Ferbane ballad group bids for All-Ireland Scór success

Ferbane GAA club’s senior ballad group will be going for their fourth All-Ireland title at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence in Bekan, Co. Mayo tomorrow (Saturday).

This talented group of ladies have won All-Irelands Scór honours at junior level in 2012 and 2014, and they were runners-up in 2013.

All these ladies were students of Gallen Community School and Deborah Reynolds, a music teacher in the school, trained and led them to those three All-Ireland finals.

After competing in Scór junior level, they decided to take a break to concentrate on their studies and exams. In 2019, they decided to try their hand at senior Scór and they ended up winning the All-Ireland in Castlebar. They tutored themselves to this All-Ireland final as Deborah had moved to Thurles Community College.

In March 2020, they set out to retain their crown. They reached the Leinster final but then Covid struck and everything was suspended. It got back on track last month and, after an outstanding performance, they retained their Leinster title.

The girls taking part on Saturday are Avril Spain, Niamh Delaney, Sarah Kenny, Valene Greer and Zoe Rooney.

Avril, who reached the Leinster final of Junior Scór in 2014, is a talented footballer and was part of Niamh Ciaran’s five-in-a-row team. She also has All-Ireland schools and club medals. She is now doing her masters for teaching in University of Limerick.

Niamh won the Offaly Scór title in recitation in 2012. She is a property management officer in Limerick. Sarah just graduated in bio-chemistry in NUI Galway and is currently working as a graduate intern.

Valene won Junior Scór solo singing in Offaly in 2013. She has performed at her Majesty’s Theatre in London. She completed her masters in UL Limerick and is currently teaching in Ard Scoil Mhuire, Ballinasloe.

Zoe completed her masters in UL Limerick and is on the teaching staff of Tullamore College. Revina Devery was also a member of the group in the early years.

Eamon Flynn has been the chief organiser of Scór for a long number of years and on Saturday he will be presiding over his 13th All-Ireland final of which five were won.

Ferbane GAA wishes all involved the best of luck on Saturday.