Teachers
Lena McGinley ADCRN
Owner/Director, McGinley School of Irish Dance
Lena McGinley was born in Ireland and lived in Carrick-On-Shannon until the age of five. Her family moved to the United States in 1982. Lena began dancing at the age of seven under the direction of Donny Golden in Mineola, New York. She performed and competed with the Golden School of Irish Dancing until the age of sixteen. At the age of fifteen, along with her two sisters and 100 other champion dancers, Lena performed at Radio City Music Hall with Frank Patterson in “A Great Night for the Irish.” When she left New York, she was competing at the Preliminary Championship level in An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha.
In May 1999, Lena earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education/Mathematics from Bloomsburg University. In August 2004, she earned her Master of Education in Administration from Temple University. Lena taught secondary mathematics in the West Shore School District for seven years.
In January 2000, The Ceili Dancers (the original name of the group) were formed with six original members. Under her direction, the school has served hundreds of dancers in Central Pennsylvania.
Lena is a fully qualified teacher (O.D.C.R.N.) and adjudicator (A.D.C.R.N.) with Cumann Rince Náisiúnta (CRN, Dublin, Ireland), having completed her teacher’s degree in June 2007 and her adjudicator’s degree in October 2013. In 2022, Lena was appointed by the Panel of Examiners to serve as a teacher trainer in the United States. She has served on the Executive Committee of CRN in addition to the North American Open, Irish Open, and World Open Championship Committees.
Annie McGinley ODCRN
Teacher, McGinley School of Irish Dance
Annie McGinley, the youngest of the three McGinley girls, joined the McGinley School in December 2006. Annie was born in Mineola, New York, and began dancing at the age of 5 under the direction of Donny Golden. When the family relocated to Hershey, Annie trained under Maureen O’Grady in Bethlehem, PA. She has performed at Radio City Music Hall and Carnegie Hall and competed through Preliminary Championship Level in An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha. Since rejoining the McGinley School of Irish Dance, Annie has reentered the competition world. At the 2010 Irish Open Championships, Annie won the Over 21 Ardghrád Award and became a Champion, Craobhghrád, dancer within Cumann Rince Náisiúnta. She has placed as high as 3rd in the senior championship at the Irish Open Championships and 3rd in the World Open Championships. She was also a three time North American Open Champion before retiring from competitive dancing in 2018.
In December 2006, Annie earned a Bachelor of Administration degree in Business Management with a focus in Music Management from Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Annie is also a fully qualified teacher (O.D.C.R.N.) with Cumann Rince Náisiúnta (Dublin, Ireland), having completed her degree in June 2010.
Annie brings her extensive experience in theatre and stage performance to the school. She has co-produced, with Lena, three full theatre shows and numerous dance dramas and freestyles.
Original costume design and logo artwork was created by Danielle McGinley.