your appetite. See you next week.