Because I really enjoyed Mick Mulkerrin's Irischer Herbst 2004 set dancing class, I couldn't resist to participate again. As before, I attended only the advanced class because of the overlap of the beginners' class with Patrick O'Dea's sean nos workshop.
The workshop was quite interesting: the Williamstown Set was the only set that I had encountered before. You may want to have a look at that page since I added videos of a few figures.
Fermanagh Quadrilles
Fermanagh is a county in Northern Ireland. Besides this set, it has also a reel set, simply called The Fermanagh Set, associated with its name.
There is currently just one on-line description for this set, as usual, from Joseph O'Hara.
Music for the set can be found on Vol. 10 of Matt Cunningham's collection
You can find the set on video as well: Set dancing made easy, Vol.2.
Finntown Set
Finntown (or Fintown) is a very small village in Donegal, primarily known for his old railway.
I did not find any on-line description of this nice little set that has only two figures, nor any music. Also Mick had to search for tunes of the appropriate length while teaching.
But thanks to the nice collaboration with Dancilla, you can find here the videoshots that I took from the first and second figure.
Claddagh Set
This set is named after Ireland's symbol for love, friendship and loyalty. An on-line explanation is available thanks to the Newcastle Irish Set Dancers;
Music for it is on:
You can find the set also on the commercially available video: Set dancing made easy, Vol.1. Or you can look at video clips that we took from the first, second, and third figure.
Limerick Orange and Green
I'm not sure at all, but it might be that this set refers to the 16th century struggle between Irish Catholics (green) and Protestants (orange). After William of Orange (William III) ascended the throne of England in 1688, the exiled James II made an attempt to regain a Catholic Stuart crown in Ireland where a rebellion led by Richard Talbot had temporarily overthrown English rule. He landed his forces in Cork in 1689 and with French and Irish allies laid siege to Londonderry, defended by the Scotch-Irish men loyal to William III. The king took to the field himself and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Irish army on the banks of the Boyne. James fled to France but the Irish continued the ferocious struggle for two more years until English victory and the signing of the treaty of Limerick.
There are a few on-line descriptions for this set:
Music for it is on Vol 7 of Matt Cunningham's Dance Music Of Ireland.
Kildownet Half Set
This is a very nice set for if you are short of people. That must have been the case in Kildownet, a village on Achill Island in Mayo County.
There are a few on-line descriptions for this set:
I have not been able to find a CD that has music for this set on it. You'll have to find tunes of the appropriate length yourself.
