Category: Irish Set

Description:

This set was composed by Michael Ryan, who wanted his home town of Birr, Co Offaly, to have a set of its own. Originally from Ennis, Co Clare, Michael had a passion for the Caledonian. He passed away in April 2012.
Notes by Pat Murphy from June/July 2012 issue of Set Dancing News. Reproduced with permission.

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Figure 1: Reverse and Chain (Reel)

112 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

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1	Everyone Lead Around Lead around anticlockwise, with the gent’s right arm over the lady’s shoulder, holding right hand in right and left hand in left, left hands in front.	8
2	Lead Back Turn clockwise on the spot, keeping the gent on the inside and lead back clockwise, gent’s left arm over the lady’s shoulder.	8
3	Swing In céilí hold.	8
4	Tops Reverse Around In waltz hold, top couples reverse the lady to the next position on the right (2b), turn half clockwise in this position (2b), then the lady reverses the gent to the next position and all couples half turn again (4b). All movements are repeated, dancing around the set to finish at home (8b).	16
5	Ladies Chain Chain with right hands in the centre and turn under the opposite gent’s left arm as they dance around him while he stays facing into the set. They then dance back and around their own partners into place, passing their own partners left shoulder to left without taking hands.	8
6	Wheel Join right hands in the centre and dance around, then join left hands and dance back to place.	8
7	Everyone Swing In place.	8
8	Sides Dance 4 to 6	32
9	Everyone Swing In place.	8
10	House In waltz hold.	8

Figure 2: Sevens and Full Chain (Jig)

120 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

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1	Everyone Lead Around Lead around anticlockwise dancing the skip step, with the gent’s right arm over the lady’s shoulder, holding right hand in right and left hand in left, left hands in front.	8
2	Lead Back Turn clockwise on the spot, keeping the gent on the inside and lead back clockwise, gent’s left arm over the lady’s shoulder.	8
3	Swing In céili hold.	8
4	Tops 7's in & back, house across Dance sevens to the centre and back, then house to opposite positions, dancing skip steps.	8
5	7's in & back, house home Dance sevens to the centre and back, then house back to their own places.	8
6	Ladies Chain Chain with right hands in the centre and turn under the opposite gent’s left arm as they dance around him while he stays facing into the set. They then dance back and around their own partners into place, passing their own partners left shoulder to left without taking hands.	8
7	Everyone Swing In place.	8
8	Sides Dance 4 to 6	24
9	Everyone Swing In place.	8
10	Full Chain Face their own partners in place, take right hand in right and chain all around the set, gents dancing anticlockwise and ladies dancing clock wise. When partners meet in opposite positions, each lady turns anticlockwise under her partners right hand and all then continue the chain back to home.	16
11	Swing In place.	8
12	House In waltz hold.	8

Figure 3: Ladies move on (Hornpipe)

144 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

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1	Everyone Advance and retire twice In a circle	8
2	Body In waltz hold, dance one step to the centre and back, then turn clockwise into the next position on their right (4 bars). They repeat these movements three times as they dance around the set (12b)	16
3	House In waltz hold.	8
4	Ladies move on Circle, step in and out once as in the body (2b), then gents turn clockwise on the inside to the position on their left while ladies dance on the outside to the position on their right (2b) and all dance in place with their new partners (4b).	8
5	Repeat 2 to 4 This time, they meet their own partners in opposite positions.	32
6	Repeat 2 to 4	32
7	Repeat 2 to 4 This time, all meet their own partners back at home.	32
8	House In waltz hold.	8

Figure 4: Final mixer (Polka)

144 Bars + 8 bar lead-in

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1	Everyone Advance and retire twice In a circle	8
2	Lead around With the gent’s right arm over the ladies shoulder, holding right hand in right and left hand in left.	8
3	Swing In place in céilí hold.	8
4	Ladies Ladies Star & move on Join right hands in a star in the centre, dance around, turn and join left hands and dance back, passing inside their own partners to move to the next position on their right, passing outside the next gent into the lady’s position to form a circle.	8
5	Everyone Dance 1 to 4 So that the ladies finish back in their own places.	96
6	Advance and retire twice In a circle	8
7	House In waltz hold to finish.	8

Added on 2012-10-01 11:49:52.
Modified on 2016-07-06 20:58:21.
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