Irish solo stepdances fall into two broad categories based on the shoes worn: hard shoe (or heavy shoe) and soft shoe (or light shoe) dances.
There are four soft shoe dance styles: the reel, slip jig, light jig and single jig (also referred to as hop jig). Reels have a 4/4 (or sometimes 2/4 or 2/2) time signature. Slip jigs are in 9/8 time. Light and single jigs are in 6/8 time, with different emphasis within the measure distinguishing the music. Hard shoe dances include the hornpipe in syncopated 2/4 or 4/4 time, the treble jig (also called the heavy jig or hard jig) in a slow 6/8, the treble reel (heavy dance done to reel music) and traditional sets, which are a group of dances with set music and steps. Many traditional sets have irregular musical phrasing.

The Blackbird - Irish step dance

Lilting is a form of traditional singing common in the Gaelic speaking areas of Ireland and Scotland. It goes under many names, and is sometimes referred to as "mouth music", diddling, jigging, chin music or cheek music, puirt a beul in Scottish Gaelic, Canterach, or portaireacht bhéil (port a'bhéil) in Irish Gaelic. 

Bill McEvoy portaireacht bhéil (port a'bhéil)

Jig (Irish: port) is a form of lively folk dance in compound meter, as well as the accompanying dance tune. It developed in 16th century England, and was quickly adopted on the Continent where it eventually became the final movement of the mature Baroque dance suite (the French gigue; Italian and Spanish giga).[1] Today it is most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music.[2] Jigs were originally in duple compound meter, (e.g., 12/8 time), but have been adapted to a variety of time signatures, by which they are often classified into groups, including light jigs, slip jigs, single jigs, double jigs, and treble jigs.

The Jig

Jig II (lilting)

Trip to the Cottage

Michael James Hehir (also known as Michael O'Hehir and Irish: Mícheál Ó hEithir; 2 June 1920–24 November 1996) was an Irish hurling, football and horse racing commentator and journalist. Between 1938 and 1985 his enthusiasm and a memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many. He is still regarded as the original 'voice of Gaelic games'.

Mícheál Ó hEithir

John Cowley was born in Cloonagh, Ballinagore, Co. Westmeath in 1927. He was well known in the locality and further afield for his wit, humor and way with words. Sadly he died in 1999

John Cowley - Poetry & Verse

Humors of Kerry

Canon Sydney Alfred MacEwan (19 October 1908 – 25 September 1991) was a Scottish tenor and singer of traditional Scottish and Irish songs. His mother was Irish, from near Portadown, and his father was born in Partick.
Sydney MacEwan died in September 1991, aged 82. His funeral was held in St Andrew's Cathedral, the church where he was ordained. He was survived by a brother.


Sydney MacEwan (air)

It was down near Miltown Malbay,
Not a thousand miles from Galway,
When I was young and merry
In the breezy hills of Clare,
That I spied a cailín comely,
With winsome ways and homely
And she driving in a donkey-cart
And she going to the fair.

2
It was mild and pleasant weather
With the bloom of furze and heather
Filled my soul with gladness
In the wild and balmy air.
And my spirits felt far lighter
And my life seems ten times brighter
Since I met that little cailín
And she going to the fair.

3
Sez she: “I’m Nora Daly
From the parish of Kilmaley,
My father he’s a farmer
And the crossest man in Clare!
If he saw you here beside me
I’m afraid that he would chide me.
So, if you please, get down and walk a bit
Before we reach the fair.”

4
I reluctantly obeyed her,
For I could not have gainsaid her,
For visions of her father bright
With a fierce and angry glare
Up before me quickly started
So from her I quickly started,
But I treasured her sweet memory
Till we reached Miltown Malbay.

5
At the Four Mile Stone I met her
And within my heart I set her.
I searched for tales and tidings
Of my wanderer everywhere.
Her heart was in a flutter
And she feared her eggs and butter
They’d be scattered on the roadside
And she going to the fair.

6
After years abroad sojourning
And my love still brightly burning,
I sought for her and married her
And settled down in Clare.
And I oftimes yet remind her
Of that day, long left behind her,
When I met her on the donkey-cart
And she going to the fair.

7
I have told my little story,
Though aged now, and hoary,
It makes me feel quite young again
And puts to flight dull care.
And along with what I’ve told you -
One more secret I’ll unfold you:
That you never met more loving hearts
Than those in County Clare!

Dear Ol' Miltown Malbay

Sean Ryan’s jig

Also known as Castle Jig, Lonesome, The Castle, Cooley’s, The Lonely, Martin’s, The Nightingale.

Seán Ryan (Irish fiddler)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Seán Ryan (died November 15, 1985) was a famous Irish master fiddler and whistler.
Ryan was born at Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland. He won the Oireachtas in 1954, the Senior All Ireland Fiddle Championship in 1955 and 1956, and the All Ireland Duet Championship title with P.J. Moloney in 1956. Ryan had 3 sisters and 6 brothers. His 3 sisters and 2 of his brothers have also died. Ryan came up from Nenagh to Garryhinch, Portarlington where he stayed with his grandmother, and it was while he was living with his grandmother that he met his first wife Anna Dunne. The couple got married in November 1945 and settled in Cloneyhurke. They had 7 children and 5 out of the 7 live around the Cloneyhurke area to date. Ryan composed some music in Cloneyhurke. Ryan's home in Cloneyhurke became a talking point with the locals as many famous musicians; e.g. Barney Mc Kenna, Joe Burke came to their home to play music with Ryan. Ryan's wife Anna died in March 1957. Ryan married his second wife Kathleen in 1966, and they settled in Rosenallis, and they had 3 children. He composed most of his tunes here, up to the time of his death. Ryan died on 15 November 1985. But his music lives on. Two books of Ryan's compositions were published by his wife Kathleen and his son Brian. In 2011 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death a double CD of his recordings was published by Kathleen.

Seán Ryan's Jig

Poetry & Verse by John Cowley
from the book 'On Brosna's Banks'

County Kerry
Brosna is a parish situated in the Sliabh Luachra area of County Kerry, Ireland. It lies 16 km from the town of Castleisland. Its electoral area incorporates 2356.502 ha. The present population is 1,200. It consists of Brosna town and 34 townlands. 

Springs First Daffodil by John Cowley

Born into a musical family on 13th January 1923 in Co. Laois, Bill is the son of musicians. His father played both fiddle, which became Bill’s instrument, and melodeon as well as being a renowned Sean Nos singer, and his mother played concertina. Bill’s entire life has centered on music and Ireland’s Gaelic games – he attended his first All-Ireland hurling final at age 10. His early days were spent in Dublin, where he spent much of his free time at the Stonybatter home of Jim Seery, later among the founders of Comhaltas.

Bill also linked up with the late Leo Rowsome and joined the Piper’s Club at 14 Thomas Street, serving as its Runai in 1947-48. During this time Bill fell in love with the lovely Lily Kelliher from Lixnaw. Co. Kerry, and they were married on 21st February 1950.

After living in Kerry for four years, they followed in the steps of so many Irish before them and in July 1954, set sail for America, arriving on 10th July. Bill and Lily are parents of five daughters and four sons and now are proud grandparents of 24 children. Bill heard about the Michael Coleman Irish Music Club, which met in the Bronx. He joined both the Coleman Club and the Paddy Killoran Club (which met at the old Irish Institute on Manhattan’s 48th Street).  In March 1972, a letter to Bill from Ireland told him Comhaltas was anxious to expand into the US and led to meetings with then CCE President Labhras 0 Murchu. The late Diarmuid O Cathain was sent from Lixnaw to New York to aid in starting a Comhaltas branch and a concert tour. On his arrival Bill took him to meet Tom Connolly, president of the Irish American Center in Mineola and they appeared on Tom’s radio show and Harry McGurk’s show from Rockaway.  Bill then helped organize the first Comhaltas concert tour of North America and, in April 1973, chaired the Comhaltas organizing meeting, at the Tower View in Woodside.

In 1975, with Labhras O Murchu, Bill organized the first New York Fleadh Cheoil, in Mineola, and the next day the first Midwest Fleadh.  That year five charter flights carried Americans to Fleadh Cheoil Na hEireann.  Bill’s efforts laid the foundations for Comhaltas in North America, and for the next quarter century he presided over its growth to a membership of more than 2,500.  Bill’s 25 years of dedication have culminated in the establishment of North America as a full Province of Comhaltas with more than three dozen branches, in five regions, covering the US and Canada from coast to coast, and Bill as its first Cathaoirleach.

Bill McEvoy

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