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Andrea O’Donoghue and Declan Smith participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
A SWELTERING night outside was matched by red-hot dancing inside as Tralee Rugby Club hosted its first ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel.
Eleven couples took to the floor for a fantastic night of fun and entertainment for the over 500 people present. After a haka to kick the evening off, the opening dance saw contestants don Munster and Tralee RFC gear for an exhilarating start.
As the night progressed, each couple showed how far they had progressed under the tutelage of choreographer Jackie O’Mahoney.
Continued below…
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The four judges tasked with choosing a winner on the night are Siobhan Fleming (Munster Captain), Ciara Griffin (Irish Captain), Mike Keane (Incoming Munster Branch President) and local celebrity and strictly fanatic Kevin Finn.
MCs Brendan Kennelly and Orlagh Winters proved a dynamic duo interviewing the contestants and teasing out the judges opinions.
In the end they went for Simon Behan and Amy Kelly who won €200 for their chosen charity Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus, while the public vote went to Andrea O’Donoghue and Declan Smith who won €200 for the Kerry Hospice.
The 11 couples taking part were; Maura Collins and Joe Quilter, Sharon Hayes and George Philip, Grace O’Donnell and David Fitzgerald, Imelda Roche and Mark Moloney, Marguerite Moloney and Michael Maher, Gina Durran and Simon Coffey, Amy Kelly and Simon Behan, Ríona Kennedy and Eoin Sayers, Nuala O’Connor and Gavin Lyons, Aoife O’Carroll and Pa O’Regan and Andrea O’Donoghue and Declan Smith.
The event was held to raise funds for the redevelopment of their pitches and to support their rapidly expanding juvenile section which has seen big increases year on year. Scroll down for photos (we’ll have more later)…
The judges Mike Keane, Ciara Griffin, Siobhan Fleming and Kevin Finn at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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The contestants at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Contestants Andrea O’Donoghue, Nuala O’Connor, Amy Kelly, Ríona Kennedy, Maura Collins at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Contestants Aoife O’Carroll, Grace O’Donnell and Marguerite Crowley at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Ríona Kennedy catching a lineout ball in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Contestants participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Contestants participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Contestants participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Getting a leg-up in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Contestants participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Contestants participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Eileen Roche, Therese O’Flaherty and Mairead Roche at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
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Mary Browne, Nuala O’Connor and Amy Roche at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Helen, Cillian and Caragh Coffey at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Anne Coffey, Ciara Coakley and Peter Coffey at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Doreen, Sheila and Marilyn Brosnan at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Dan Tierney and Tracy Tierney at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Practising the lineout at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Noreen Ashe, Maureen Kennedy and Elaine Kennedy at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
Contestants participating in the opening dance at the Tralee Rugby Club’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ event in the Ballyroe Heights Hotel on Friday night. Photo by Dermot Crean
