shannon flecke

St. Louis Irish Arts www.slia.org

Shannon Flecke

Shannon began dance and tin whistle lessons at St. Louis Irish Arts at the age of four. She was a member of the senior grupai cheoil ensemble from St. Louis Irish Arts that won the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann title in 2004 and returned to compete in 2007. As a St. Louis Irish Arts student, Shannon worked under the guidance of Helen Gannon and Erin Wegmann to compete in the preliminary championship level of Irish dance.

Shannon earned the Gold Congressional Medal in 2003. In 2007, she graduated from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana with a bachelor of arts degree in history and English writing. While at Saint Mary’s, Shannon collaborated with over twenty other competitive Irish dancers within the college community to form the current University of Notre Dame Irish Dance Team.

Shannon is the Youth Officer of the North American Province of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, a position she has held since 2005. At the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Tullamore 2007 and also 2008, Shannon worked with fellow Comhaltas Youth

Officers to offer several unique opportunities for young Irish musicians at the Fleadh, including the World Youth Concert and the Youth Parade into the square for the World’s Largest Session.

Shannon currently teaches Irish dancing at St. Louis Irish Arts. She joined the 2008 cast of Bru Boru, the Comhaltas cultural center of Cashel, Tipperary, Ireland, as an Irish dancer for the summer season. She manages the new St. Louis Irish Arts website. Shannon is also working dilligently to create exciting events including the introduction of Siamsa na nOg, the North American youth performance group that will debut at the Comhaltas Convention to be held in St. Louis in April 2009.

Shannon at the 2007 Parade

with Liam Guiney & Helen Gannon 2008

“Larkin’s Advance/Gan Ainm”

St. Louis Irish Arts III

SLIA Grupai Cheoil with Shannon Flecke on whistle

“Valse a Donald”

St. Louis Irish Arts IV

SLIA Grupai Cheoil with Shannon Flecke on whistle