Traditional Irish Dance

Traditional Irish dancing has been occurring in Ireland for centuries. The early form of Irish dancing was always changing with the influence of migrating populations. Each group of people had their own particular dance and music. Over time Ireland was invaded by various groups such as the Celts and the Normans both of these groups introduced their own dance and music to Ireland. With all of these groups intermingling Irish Dance was being continually altered by various influences.

By the sixteenth century there were three main Irish dances that were repeatedly mentioned. These are Rinnce Fada (long dance), the Trenchmore and the Irish Hey One of the first times we hear about these dances is in a letter to Queen Elizabeth I in 1569 by Sir Henry Sydney. Sir Henry describes his experience of watching Irish dancing in Galway as beautiful and of high quality along with mentioning various dance formations including dancing in lines.

By the mid-sixteenth century is was popular for Irish dancing to be performed in castles and some were even introduced at the court of Queen Elizabeth, in particular the Irish Hey. The Irish Hey is the early form of what is now called a reel.

Besides being a form of entertainment Irish Dance was also performed during a wake. At a wake bagpipe music would be played and the attendees would form a circle around the coffin moving in a circle to the music.

In the eighteenth century we see the first appearance of the Irish Dance Master. The job of the Irish Dance Master was to teach Irish Dance to the local peasants. He would move from village to village teaching his dancing skills. There was a very strict honour code amongst Irish Dance Masters that they would not encroach on the territory of another. There was also fierce competition between Irish Dance Masters when they met at fairs challenging each other to dance offs that only ended when one could not go on any longer.

Up until the end of the eighteenth century Irish Dancing was mainly group dances. But at the end of the eighteenth century solo dancing otherwise called step dancing became popular.