CLADDAGH SET

The set originates from Claddagh, Connemara, County Galway and was taught by Séamus Ó Méalóid at the Connie Ryan Memorial Weekend in Malahide in January 2004. Notes supplied by Pat Murphy have been published by Bill Lynch in Set Dancing News [1]. Pat Murphy taught this set briefly in Germany at the Blankenheim New Years' Irish dance festival (2004/5) organised by Kasia Jankowska and Michael Bendon.

 

First Sides to the LeftFORMATION

Square Set of four couples, Gents on the left of their partners. 1st Top Couple have their backs to the band, with 2nd Top Couple opposite them. 1st Side Couple are on the right of 1st Top Couple (when facing into the set) and 2nd Side Couple are opposite them (to the right of 1st Tops).


FIGURE 1: REELS (192 BARS)

All Couples


Gents face outLower promenade hold - Lead around anticlockwise + Turn (push-pull) + Lead back clockwise - Finish with Gents in the middle facing Partners

Waltz hold - Swing


16 bars

8 bars
1st Top Gent +
2nd Top Lady		 Dance around each other once clockwise inside set finishing with back to own position + Swing 16 bars
Top Couples Swinging Couple keep hands joined - Step back to Partner (1st Tops first taking right hands / 2nd Tops taking left hands) while Partners begin first Advance of Advance & retire twice converting to lower promenade hold after first advance 8 bars
Top Couples Keeping crossed hands - House across halfway + Turn Lady once under Gent's right arm to face anticlockwise keeping right hands joined over Lady's right shoulder + Lead around half way to place + Turn Lady anticlockwise under right hands to face Partner 8 bars
Top Couples Swing 8 bars
1st Side Gent (right) + 2nd Side Lady Dance around + Swing 16 bars
Side Couples Advance & retire twice + House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady + Swing 24 bars
2nd Top Gent +
1st Top Lady		 Dance around + Swing 16 bars
Top Couples Advance & retire twice + House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady + Swing 24 bars
2nd Side Gent +
1st Side Lady		 Dance around + Swing 16 bars
Side Couples Advance & retire twice + House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady 16 bars
All Couples Swing 8 bars

 

FIGURE 2: REELS (184 BARS)
All Couples Lower promenade hold - Advance & retire twice + Swing (Waltz hold) 16 bars
Top Couples Ladies chain with right hands in the centre while Gents move to Partner's place [2 bars] + Ladies give left hand to opposite Gent and turn under while Gent moves toward the centre slightly + Ladies dance around behind (anticlockwise) while Gent continues to face into set moving back to own position [2 bars] + Ladies dance back giving right hands in centre turning clockwise to place

8 bars
Top Couples Crossed hand hold - House across half way + Turn Lady under (right hands) + Lead back (right hands joined over Lady's shoulder) + Turn Lady under anticlockwise to face Partner 8 bars
Top Couples Swing (Waltz hold) 8 bars
Side Couples Ladies chain + House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady + Swing 24 bars
Top Gents Take right hands in the centre (raised) & Dance around clockwise + Take left hands (raised) & Dance back - keep left hands joined 8 bars
Top Couples Pick up Partner (Open waltz hold) - Wheel around anticlockwise 8 bars
Top Couples Open waltz hold - Advance and retire + Advance to centre & form Basket with Ladies hands on Gents' shoulders + Little Christmas left 16 bars
Top Couples Ladies chain + House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady + Swing 24 bars
Side Gents Dance around right hands raised & back with left hands raised 8 bars
Side Couples Wheel around anticlockwise + Advance & retire + Advance & form basket + Little Christmas left + Ladies chain+ House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady 40 bars
All Couples Swing 8 bars

 

 

 

FIGURE 3: REELS (152 BARS)
All Couples Circle - Advance & retire twice 8 bars
All Couples Crossed hand hold - House across half way + Turn Lady under (right hands) + Lead back (right hands joined over Lady's shoulder) + Turn Lady under anticlockwise to face Partner 8 bars
All Couples Swing 8 bars
Ladies Right hand star + Left hand star + Turn under Partners' right hand to place 8 bars
Gents Left hand star + Right hand star + Turn Partner under left hand when almost home 8 bars
All Couples Crossed hands - House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady + Swing (Waltz) 16 bars
All Couples / Top Ladies leading

Cross chain: Top Ladies turn 3/4 in centre and give left hand to Side Gent to the left of original position [4 bars] + Turn under and dance around behind him while…
Side Gents turn clockwise once in place / Top Gents with nearer Side Lady - Advance & retire once

 4 bars
  Top Ladies Chain across to Opposite Side Gent touching right hands as they cross while…
Side Ladies cross (inside the Gent) into the place of Top Lady on their right / Top Gent turn clockwise once in place		 4 bars
All Couples Swing new Partner 8 bars
All Couple / Top Ladies leading

Cross chain: Top Ladies turn right hands + Turn under Partner's left hand, dance behind + Cross to Opposite Top Gent while…
Top Gents turn clockwise once in place then Turn Partner under left hand / Side Gent with nearer Side Lady (in Top Lady's place) - Advance & retire once then Side Gent turn clockwise once in place while Side Lady crosses (inside the Gent) to Opposite Side Lady's place

 8 bars
All Couples Swing new Partner 8 bars
Side Ladies Cross chain: Side Ladies turn right hands + Turn under Top Gent on original left + Cross to Opposite Top Gent / Others Advance & retire with Corner Gent + Top Ladies cross over 8 bars
All Couples Swing new Partner 8 bars
Side Ladies Cross chain: Side Ladies turn right hands + Turn under Opposite Side Gent + Cross to Partner / Others Advance & retire with Corner Gent + Top Ladies cross over to original place 8 bars
All Couples Swing original Partner 8 bars
All Couples Circle - Advance & retire twice 8 bars
All Couples Crossed hands - House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady + Swing 16 bars


FIGURE 4: JIGS (192 BARS)
All Couples Circle - Advance & retire twice 8 bars
All Couples Grand chain: Face Partner & take right hands + Left to the next, then right etc. + Gents turn Partner under right hand in Opposite place + Continue Grand chain 16 bars
All Couples Swing 8 bars
Top Couples Take right hands - Advance & retire once + 2nd Tops arch / 1st Tops go under with Couples changing place - 1st Top Gent turn Partner under twice switching to finish on the left of his Partner while 2nd Top Gent turn Partner under once as he dances around Partner outside the set to finish on her left

8 bars
Top Couples Repeat: Advance & retire once + 1st Tops arch over 2nd Tops + Turn Ladies under to original place 8 bars
All Couples Crossed hands - House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady 8 bars
Top Couples Swing 8 bars
Side Couples Right hand - Advance & retire + 2nd Sides arch over 1st Sides + Turn Ladies under + Advance & retire + 1st Sides arch over 2nd Sides 16 bars
All Couples House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady 8 bars
Side Couples Swing 8 bars
Top Couples Advance & retire + 2nd Tops arch over 1st Tops + Turn Ladies under + Advance & retire + 1st Tops arch over 2nd Tops 16 bars
All Couples House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady 8 bars
Top Couples Swing 8 bars
Side Couples Right hand - Advance & retire + 2nd Sides arch over 1st Sides + Turn Ladies under + Advance & retire + 1st Sides arch over 2nd Sides 16 bars
All Couples House across, Turn Lady, Lead back, Turn Lady 8 bars
Side Couples Swing 8 bars
All Couples Grand chain: Face Partner & take right hands + Left to the next, then right etc. + Gents turn Partner under right hand in Opposite place + Grand chain + Swing 24 bars

REFERENCES

Murphy, Pat (2004). Claddagh Set. In Lynch, Bill (ed.) Set Dancing News. April-May 2004. p. 40.
Newcastle Irish Set Dancers Dance Instructions Top of Document

Page created by: Arthur Kingsland

Created: 1 November 2005