Each year our students have the opportunity to take part in the Speech & Drama Teachers of Ireland Feis. There are a wealth of categories they can choose from to enter and they start out by applying and then recording themselves performing which we send in for adjudication. Every student gets feedback and a grade for their performance and the top 12 acts in each section in the country are invited to come together and perform live in The Grand Finals in April for the top prizes, Trophies, Money and Medals are awarded for First, Second and Third place and Highly Commended Certificate for 4th place. Every finalist also receives a very special medal for being in the top 12.
Our Independent Theatre Workshop Students did exceptionally well again this year - some of the Awards included:
Junior Shakespeare Trophy: Johnny Grehan 1st place, Priya Hobson 2nd place
Senior Shakespeare Trophy: Catherine Leahy 1st place, Seana Tully 2nd place, Roisín Duggan 4th place (Highly Commended)
Solo Musical Theatre 10-12yrs: Ana Rubia Marques Da Hora 1st place
Solo Musical Theatre 13-14yrs: Joya Hobson 1st place
Solo Musical Theatre 15-16yrs: Ishbel Daguman 2nd place, Eithne Carson 3rd place
Boys Poetry 10yrs: Sean Drea 1st place
Seamus Heaney Trophy: Gwendolyn Ridgeway 3rd place
Ana Rubia with her Trophy -Being in the Feis was a very fun experience. I sang Part of your World from the little Mermaid, I had practiced it a lot so I knew it really well by the time the Feis came. The morning of the competition, I was very excited and I wasn't nervous. I also met people I knew there from the opera and other shows I had done. I listened to everyone else singing and they were very good so after my turn, I thought I might have a chance of winning but I wasn't sure because the standard was very high. When they called my name in first place I was very happy and surprised. All in all it was a great experience and I can't wait for next year's Feis, I'm already planning my song!
From Ana Rubia Marques Da Hora.
JOHNNY JR SHAKESPEARE CUP WINNER 2024
I was very excited to take part in the Junior Shakespeare feis competition. Gillian and I together picked a very interesting monologue and then we worked together on the dramatization and the delivery.
On the day of the feis I was very nervous but was confident as I had practiced it a lot. At the feis there was lots of Romeo and Juliet so I was delighted to be different with A Midsummer Night's Dream.
I could not believe when I won. It was the best feeling in the world especially the cash which I used to buy headphones.
I would recommend for anyone to do Speech and Drama as it gives you lots of confidence.
Catherine Senior Shakespeare Cup 2024
I took part in the Feis a few weeks ago in April. It is so interesting to see Speech and Drama students from all over the country and all of the work that they have put into their pieces. There is such a range of competitions, from Drama, Poetry, Shakespeare, Improv, Musical Theatre and Public Speaking, as well as specialised classes for performing Irish poets like W.B. Yeats and Seamus Heaney. This year I was lucky to receive the Senior Shakespeare Cup for a comedic monologue from "The Two Nobel Kinsman". It was amazing to receive such high quality feedback from the professional adjudicators: I was adjudicated by Anna Walker who gave lots of great tips about performing Shakespeare particularly and acting generally, which I have found really helpful. I think the Feis is a really worthwhile activity to take part in while at ITW. I am looking forward to returning in 2025! - Catherine Leahy
Sean Drea 1st in Boys Poetry 10yrs “ I really liked the Hybrid Feis Finals this year, it was a great experience and I loved preparing for it! I won my group for Poetry Reading (doing “How Was School?” By Lindsay McRae) and I came third in prepared reading (with an extract from one of my favourite books “The Explorer” by Katharine Rundell) - Seán Drea”
