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Perhaps the most striking thing about the Philadelphia Donegal Association’s Mary from Dungloe pageant is that the winner always seems genuinely astonished and surprised. No one goes on the stage expecting to win. The contestants seem to enjoy each other’s company, even cheer for each other. In this, the “Marys” have a lot in common with the winners of the local Rose of Tralee and the Miss Mayo contests.
In short, in addition to their undeniable accomplishments and talents, the winners happen to be nice.
Judging by the expression on Kelly Devine’s face when she became this year’s Mary from Dungloe Saturday night at the 125th Donegal Ball, she was, well … genuinely astonished and surprised.
And in a quick interview after an exhausting round of picture taking with friends, relatives, outgoing Mary from Dungloe Moira Cahill, and all the other contestants—and a serenade by the Philadelphia Irish Center’s Vince Gallagher—the 2014 Mary proved to be just what you’d expect her to be: Nice.
“I was a little shocked,” said Devine, former marketing major at St. Joseph’s University and currently a junior account executive at Brownstone PR. “I just wanted to come to the ball and have fun, to have a good time. And it was very easy to talk to the other girls here. It was like hanging out with my girlfriends. This is just the icing on the cake.”
Like Cahill, Devine is a longtime competitive Irish dancer, trained at the Coyle School of Irish Dance. She started at age 7. A back injury sidelined her at age 20, but she helps teach other dancers at the Coyle School. She credits Cahill for pushing her to compete. “Moira talked me into it. She’s been very supportive. She is a very good representative for the Donegal Association. I’m trying to live up to her.”
The pageant is typically one of the most dramatic moments at the Donegal Ball, but there were many other high points—including the selection of Carmel Boyce for the first Irene Durning Award, named for a beloved longtime member of the association. The award recognizes local people of Irish descent—they don’t have to be members of the Donegal Association—for their kindness and generosity in the Irish community, and for being a devoted supporter of the Mary from Dungloe contest. The standards are pretty high, and if you know anything at all about the Philadelphia Irish community, a lot of people meet or exceed those standards. Carmel Boyce, a leading figure in the community, sets a pretty high bar herself.
All in all, a great night for the Donegal Association, probably one of the best attended balls in recent memory. So many people crowded into the Irish Center ballroom, they had to bring in extra tables and chairs.
We have many, many photos from that night. Check them out.
