Band / Cast

Danny McGuinness is a professional traditional Irish musician and tin whistle player from Glasgow, Scotland, best known for touring globally with the stage show Irish Celtic and performing alongside guitarist Ciarán Cooney.  Danny also performs as a member of the folk-rock and trad outfit The Wakes and serves as a regular resident musician in Glasgow’s prominent Irish music circuit and regularly plays at major festivals and special events, including appearances at FyneFest and international Celtic music gatherings. 

Kaitlín Cullen-Verhauz is a New York-born, Dublin-based folk singer and cross-genre cellist, member of the contemporary folk collective Saltaire.  Classically trained cellist who graduated from a music conservatory at age 18, Kaitlín moved to Dublin initially via a study abroad program at The Gaiety School of Acting. She has performed globally in classical venues in New York (including Carnegie Hall) before pivoting into Irish traditional and folk music and has collaborated and toured with prominent Irish artists like Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin and Frankie Gavin & De Dannan.

Kieran is an Irish drummer, percussionist and bodhrán specialist currently working between Ireland, London and the USA. As a member of the Grammy nominated, PBS Special featured group ‘Celtic Woman’, he has toured all over the world. In 2023, he joined the Grammy winning group ‘Clannad’ for their Farewell tour. In 2025, Kieran made the move permanently to the USA and now lives in Nashville, TN where he holds the drum chair with upcoming country music sensation, ‘Gareth’. He is also a founding member of the contemporary Irish quartet North by Northwest) with the aim of fusing the old Irish/Celtic traditions with a more modern feel taking inspiration from the Motown, funk and soul genres.

Siobhan Phelan, aged 24, is an accomplished Irish dancer, performer and financial services professional whose passion for Irish dance has taken her from performing at just eight years old to stages around the world. Her love of Irish dance began at a young age. At eight, she was given her first opportunity to perform in a professional dance show. She is a member of the Lorraine Duggan Academy, under the guidance of Lorraine and Kitty.

Siobhan has enjoyed an outstanding competitive career. She is a World Champion and six-time World Championship podium placer, as well as an All-Ireland Champion and nine-time All-Ireland podium placer. Her achievements also include Great Britain, Irish National and eleven Regional Championship titles.  Her professional performance career has taken her to stages around the world. Including Riverdance at Expo 2020 Dubai and the Riverdance UK tour last year. She continues to perform with Danceperados of Ireland.
Away from the stage, Siobhan works full-time in financial services, successfully balancing her professional career with her continued passion for performing, competing and also working towards her TCRG exam.
Siobhan is absolutely thrilled to join the cast of Mná na hÉireann and portraying the figure of Countess Markievicz. She is honoured to bring such an important and fascinating figure in Irish history to life and most especially to celebrate the wonderful women who helped shape a nation.

Enya Higgins is a 21-year-old Irish dancer from Mullahoran, Co. Cavan. As the daughter of an Irish dancing teacher, she has been dancing with the
Higgins Flynn School of Dance since she was three years old.
An accomplished competitive dancer, Enya placed 6th at the 2026 World Championships in Chicago and is also an All Ireland, All Scotland and two-
time British National champion. One of her fondest memories is placing 2ndat the 2019 World Championships in Greensboro, on the same day that her brother Fionn placed 3rd. Enya is entering her fourth year studying Pharmacy at Trinity College Dublin, where she is also a member of the Irish
dancing team that won Intervarsities in 2024.
Beyond competitive dance, Enya has enjoyed a variety of performance opportunities, including dancing with Fusion Fighters at the Fleadh Cheoil,
being interviewed by BBC’s Blue Peter as part of the Riverdance Summer School Matinee and featuring as a cover girl for Irish Dancing Magazine. Enya also plays traditional piano, fiddle and harp, as well as classical piano.
She is delighted to be making her Mná na hÉireann debut, portraying Nurse Elizabeth O’ Farrell, and is excited to bring the production to life once again.

Michaela McBride O’Donoghue is a 21-year-old Irish dancer from Galway, where dancing has always been a big part of her family. She started dancing at just 3 years old, taught by her mother and aunt at the McBride School of Irish Dancing. She is currently studying at University of Galway while continuing to pursue her passion for dance. Throughout her dancing career, Michaela has achieved many successes, including multiple Connacht titles and several World Championship medals. She has also placed 2nd at the North American Nationals and 4th at both the All Scotlands and British Nationals. One of the highlights of her career was placing 4th at the All Irelands and performing with Riverdance. Michaela has also been part of Na Rinceoirí, where she was Dance Captain for their shows at the Guinness Storehouse. She has performed on TG4, RTÉ and Virgin Media, as well as at a variety of events and shows.

She is delighted to be portraying Julia Grenan in Mná Na hÉireann and is looking forward to bringing the stories of the women who shaped modern Irish history to life through Irish dance.

Cara Flannagan Walsh is a professional Irish dancer from Dublin, Ireland. Dancing since the age of three, Cara achieved remarkable success throughout her competitive career placing runner-up at the CLRG World Championships and earning a further three world podium finishes in the years that followed. She is also a five time Leinster champion. Since closing the chapter on her competitive career, Cara has performed professionally around the world, dancing across Ireland, the UK, France, Monaco, and most recently in Taiwan as a cast member of Lord of the Dance. 

Cara recently graduated from Dublin City University in 2025 with a First Class Honours BSc in Sport Science and Health. Her academic background has allowed her to bring much of what she learned throughout her degree into her dance training and performance. 

Cara is thrilled to be part of the cast of Mná na hÉireann and to have the opportunity to share the inspirational stories of Ireland’s brave women through dance. She is especially excited to debut the show in the heart of Dublin, her hometown, where many of these remarkable women once stood.

Seoda Wang is an Irish dancer from Donegal Town in the Northwest of Ireland. She is nineteen
years old and grew up competing and performing with the McNelis Cunningham school. She
has travelled internationally with dance, placing 3rd at the World Championships, performing
on national TV, and dancing with the Chinese Embassy in Ireland. Seoda is also a proficient
piano player, and she now lives in Dublin where she is beginning her third year of Actuarial &
Financial Studies in UCD.

Chloe Kenna, from Carpentersown in Dublin started dancing at the age of five and dances with Scoil Rince Rhythm. Dancing has become a huge part of Chloe’s life and a passion that continues to inspire her every day.

In 2022 Chloe became All Ireland Champion and topped this in 2024 when she became World Irish Dance Champion. For the past four years, Chloe has also had the privilege of attending the Riverdance Summer School, where she has been selected each year to perform in the matinee performances alongside the Riverdance cast.

Chloe dreams of one day touring with a professional dance show and hopes to become a dance teacher in the future, inspiring the next generation to discover the same love and passion for Irish dancing that has shaped her own journey.

Being selected to perform as part of Mná na hÉireann The Show is a huge honour for Chloe, and she is incredibly excited to be part of such a special production celebrating the strength, talent and spirit of Irish women. 

Laura-Jane Leggett is a 20-year-old Irish dancer from Cavan who has been dancing since the age of three with the Onórach Mullhern Geraghty School. Irish dance has always been a huge part of her life, having grown up surrounded by it through her granny, Margaret Webber, and mother, Alison Webber, who have both taught Irish dancing throughout Cavan for many years.

Competitively, Laura placed 4th at the 2025 CLRG National Championships in Killarney, recently finished in the top 20 at the CLRG World Championships in Chicago and have been lucky enough to win the Fleadh Cheoil na hEireann as part of a Ceilí team several times. She is currently studying Irish and History at Dublin City University, and is especially excited to be part of a show that celebrates the incredible women who shaped Ireland’s history and is honoured to help tell their stories and celebrate the women who fought for Ireland’s independence through Irish dance and music!”

Daragh Roddy is a 20-year-old Irish dancer from Dundalk, Co. Louth, proudly representing the third generation of World Champions in his family. A passionate dancer from a young age, Daragh has earned an array of major competitive accolades, including a World title, three Ulster Championships, three All-Ireland Championships, and an All-Scotland Championship.

Beyond the competitive arena, Daragh is a dynamic stage performer while also continuing his studies at Ulster University, Belfast. His television highlights include performing on RTÉ’s Up for the Match to celebrate the 2025 All-Ireland Hurling Final. Following in the footsteps of his father and aunt—both former lead Irish dancers—Daragh performs with prestigious companies such as Riverdance, and he is thrilled to bring his passion and high-energy performance style to this production of Mná na h’Éireann. While the male cast perform many personae in this storytelling, Daragh is particularly honoured to portray the figure of Joseph Mary Plunkett who married Grace Gifford at Kilmainham Gaol just hours before his execution on May 4th, 1916.

Éamonn Smyth is from Ardee Co. Louth and has been dancing for 14 years. He began his dancing career at six years old with The Carol Leavy School of Irish Dance and during his time with Carol he gained incredible knowledge and technique and his love for the art form of dance. Éamonn is a member of the McGee School of Irish Dance in Dundalk and is current Irish National Champion in his age for the second year running. He is also the current Ulster champion and to date, has achieved two world medals in his competitive career. Éamonn is looking forward to competing once more at 2027 World Dance Championships in Belfast but at the moment is enjoying the rehearsals with Carol and all the creative team and cast and wishes Mná  a successful run in October at The Ambassador Theatre in Dublin.