New Berlin Irish Dance School Wins Medals at All Ireland Championships

Glencastle Irish Dance members compete and succeed on the international stage.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 8:48am

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Members of the Glencastle Irish Dance school in New Berlin, Wisconsin recently competed at the prestigious All Ireland Championships in Ireland, bringing home several medals. The dancers, including Keira Block and Shannon Reynolds, faced stiff competition from local Irish dancers but were able to place in both the hard shoe and soft shoe rounds, a major accomplishment for the American dance troupe.

Why it matters

The success of the Glencastle Irish Dance school at the All Ireland Championships demonstrates the high level of talent and dedication of the dancers, as well as the growing popularity and recognition of Irish dance in the United States. The school's ability to compete and win on the international stage helps to raise the profile of Irish dance in Wisconsin and the Midwest region.

The details

Glencastle Irish Dance members Keira Block and Shannon Reynolds traveled to Ireland to compete at the All Ireland Championships, which is considered the national championship for Irish dance in the country. Despite being American dancers competing on Irish soil, the Glencastle dancers were able to place in both the hard shoe and soft shoe rounds, with Shannon Reynolds bringing home two medals. The dancers noted that competing against the highly skilled local Irish dancers presented a unique challenge, but the experience was invaluable as they now set their sights on the World Championships.

  • The All Ireland Championships took place in March 2026.
  • Glencastle Irish Dance members competed and won medals at the event.

The players

Glencastle Irish Dance

An Irish dance school located in New Berlin, Wisconsin that has been training dancers for over a decade, including sending members to compete at the prestigious All Ireland Championships.

Keira Block

A 10-year member of the Glencastle Irish Dance school who competed at the All Ireland Championships.

Shannon Reynolds

A Glencastle Irish Dance member who competed at the All Ireland Championships and brought home two medals in the hard shoe and soft shoe rounds.

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What they’re saying

“I love Irish dance. I've been dancing here for 10 years. I started when I was 8 after seeing them at Irishfest, and now it's just my second home.”

— Keira Block, Glencastle Irish Dance Member

“All the Irish girls are really good at Irish dance, so just showing up in their territory and being an American dancer was definitely different from American nationals, but it was a good experience.”

— Shannon Reynolds, Glencastle Irish Dance Member

What’s next

The Glencastle Irish Dance school is now preparing its dancers, including Keira Block and Shannon Reynolds, to compete at the World Championships, which is considered the pinnacle of Irish dance competitions.

The takeaway

The success of the Glencastle Irish Dance school at the prestigious All Ireland Championships demonstrates the growing popularity and recognition of Irish dance in the United States, as well as the high level of talent and dedication of the dancers at the school. This achievement will likely inspire more young dancers to take up Irish dance and compete on the international stage.