Tá beagnach 50 páiste ó Rang 4, 5 agus 6 ag cleachtadh go dian don léiriú seo ag am lóin agus tar éis scoile le míonna anuas, faoi stiúir Mhúinteoirí Clár, Mairéad agus Jill. Tá na caraictéirí ar fad le feiceáil ar an stáitse ón gceoldráma iontach seo, ina measc, Scar, Simba, Rafiki agus Nala.

Cuireadh an seó seo ar an stáitse don chéad uair ag babhta réigiúnda Choirm i Ros Mhic Treoin. Bíonn moltóirí I láthair ag gach ceann de na féilte seo agus cuireann siad meastóireacht ar an léiriú ar fáil do gach scoil. Ina theannta sin, roghnaíonn na moltóirí gnéithe sontasacha a bhfuil ard mholadh tuillte acu agus bronntar gradaim speisialta bunaithe orthu sin. Bhí na moltóirí lán de mholadh do cheoldráma ár scoile, a bhí go hiomlám trí mheán na Gaeilge. Ghnóthaigh na páistí trí ghradam a thug aitheantas don ard chaighdeán trasna an bhoird, don obair fhoirne agus don choreoghrafaíocht, don drámaíocht agus don cheol.

Ba mar chuid de na babhtaí áitiúla don Fhéile Náisiúnta Scoildrámaíochta a cuireadh “Rí na Leon” ar an stáitse don chéad uair eile. Tá sé mar éiteas ag an eagraíocht náisiúnta seo “saol pháistí scoile a shoilsiú tré dhrámaíocht atá tré mheán na Gaeilge”. Meallann an comórtas sontasach seo breis is 10,000 páistí ó gach réigiún sa tír gach bliain.

B’í Rita Kelly, scríbhneoir agus file sa Ghaeilge agus sa Bhéarla, a bhí mar mholtóir ag an mbabhta seo a bhí ar siúl in Ostán Seven Oaks mar chuid de Sheachtain na Gaeilge. Ba mhór an lúcháir a bhí ar na páistí nuair a roghnaíodh iad chun dul ar aghaidh go dtí an babhta réigiúnda sa Mhuileann Gearr. Bronnadh “Gradam na Féile” ar “Rí na Leon” – buaiteoir an bhabhta réigiúnda.

De bharr líon na n-iarratas ar an bhféile seo, reachtáiltear an chraobh naisiúnta thar roinnt laethanta. Bhí smidiú, gruaig, fearas stáitse is eile réidh go luath chun tabhairt faoin mbóthar go dtí an Muileann Gearr. Ní thugtar na torthaí ar lá an léiriú ach bhíodar le fógairt tré shuíomh idirlín Fhéile ar 4 i.n. ar an gCéadaoin, 25ú Aibreán. D’fhan múinteoirí , páistí agus tuismitheoirí siar ar scoil chun na torthaí a chloisteáil agus ba bheag nár ardaigh díon na scoile leis an liú nuair a chualathas go raibh an chraobh náisiúnta ina rannóg bainte amach ag an nGaelscoil!

Seachas sos a thógáil ón dianobair ar fad, tá na múinteoirí agus páistí ag obair faoi láthair ar leagan Béarla den cheoldráma, a bheidh ar stáitse Amharclann G.B.S. ar an 15ú Bealtaine ar 7 i.n. Mar a thuigfeá, tá an-éileamh ar na ticéid. Is féidir teacht ar na cinn deiridh tré bualadh isteach go hoifig an hamharclainne nó tré ghlaoch orthu ag 059 917 2400. Ná caill an deis an seó iontach seo a fheiceáil!

Buíochas ó chroí leis na múinteoirí a thug an deis do na páistí páirt a ghlacadh in eispéaras chomh speisialta leis seo!

Almost 50 children from 4th, 5th and 6th classes have been in rehearsal for the production over the past number of months under the tutelage of An M. Clár, An M. Mairéad and An M. Jill, through many lunchtimes and after-school sessions. All of the characters from the much loved animation are to be seen such as Scar, Simba, Rafika and Nala.

The first performance was at the regional Coirm theatre festival in New Ross. There are adjudicators present at each of the Coirm festivals. They provide each school with a critique on their performance. The adjudicators also chooses a number of outstanding performances from the shows that are deserving of special merit awards. The adjudicators were fulsome in their praise of the musical, which was entirely through the Irish language. The cast swept a total of 3 awards for the overall excellence of the show, for team work and for the choreography, drama and music.

The next outing of “Rí na Leon” was as part of the regional qualifiers for the national Féile Scoildrámaíochta. The ethos of this countrywide organization is “to illuminate the life of school children though the medium of Irish drama”. This prestigious competition attracts over 10,000 children each year, from schools all over the island.

Rita Kelly, writer of poetry, fiction and drama in both English and Irish, was the adjudicator at this event held in the Seven Oaks hotel as part of Seachtain na Gaeilge. The Gaelscoil pupils were delighted to be selected to go forward to the national finals of the Féíle in Mullingar. “Rí na Leon” also captured “Gradam na Féile”- the overall award of the regional festival.

Hair, make up and props all had to be in order for an early start on the road to Mullingar for the finals, which due to the huge volume of entries is held over a number of days. Results are hence not given on any one day and were announced via the Féile website at 4 p.m. on Wednesday the 25th of April. Teachers, cast and parents remained at school to watch for the results and the cheer that erupted when the show was named a national winner was deafening!

Not content to rest on their laurels, the múinteorí and students are now busy rehearsal for an English version of the show which will be staged in the G.B.Shaw theatre on Tuesday the 15th of May at 7 p.m. Tickets are, as one can imagine, in great demand. The last few tickets can be booked through the Visual booking office by calling in person or by ringing the Box Office on 059 917 2400. Don’t miss your chance to see this stunning theatrical experience!

Míle buíochas to the múinteóirí who have given up so much of their time to give the páistí such a wonderful experience.