Kevin McKee Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of the Preliminary Championship Under 12 (Comp PC12)
Christopher Paul Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of the Preliminary Championship Under 18 (Comp PC18).
Edward Patrick Wright Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of Open Championship Under 19 (Comp C19)
Cathy Gallant-Lim Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of the Treble Reel 15 and Over (Comp TR99)
Rene and Peggy Deprez Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of Open Championship Under 11 (Comp C11)
Winners must arrange for the return the trophies to the feis on or before the following year's event. If the trophy requires any repairs, the trophy must be returned at least 60 days prior to the next year's event.
Due to changes in the OC age groups since the inception of these perpetual trophies, please note the changes to the competitions for the Open Championship trophies effective July 2013.
- Kevin McKee was a St. Catharines boy, the son of Irish parents who supported the St. Catharines feis from the very first feis in 1976. His mother Mary was a great Irish dancer and danced in many of the adult teams for the Bryan School of Irish Dance. RIP
Christopher Paul Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of the Preliminary Championship Under 18 (Comp PC18).
- Christopher was a member of the Paul family from Niagara-on-the-Lake. Christopher’s aunts, sister and cousins all danced for Mary Bryan for many years, and Paul Family members, including Christopher, were all dedicated St. Catharines Feis workers. Christopher was killed in a car accident in March 1990, just four days after his seventeenth birthday. On the trophy is engraved the familiar Irish Blessing, “May the Good Lord Hold you in the Hollow of His Hand.”
Edward Patrick Wright Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of Open Championship Under 19 (Comp C19)
- Edward Wright (1988-2006), his sister Kerianne, and mom Dolores have been a big part of the family of the Bryan School of Irish Dance (now Taylor Academy). Edward danced for Mary Bryan for 4 years, frequenting taking top honours in his competition levels before leaving this art form to pursue wakeboarding, where he quickly qualified and again took top honours at the junior level of the sport. Edward was known for his smile, his focused determination in whatever endeavor he was pursuing and his absolute love of life. This determination for excellence is what we celebrate today in presenting this award to the winner of the Open Championship over 17.
Cathy Gallant-Lim Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of the Treble Reel 15 and Over (Comp TR99)
- Kathy Gallant was a founding dancer in the Bryan School of Irish Dance. She loved to dance and although never competed, she loved to help at the St. Catharines Feis and performed in the larger group dances. She was always smiling and saw to it that the "babies" in the dance class always had something to enjoy. When she married she moved to Toronto where she worked in a large child day care. Kathy died as a result of complications related to her life-long battle with diabetes.
Rene and Peggy Deprez Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the first place winner of Open Championship Under 11 (Comp C11)
- Rene was no stranger to Irish dancing in Ontario. A native of Belgium, with a bit of an Irish heart, he and his wife Peggy were the very first supporters of the Bryan School and the St. Catharines Feis. Peggy was from Waterford, Ireland. They raised 7 children together, 4 of whom danced, and made sure that they all knew their Irish roots. We are certain that Rene and Peggy run the greatest Feis in Heaven. We will always hear Rene saying "five bucks" to anyone wanting in. Rene and Peggy looked after the trophies, medals and the door at the St. Catharines Feis, as well as all of the local Feisanna and the Oireachtasii for many years, with the help of Jim Smyth of course. Their unwaivering support of their own children and all of the Irish dancers in St. Catharines will never be forgotten.
Winners must arrange for the return the trophies to the feis on or before the following year's event. If the trophy requires any repairs, the trophy must be returned at least 60 days prior to the next year's event.
Due to changes in the OC age groups since the inception of these perpetual trophies, please note the changes to the competitions for the Open Championship trophies effective July 2013.
