A GROUP from Oxfordshire will be hoping they have the luck of the Irish at an international competition this weekend.
Dancers from the Marion Flanagan School of Irish Dancing will compete against hundreds of others at the British Nationals in Manchester.
School founder Marion McCarthy said: “This is a really big deal in Irish dancing. It’s an international competition so there will be dancers from America, Ireland and Europe.
“Each of the dancers will compete individually, so it’s just the last-minute nerves and rush to make sure everything is right now.”
Mrs McCarthy has been teaching Irish dancing around the county for 25 years and said there had been an upsurge in its popularity since the show Riverdance.
She said: “Historically, it was just for people of Irish descent, but lots of different people are interested in it now.”
Taking part this weekend will be 13-year-old Aoife Griffin, who was rehearsing at St Mary’s RC Primary in Bicester this week.
She said: “I’ve been dancing for about 10 years and been to a few international competitions.
“I’m a bit nervous, but a bit excited.”
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