Niamh 💁🏼👯

May we never see elegance go out of style!!

Kev Joyce played the hornpipe to end all hornpipes

I’ll be making a separate Tumblr as things progress and I would love if you would give me a follow when the time comes but for now let’s ride the wave of awesomeness that has been 2017 so far and win all our dances as feis season starts up again!

Guess I’ll jump on the band wagon 😜 another year in the books for me, and I couldn’t be more thankful. 6th at the all Scotland’s, 6th at the NANs, 9th at the All Irelands, and 2nd in the Southern US region for the 2nd year! Sitting out from the worlds was probably the strangest part of this year after going to the past 10 (I didn’t attend my first worlds that I qualified for). And the best moment was standing side-by-side with my best friend as she qualified for the Worlds at the NANs after a very hard year with the loss of her father and almost a year off dancing!! There have been many, many, many ups and downs, tears, laughter, frustration, and everything in between but I would not change one moment of this year. I have learned to quit being so hard on myself, to man up when I’m feeling lazy, that a glass of wine every now and then is not only okay but COMPLETELY NECESSARY, and re-learned that laughter is the best medicine (seriously, how could I forget that?!) 😹😹 I wouldn’t be anywhere though without the good Lord above 🙏🏻, my family, friends, boyfriend, teachers, co-workers, bosses, and everybody else. Can’t wait to see what this next year will bring!!! 😁😋 also, special shout-out to @baileyquigley who has been there everyday with me ❤

This year has been more than I could have possibly asked for, especially after everything that had happened last year with throwing away Nationals and not being able to dance at the Oireachtas. After the Worlds in March, I thought I was done dancing solos - I would continue teams, but my solo career was done. That’s what everyone kept telling me. And I thought I was okay with that. But, the more time I spent away from dance, the more I realized how much I missed it and how much I loved it. So, I danced at the Nationals in Orlando, not being able to walk away from the sport. The last time the nationals were in Orlando, I qualified for the Worlds for the first time and I was hoping it would bring me luck again. And it did. I qualified for the Worlds, placing 17th and jumping 27 places from last year, back into the top 20. I had reached my goal - I had qualified for Dublin 2017, where I danced at my first Worlds. And I was happy. Coming up to the Oireachtas, I was told I wasn’t going to be dancing a solo - I was only doing the teams. But, my mom and dance teachers had registered me without telling me. I only found out that I could dance the week before and I sat at the table crying for about 15 minutes because I was so happy. And it was the best thing they could’ve done because I had been unknowingly preparing for the Oireachtas without the stress I usually put on myself. And it worked out because I placed 3rd in an extremely difficult competition. This year has been the comeback year I was looking for. To show everyone that I am stronger than last year. The only difference is, now I’m not saying I’m done - I’ve got one more left in me. And I can’t wait to take on Dublin.✨

I am sure that is WAY more than you cared to know about my life, so thanks for sticking around. I can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store, hopefully some new camera equipment. 

Although I didn’t get the recall at Oireachtas, I’ve never been more motivated in my life. It has left me with a hunger to work harder and not stop till I get where I want to be. I’ve set some big goals for next year, but this year has taught me that if you set your goals high, you will push yourself until you get there. I never could have expected this year to go the way it did, but I couldn’t be more thankful. If someone had told me at the end of last year that I would have been an open champion a year from then, I wouldn’t have believed them. Sometimes we shock ourselves. It completely blows my mind all that I was able to accomplish this year. I am so thankful to my incredible teachers and friends for helping me get to where I am today. I’ve come such a long way in the past two years, and can’t wait to see what the future holds. Here’s to 2017! Onwards and upwards!

I began this blog way back when to share my journey in the world of dance (the good, the bad and the in-between) and to inspire myself and others to reach for our dreams, but from this moment forward I am going to be using it for a different means. To be writing this brings me both happiness, sadness, a sense of gratitude, and a sense of thankfulness but I am hoping by sharing my new journey it helps me to maintain perspective and positivity, and also help me to reach my new goals - goals that now face a lot more challenge than originally expected.  I cant quite bring myself to write my journey that brought me to this moment, but one day when I feel Im ready I know I will. Over the past few weeks I have been at appointment after appointment, scan after scan and whilst there has been many tears and painkillers we have finally got a reasoning for the pain in my hip. With 4 tears internally in the hip joint including in the cartilage, as well as tendonitis, bursitis and extra growth, I now prepare for hip surgery on February 1st, and hope to defy my doctors who have said there are high chances I may never dance again. My goals have now turned from the World Championships in Dublin 2017, to hoping that one day I will be able to dance in my teachers exam. Over the years I have written these blogs to remind myself that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, and whilst my direction has changed, the values have not. At any time we have the power to say this is not how the story is going to end. You have the strength, the power and the courage to be whatever, whoever, or wherever you want to be - and I want to be a TCRG. <3

Marshall Academy

Oireachtas update: I still tear up watching the awards video. Going into Oireachtas I knew the competition was going to be tough so I never let myself get my hopes up. Even after 3 amazing rounds I told myself that anything could happen and was prepared for the worst. The results could have gone any way between the top 15 which I think says a lot about how talented all of these girls are<3 Placing 4th and getting back on the podium was one of the best feelings. Im extremely blessed to have the support that I do and can’t wait to continue working hard for worlds🎉 #rollondublin #newlook

Found this on Facebook earlier today

American Wake from Riverdance, as fast as I can play it without struggling.

Action shots taken for a conceptual studio project this week, it felt good to put my shoes back on