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Father-daughter duo excel at World Jigsaw Championship

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You may remember back in September; the Killarney Advertiser published a story about a father-daughter duo who were heading to Spain to compete in the World Jigsaw Championship. Well, Killarney’s Emma Quirke and her father, Darren Quirke, have since returned home from the competition held in in Valladolid, Spain, after delivering impressive performances on the international stage. The duo, representing Ireland, competed in both the individual and pairs categories.

Emma Quirke, a 24-year-old teacher, stunned commentators as she soared through the preliminary rounds of the individual competition, comfortably securing her place in the semifinals. In her semifinal heat, Emma completed a 500-piece puzzle in just 36 minutes and 36 seconds, finishing in a remarkable 4th place.

Advancing to the highly competitive final, Emma faced a new, unpublished jigsaw challenge. Although the final proved tougher, Emma still performed admirably, finishing 33rd overall with a time of 49 minutes and 26 seconds. For a first-time competitor, her result far exceeded expectations, especially given that she was relatively unknown in the international jigsaw scene prior to the competition.

In the pairs category, Emma teamed up with her father, Darren Quirke, to take on the challenge of a 1,000-piece puzzle specifically designed for the final. The puzzle, showcasing Valladolid, tested the skills of the competitors, and the Quirke duo proved up to the challenge. They completed the puzzle in 1 hour and 23 minutes, securing 73rd place out of 180 pairs - a commendable result in their debut international competition.

Upon her return, Emma and some of her Irish competitors established the Irish Jigsaw Association on Facebook, aiming to promote jigsaw puzzling throughout Ireland through fun events, puzzle swaps, and competitions. Emma has also introduced a jigsaw club at the school where she works, encouraging her students to step away from screens and engage with the rewarding pastime of puzzling. The club has already been a hit with students, who are eagerly embracing their new found hobby.

You can follow Emmas Instagram account, @thequirkeypuzzler

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Angland family celebrate Munster Fleadh triumph

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Angland family celebrate Munster Fleadh triumph


Glenflesk CCE and the local traditional music community are celebrating a major haul of silverware following the Angland family’s outstanding performances at the Munster Fleadh Cheoil in Lismore, County Waterford.


Siblings Colleen, Olivia, Seán, and Grace Angland earned a impressive collection of provincial titles, podium finishes, and All-Ireland qualification spots across multiple music, singing, and dancing disciplines.
Seán Angland delivered a stellar run in the 12-15 category, taking first place in the Melodeon alongside second-place finishes in Piano, Accompaniment, and Mouth Organ. He also secured second place in both the Duet and Trio competitions alongside his sister Olivia and Aoife Hobbert of Lixnaw CCE.
Olivia Angland added to the family success with third-place finishes in both the 12-15 Fiddle and Lilting competitions. She also excelled on the dance floor, winning first place in the 12-15 Mixed Set Dance and third in the Ladies Set Dance with Killarney CCE.
In the 15-18 age group, Colleen Angland secured double silver with second-place finishes in both the Flute Slow Airs and Whistle Slow Airs. Colleen, Olivia, and Seán also joined forces as members of the Cork-based Baile Átha an Spidéil Grúpaí Ceoil (15-18) to take third place in a competitive field.
Meanwhile, Grace Angland earned second place with the An Ríocht Senior Grúpaí Ceoil. The achievement sees Grace return to the All-Ireland stage in Belfast, following her national title win in Senior Piano at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann last year.

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Local musicians and dancers head for Belfast All-Ireland Fleadh

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Local musicians and dancers head for Belfast All-Ireland Fleadh

Musicians, singers, and dancers from both the Killarney and Kilcummin branches of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann are heading to Belfast this weekend for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann following major success at the Munster Fleadh in Lismore, County Waterford.


The All-Ireland competition runs from August 2 to August 9, with competitors from across the two local parishes travelling north to compete on the national stage.
Kilcummin CCÉ enjoyed an outstanding provincial tournament across music, language, and dancing. Eoin Foley claimed a Munster title in the 15 to 18 Button Accordion, while Micheál Healy took gold in the Over 18 Melodeon alongside a third-place finish in the button accordion. Brynn McCarthy secured her spot in Belfast after qualifying in Comhrá Gaeilge for 9 to 11 age group, while also picking up third place in Under 12 English Singing.
Dancers from the Moriarty School of Dancing dominated the set dancing competitions in Lismore, winning five Munster titles across Under 12 Ladies, Under 12 Mixed, Under 18 Ladies, Over 18 Mixed, and Over 35 Ladies. These five sets now join four previously qualified Kilcummin sets—the Over 18 Mixed, Ladies, and Half sets, along with the Over 35 Mixed—bringing a total of nine set dancing teams from the parish to the Belfast finals under trainers Adrian, John, and Mary Moriarty.
Killarney CCÉ members also celebrated a highly successful provincial championship, securing a haul of Munster titles and top-three qualification spots across various music, singing, dancing, and Irish language categories.

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