Thousands of Irish musical enthusiasts from all over the country made their way to Killarney over the weekend to attend the annual AIMS (Association of Irish Musical Societies) awards - or what is best described as, the Irish version of the Tony Awards.
What a weekend for NRMS. #AIMS2017 you have been amazing.. best overall show nomination. best director & best Comedienne win. #aimsover&out pic.twitter.com/lC3TZ7snM2
— New Ross MS (@NewRossMS) June 18, 2017
With awards such as Best Actor, Best Chorus, Best Technical and Best Overall Show up for grabs, the stakes were high for the 130 musical societies across the country.
The winners were announced - to over 1,300 attendees and thousands more viewing online - by Today FM’s Fergal D’Arcy at a gala banquet dinner in the INEC, Gleneagle Hotel on Saturday night.
Room with a view! 1200 guests seated @INECKILLARNEY and so looking the part for @aims_awards #AIMS2017 Gala Banquet and Awards tonight.. pic.twitter.com/dw3L1XxCBu
— Breffní Ingerton (@KCC_Breffni) June 17, 2017
Without further ado, here are the musical societies that took home the big prizes.
GILBERT - BEST OVERALL SHOW - WINNER WINNER WINNER - LEGALLY BLONDE - Leixlip Musical Society
GILBERT - BEST OVERALL SHOW - SECOND PLACE
Kilkenny Musical Society PARADE
GILBERT - BEST OVERALL SHOW - THIRD PLACE
Tullamore Musical Society - SWEENEY TODD
SULLIVAN - BEST OVERALL SHOW - WINNER WINNER WINNER - CLARA MS - CATS
SULLIVAN - BEST OVERALL SHOW - SECOND - Twin Production - SPAMALOT
SULLIVAN - BEST OVERALL SHOW - THIRD - Banbridge Musical Society - Little Shop
SULLIVAN - SPIRIT OF AIMS Nicole Lamb as Maureen in Rent for Dunboyne Musical Society
GILBERT - SPIRIT OF AIMS - Limerick Musical Society - Arbiter’s Song - Chess
GILBERT - BEST DIRECTOR - Christine Scarry - Parade - Kilkenny Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST DIRECTOR - Derek Shannon - Singin’ In The Rain - New Ross Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Shane Farrell - Sweeney Todd - Bravo Theatre Group, Loughrea
GILBERT - BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR - Dermot O’Callaghan - Sweeney Todd - @Teachers Musical Society
GILBERT - BEST CHOREOGRAPHY - Claire Tighe - Legally Blonde - Leixlip Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST CHOREOGRAPHY - Katie Duffy - In The Heights - UCD Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST ENSEMBLE - South Eastern Theatre Group - Light At The End Of The Tunnel - Starlight Express
GILBERT - BEST ENSEMBLE - “Brotherhood of Man”- How To Succeed in Business… HXT musical society
GILBERT - BEST FEMALE SINGER - Ciara Mackey - Janet Van De Graaff - The Drowsy Chaperone - Newcastle Glees
SULLIVAN - BEST FEMALE SINGER - Katie Creaven - Mrs Lovett - Sweeney Todd - Bravo Theatre Group, Loughrea
SULLIVAN - BEST MALE SINGER - Robert Kelly - Marius - Les Miserables - Belfast School Of Performing Arts
GILBERT - BEST MALE SINGER - Michael Hayes - Leo Frank - Parade - Kilkenny Musical Society
GILBERT - BEST ACTRESS - Bronwyn Andrews - Mrs Lovett - Sweeney Todd - Teachers Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST ACTRESS - Derry Keeling - Lucille Frank -Parade - UCD Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST ACTOR - Chris Willetts - Cervantes/Don Quixote - Man Of La Mancha - @MuseProdShannon
GILBERT - BEST ACTOR - Paddy McGennity - Man in Chair - The Drowsy Chaperone - Newcastle Glees
GILBERT - BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Irene Malone - Paulette - Legally Blonde - Carrick Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Karen McCourt - Gertrude McFuzz - Seussical - Baldoyle Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Colin Gilligan - Hugh Dorsey- Parade - UCD Musical Society
GILBERT - BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - Eoghan Fingleton - Tobias - Sweeney Todd - Tullamore Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST COMEDIENNE - Jacqueline Brunton - Elle - Legally Blonde - Leixlip Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST COMEDIENNE - Caroline O’Connell - Lina Lamont - Singin’ In The Rain - @New Ross Musical Society
SULLIVAN - BEST COMEDIAN - John Byrne - Bill Snibson Me And My Girl - Claremorris Musical Society
GILBERT - BEST COMEDIAN - Kerry Rooney - Bill Snibson Me and My Girl - St Agnes’ Choral Society, Belfast
GILBERT - BEST CHORUS - Tullamore Musical Society -Sweeney Todd
SULLIVAN - BEST CHORUS - St Mary’s Musical Society, Navan - All Shook Up
SULLIVAN - BEST STAGE MANAGEMENT - Newbridge Musical Society - Sweeney Todd - Tom Kavanagh
GILBERT - BEST STAGE MANAGEMENT - Belfast Operatic Company - Jekyll and Hyde - Marie Cusack
GILBERT - BEST TECHNICAL - Tralee Musical Society - Jesus Christ Superstar
SULLIVAN - BEST TECHNICAL - Ulster Operatic Company -Ghost
SULLIVAN - BEST VISUAL - CLARA - CATS
GILBERT - BEST VISUAL - Wexford Light Opera Society - 9 To 5
BEST HOUSE MANAGEMENT - GILBERT - Castlerea Musical Society Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
BEST HOUSE MANAGEMENT - SULLIVAN - MUSE PRODUCTIONS SHANNON - MAN OF LA MANCHA
BEST PROGRAMME WINNER BELFAST SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS - LES MIS