Adjudicators

Mary Bryan danced in Birmingham England before emigrating to a job as a nurse in Canada in 1964. She often danced for hospital functions and was asked to teach dancing. She took her teacher's exam in 1967 and began to teach in St. Catharine’s Ontario. Her dancers traveled all over Canada and the U.S. as well as taking part in All Ireland and World Championships. They all had a great deal of fun and she learned a great deal from all of the children she taught.

When she became an adjudicator in 1976, she continued to teach, adjudicate, work, and also raised her three children. After a long struggle with repeated knee injuries she had to give up teaching on a full time basis in 2002 and her niece, Kelly Taylor MacNeil, took over as the principal teacher in her school.

She adjudicates a great deal in both North America and overseas. To keep abreast of the new steps and changes in styles, she makes the effort to attend many premier competitions such as All Ireland, World and National Championships.

Maureen Golden was born in San Jose, California and began dancing at the age of six. Her parents were born in County Leitrim, Ireland, and immigrated to the US in the 1950s. A champion dancer, she earned numerous titles at the minor, junior and senior levels throughout the Western US and Western Canada. Maureen is the director of the Golden School of Irish Dancing, based in Los Altos, CA. She holds Masters Degrees in Communicative Disorders and Early Childhood Special Education. Maureen is married and the proud mother of 3 children, ages 12, 14 and 18.

Pat Hall is a past regional director of the Western Region of the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America (IDTANA).

Sharon Whelan MacSweeney was introduced to Irish dancing at the age of five at the Kennelly School of Irish dance. Competing into her twenties, Sharon and her sister, Sheila Whelan Gallagher, formed the Whelan Academy of Irish Dance 15 years ago. Sharon thanks both her parents for instilling in her the love of Irish dance and culture. The Whelan Academy has performed for the past two presidents of Ireland and have performed with traditional bands like Danu and Irish rock bands like Floggin Molly. Sharon has judged many qualifers along with the Australian Nationals and the New Zealand Nationals. She is currently a member of An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha and on the board of the US Western Region. Sharon has been married for 20 years to Donal and has two children James and Ciara. She would like to thank Jessica Wheeler and the feis committee for invitng her back again to judge in beautiful Boise and she wishes all participants an enjoyable and successful weekend.

Bill Maple is a native of Boston, MA and started his dance career with the Rita O’Shea School of Irish Dance. Bill went on to become a certified teacher after winning the North American Senior Men's Championship title. Bill has been teaching for over 25 years and has been a certified adjudicator for over 10 years. He and his wife Marnie spent several years in Germany and then relocated to Virginia where they currently reside and run the Maple School of Irish Dance.

Dancers from the Maple School have competed successfully at US Southern Region, US National and World Championship competitions. The school was honored to perform at the White House for US Presidents’ George W. Bush and most recently for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House St. Patick’s Day celebration. The Maple School has appeared on local news stations and on CNN and have performed at the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, National Geographic, Wolf Trap, on Fox 5 Morning News, and at various cultural festivals.

Bill is a member of the Southern Region Executive Board and is a representative and member of the Rules Committee, An Coimisiun le Rince Gaelacha.

Ann Richens is the founder of the Richens/Timm Academy of Irish Dance. Originally from Dublin, Ireland, she been teaching and adjudicating Irish Dance in the United States for over 30 years. She has trained numerous Regional and National champions, and has a World Champion to her credit as well.

Ann has served as Regional Director and North American President of the Irish Dance Teachers Association. She is a certified teacher, adjudicator and examiner and continues to train all levels of dancers.

Of interesting note is that one of Ann's students was David Chase, TCRG. David taught Irish Dancing here in the Boise area and many of the local dancers have taken classes from David. David also helped get the Boise Feis started and is honored with one of our perpetual trophies.