About Us

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About the Academy

Academy Motto

About the Director

St. Patrick's Day parade, Park Slope

Great Irish Fair, Coney Island

Many of the students have represented the Academy at various feisianna (competitions) over the summer and were quite successful. 

Not only the children have all the fun, however. Members of the adult classes have competed and won in many of the feisianna and are currently preparing to again compete in the Eastern Regional Championships where they have been victorious.   

Enjoy yourself!  It doesn't get any simpler.

Enjoying the dancing is the main thing I want my students to walk away with each week after class.

One very important message I try to get through is that when competing, even against others from their own school, the students never let winning get in the way of our friendships. I remind them that a win for our school is just that, and we all share in the victory.

I feel at times that it is easy to lose sight of what Irish dance is all about.  It is there to remind us of who we are and where we come from, to help us take pride in our Celtic heritage and to promote our culture to the world.

After that, everything else is secondary!

I have always been very proud of my Irish heritage. From only a few months old, I spent every summer in Ireland. My father, Thomas O'Malley, was from County Galway and my mother, Kathleen Murray-O'Malley -- although Brooklyn "born-and-bred" -- was practically a "native" of her father's town in County Westmeath and her mother's village in County Longford.

Most of my fondest memories of childhood and my teenage years come from the times spent with my cousins in Ireland. My parents instilled in me from a young age a pride in my Irish heritage and a love of its culture. There was never a weekend in the house without the Irish program on and one Sunday a month was spent together at a "seisiun" of the local Irish musicians.

I first began my Irish dance career at the age of 5 with my mother and later moved on to study under the direction of Maureen Meehan-Bakke. I competed successfully all over the United States and in Ireland. I have had the honor of performing in City Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Liberty Island and on television.

In 1994, I took the Irish dance teacher's exam and opened my own school in Marine Park, Brooklyn. This year celebrates our school's 11th anniversary. When I first opened the school, I was working full time for Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette (now Credit Suisse First Boston) and enjoyed a successful 7 year career. I began my teaching career with only Adult Ceili classes.

I was married to my wonderful husband, John Byrnes, in December 1998. John, too, embraces his Irish roots, and has been a member of the NYC Dept of Corrections Bagpipe band since 1992.

When I gave birth to our first child in 2000, I decided to retire from the brokerage industry to become a "full- time Mom." This also enabled me to devote more time to the school. It really is a family affair. John handles the "business end" of the school to allow me the freedom to teach. Our three children, Katie, Jack and Tommy come with us each week to class. My daughter, now four years old, is thoroughly enjoying her second year of step-dancing.

I feel very strongly about community involvement. I am a major degree member of the LAOH Div. 19, a major degree member of the Columbiettes division of the Knights of Columbus # 126, a member of the Good Shepherd Catholic Club and I serve my parish as both an Elizabeth Minister and a Minister of Holy Communion.

I now teach in 3 locations; two in Brooklyn and one in Breezy Point, N.Y. I have enjoyed much success with the school competitively in local, regional and national competitions. Our dancers have performed all over the East Coast, including performances in Florida with famed Irish tenor, Frank Patterson and Paddy Reilly. Our dancers perform annually at Brooklyn Borough Hall, City Hall, Ellis Island, Shea Stadium, Brooklyn Museum of Art, the NY Great Irish Fair and various local parades and venues. We have enjoyed performances on Carnival Cruise Lines, The NBC Today Show, Catholic Charities television, Ft. Hamilton Military Base, and on the pilot episode of the NBC television drama, TRINITY.

I have also had the great honor of serving as an aide to the Grand Marshall in the Brooklyn St. Patrick's Day Parade. Each year our school hosts its annual dance. The main purpose of the dance is to raise funds so that we can better help our students. The school, each year, is able to pay a third of each child's dance costume, to award 2 Irish dance scholarships and 1 college scholarship, to sponsor a local youth basketball team and to serve as a sponsor for another school's sports program. We take our students on an annual class trip to Connecticut as well for the New Haven Feis & fair.

Maureen O'Malley-Byrnes, husband John,
and one of the Junior Ceili Teams

Future Irish step dancer Katie
with her medals at a feis!

The main focus of my school has always been summed up in one word: "fun." I tell my dancers all the time that 20 years from now, no one will remember who placed 1st in a feis, but you will remember the good times and the friendships you've made in Irish dancing. The goal of my teaching is to pass on my love for the Irish culture and it's traditions to new generations. I want my dancers to enjoy the time they spend involved in Irish dancing.

We have a wonderful group of people in our school that include women and men that range in age from 3 years to 63 years + from all over Brooklyn and parts of Long Island and New Jersey. We've essentially become like one big family. I consider myself very lucky to have the chance to be a part of their lives and have them a part of mine. Having the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of my dancers, both young and "not so young" is the greatest reward.

Many jobs have "perks" and mine include smiles and hugs from my youngest dancers, confidences from my teenagers and true friendship with my adults. I simply love my job and hope that I will always be able to "dance my way through life."

Notworthy Accomplishments
Maureen O'Malley-Byrnes was selected by Irish American Magazine as one of the Top 100 Irish Americans of 2004! She received her award at a gala reception at NYC's Plaza Hotel on March 16! Maureen was also honored by NY State Sen. Marty Golden at his March 23 Irish Heritage Celebration for her outstanding service and commitment to community!

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