Watch: Maghery Senior Band's Riverdance at Easter Band Parade in Dungloe
The Riverdance spectacle has been something that music instructor Karl Doherty, drill Instructor Annemarie O’Donnell and Drum Instructor Anthony Houston have had in mind for a very long time
Maghery’s Senior Competitive Band have been hailed as ‘The Riverdance’ of Marching Bands in recent years, so on Easter Sunday on Dungloe’s Main Street, they performed just that - Riverdance.
This performance led them to their sixth consecutive Easter Win. The band swept up five titles in total on the day with Best Music, Best Drum Corp, Best Drum Major, Best Band on Parade and first place in their section.
Pictured with their silverware of the day is Drum Major and Drill Instructor Annemarie O’Donnell. Photo and video: Mary Rodgers
The titles that the band obtained are a great achievement. The band’s instructors say that the performances they strive towards are only possible thanks to the members' hard work and dedication: "We have been very fortunate for the past number of years to have a team of people who wish to work towards the same purpose. We love to entertain and performing like we do is that very outlet for us.
"When the instructors and committee meet in advance of an event, we look at what we want to achieve and take away from the experience. It’s important that each member gets to enjoy the experience and learn creatively from each performance and event."
Everyone’s passion for the performance was very evident on Easter Sunday. Flutes were literally being flourished! Working towards such events gives their youth and adults alike a great focus and not just from a competitive aspect, but also for the sheer enjoyment and entertainment side.
The Riverdance spectacle has been something that music instructor Karl Doherty, drill Instructor Annemarie O’Donnell and Drum Instructor Anthony Houston have had in mind for a very long time.
Initially, the band had planned to bring to life the iconic number for Easter 2020, which would have tied into Riverdance’s 25th Anniversary. However, the pandemic put such plans on complete hold.
''When the instructors sat down to discuss the idea of Riverdance, we knew that our take on it would have to work within the realms of a marching band. It would be very easy to have a dancer perform the routine, but we are a marching band and have to perform as such. That is always at the core of our performances - basic marching, music and drumming.
“We love to amplify those elements and marry the basics whilst also thinking outside of the box. The new members are always asking the instructors for more, which is a joy to provide them with new material.”
Post pandemic, the band had to start from scratch with training its youngest members and move them into the ranks to fulfil their performing duties. Thankfully, the academy's enrollment provides the band with many enthusiastic performers yearning to take part.
Only as and when positions open up can the band transfer new members in, and in the last three years, the ranks have had a huge overhaul of young and new performers.
After defending their Easter titles in 2023 and 2024 as well as their All Ireland Titles up until now, 2025 felt like the right time to revisit the Riverdance idea and also tie in with the Riverdance 30th anniversary and Maghery's 80th Anniversary.
With the help of music instructors Gerard McShea, Alice and Hannah Houston and drum instructor Jamie Glackin, the band trained through the winter to bring to life the band’s version of Riverdance.
He said: “We hope that everyone enjoyed the performance and look forward to sharing the new routine again in the near future. The band have again been approached about performing at the prestigious tattoo and look forward to bringing this routine to the larger stage. The band will now be working towards Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann in Wexford in August and will be defending their eight consecutive wins in the hope of obtaining their ninth All-Ireland win.”