For two weeks the ESB Feis Ceoil was held in the RDS in Dublin. Music could be heard around every corner. There were numerous competitions for piano, voice, strings, wind and brass instruments as well as chamber music, choir and conducting competitions. Most of the choirs were from schools and institutions around Ireland. My cello competition took place on Tuesday April 1st, which also happened to be choir day. As I prepared up in the Dodder Suite, near a balcony, school choirs were warming up on the grass outside. There were some boys playing football. There were 15 people in my competition. I am friends with many of them. We all wanted to win. We also wished each person good luck as they went out to perform. I finally got to perform and won 2nd prize. The next thing, an RTE camera crew came in and asked my mum could they talk to me. They asked me how long I practiced for each day and then how did I manage homework plus an hour of practice each day! Then they filmed me playing. After that my mum, my dad and I celebrated with lunch and then went home to prepare for the next day. I am now preparing for other events and my exams in the summer.
By Catherine Cotter