Sheila Ryan has been running Thomondgate Productions from her home on Long   Island in New York since December 1998. ( ...why the name Thomondgate Productions?  Because her Father is from Thomondgate, County Limerick, Ireland.)

Her dancing career started at the young age of 4 with the Donny Golden school in New York.  After winning many competitions in North America, she went on to place in the top ten of the Irish Dancing World competition held in Ireland. At the age of 17, Sheila started touring with many Irish-American music groups such as Cherish the Ladies, Greenfields of America, Andy Cooney and many local New York bands.  She became more well known after touring many times with The Chieftains.  Sheila is seen, dancing solo, in their video, "Another Country".  Most of her life has been dedicated to her love of Irish dancing.     

Years with Riverdance

In May of 1996, Sheila auditioned for "Riverdance the Show" and became one of the first American members to be involved in a traveling Irish Dance show.  She shared the stage with Jean Butler and Colin Dunne.  Since then, many Americans have become "Riverdancers" and hopefully many more will follow. In October of 1998, Sheila organized, on her own, for a semi-instructional video to be made to show all the many different types of Ceili dancing.  This video, Dancing at the Crossroads,  was shot in two days in the lovely Burren Bar and Restaurant in Boston, Massachusetts.

She hopes to help keep dance and music alive and bring it to many people in the year 2000. Her future plans include opening her own school of Irish Dance.

Camp Rince Ceol is an Irish Dance Camp held for 9 - 17 year olds in the beautiful Catskill Mountains outside New York during the summer. For more details please visit Sheila's Web Site at www.thomondgate.com