Emma O'Sullivan with John O'Halloran on melodeon.

Sean nos dancer Emma O’Sullivan hails from from Renvyle in Connemara. She took up sean nos dancing in 2005 while a business and marketing student at university in Galway and by 2009, at the age of 24, had won the All-Ireland Sean Nos Dancing title at Oireachtas na Samhna in Letterkenny.

She has danced in the United States, Europe and the Phillipines and now teaches sean nos full-time to children in north Connemara in particular and at weekend dance workshops in the region. She regularly performs for functions at Renvyle House where her father is chef.

“The dancing of Seosamh O Neachtain and the playing of Marcus Hernon and family are what inspire my style of stepping. They are the originals. I learned from Padraig Hopkins (O hOicibin) of Casla and I’m proud to say I’ve learned from the best,” she says.

She won widespread admiration in early 2010 when she has won through to the finals of the RTE All Ireland Talent Competition. She was accompanied by Galway-based melodeon player John O’Halloran from the well-known Inishboffin musical family.