KILDOWNET HALF SET

This half set comes from Achill Island, County Mayo and was revived by dance teacher Eamonn Gannon (Murphy 2000: 100). Newcastle Irish Set Dancers was first introduced to this dance in a workshop conducted by Cíarán Condron early in 2001. Other published instructions for this dance may differ slightly. The set is published in Pat Murphy's "The Flowing Tide " (pp.100-102).

Joseph O'Hara has a version of the Kildownet Half Set online.

FORMATION

Set of two couples, Gents on the left of their partners. First Top Couple have their backs to the band, with Second Top Couple opposite them. The three figures are traditionally followed by a fling.

For Figures 1, 2 and 3 both Couples dance each movement unless stated otherwise. Figure 4 is for Couples in a circle around the hall.

FIGURE 1: REEL (112 BARS)

Advance & retire	Lower promenade hold - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
Diamond left	Lower promenade hold - Dance to the position on the left + Reverse back into opposite place + Advance to the left again + Reverse into own place	8 bars
Swing	Ceili hold - Swing	8 bars
Ladies Chain	Right hands in the centre (low hold) + Left arm to opposite Gent who turns with her + Right shoulder to right on the way back to partner	8 bars
Swing	Ceili hold - Swing	8 bars
Swing opposite + Single turns	First Gent and Second Lady - Advance to centre [2 bars] + Swing [4 bars] + Reverse back to partner [2 bars], while... Partners dance around one turn anticlockwise out of the set and back into place	8 bars
Diamond left	Lower promenade hold - Dance to the left + Reverse to opposite + Advance to the left + Reverse to own place	8 bars
Swing opposite + Single turns	Second Gent and First Lady - Advance to centre + Swing + Reverse to partner, while... Partners dance around one turn anticlockwise	8 bars
Diamond left	Lower promenade hold - Dance to the left + Reverse to opposite + Advance to the left + Reverse to own place	8 bars
Ladies Chain	Right hands in the centre (low hold) + Left arm to opposite Gent + Lady pass in front of opposite Gent to the left side of the set facing in	8 bars
Basket left	Swing in four with arms crossed behind [6 bars] + Reverse to place [2 bars]	8 bars
Advance & retire	Lower promenade hold - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
Swing	Ceili hold - Swing	8 bars

FIGURE 2: POLKA (168 BARS)

House around	Waltz hold - House around	8 bars
Walkabout	(See Walkabout below...) Face anti-clockwise around the set - Advance to the next position, bring the other foot along side and dance two 123s in place to complete the first 4 bars, turning left to face the next position at the start of the 3rd bar Repeat 3 more times to get back to place	16 bars
Swing	Waltz hold - Swing	8 bars
Gallop + House Gallop + House	Waltz hold - Dance 'sevens' across the set with the weight on the leading foot, Gents back to back (1234567-1234567) +'sevens' back, Ladies back to back [8 bars] + House around [8 bars] + Repeat Gallop and House	32 bars
Ladies Chain Swing	Right hands in the centre (low hold) + Left arm turning with opposite Gent + Right shoulder to right on the way back to partner + Waltz hold - Swing	16 bars
Gents change Swing	Gents advance to the centre and dance two 123s in place left shoulder to left (12-123 123-123) + Advance to opposite place beside the Opposite Lady, 'nod' to the other Gent, and dance two 123s in place turning to face into the set [8 bars] + Swing new partner	16 bars
Slide + Slide through	Facing new partner - Slide in and back (1-2-1-2) [4 bars] + Slide through with Ladies in the inside [2 bars] + Turn to place, Ladies anti-clockwise, gents clockwise passing outside [2 bars] + Repeat to place [8 bars]	16 bars
Swing	Waltz hold - Swing	8 bars
Gents change Swing	Gents advance to the centre and dance in place (left shoulder to left) + Advance to original partner and turn to face into the set + Swing partner	16 bars
Walkabout	Face anti-clockwise around the set - Advance to the next position and dance in place turning left to face the next position at the start of the 3rd bar Repeat 3 more times to get back to place	16 bars
House around	Waltz hold - House around	8 bars

FIGURE 3: REEL (144 BARS)

Lead around	Lower promenade hold - Lead around, Gents turn the Lady under the left hand during the last 2 bars	8 bars
Left arm hook Swing	Linking left arms with partner - Dance around twice in place [8 bars] + Ceili hold - Swing [8 bars]	16 bars
Advance & retire	Upper promenade hold - First Couple Advance, Retire Advance [6 bars] + First Gent drops left hand and turns partner half way to position Lady next to Second Gent keeping hold of right hand and taking the left hand of the Second Lady. Second Gent takes the First Lady's left hand in his left above her left shoulder	8 bars
Wheelbarrows	Line of three - Advance (with single Gent retiring), Retire, Advance [6 bars] + Ladies pass left shoulders to opposite place beside opposite Gent who retires to place [2 bars] + Swing	16 bars
Gents left hook	Gents join left arms in the centre and dance around 123s [6 bars] + Double out to own partner in opposite place	8 bars
Lead/Hook/Swing	Lead around, turn Lady under + Link left arms and dance around + Swing	24 bars
Advance & retire	Upper promenade hold - Second Couple Advance, Retire Advance + drops left hands and turn Lady next to First Gent taking wheelbarrow hold	8 bars
Wheelbarrows	Line of three - Advance, Retire, Advance + Ladies pass left shoulders to partner in original place + Swing	16 bars
Gents left hook	Gents join left arms in the centre and dance around, doubling out to own partner	8 bars
Lead/Hook/Swing	Lead around, turn Lady under + Link left arms and dance around + Swing	24 bars

FIGURE 4: FLING [= Hornpipe]

Couples are arranged in a large circle around the hall with Gents facing out slightly toward the line of dance (anti-clockwise) and Ladies facing in towards then centre. This figure is danced entirely in waltz hold with your partner. The entire figure is danced with Ladies and Gents using opposite feet going in opposite/complementary directions. In the instructions below the dance is broken into two movements - the Zig-Zag and the Rotate sections. These alternate and the dance continues until the musicians or the dancers give up!

Two basic steps are used: Hop-1, Hop-2 and Hop-123. These are explained in the Steps section below.

Zig-Zag

Hop-1	Ladies start with a Hop on the left foot (L), then Step backwards onto the right foot (R), while... Gents: Hop (R) + Step forward (L)
Hop-2	Ladies: Hop (R) + Step forward (L), while... Gents: Hop (L) + Step back (R)	1 bar
Hop-123	Ladies: Hop (L) + Step to the right (R-L-R), while... Gents: Hop (R) + Step to the left (L-R-L)	1 bar
Reverse: Hop-1	Ladies: Hop (R) + Step forward (L), while... Gents: Hop (L) + Step back (R)
Hop-2	Ladies: Hop (L) + Step back (R), while... Gents: Hop (R) + Step forward (L)	1 bar
Hop-123	Ladies: Hop (R) + Step to the left (L-R-L), while... Gents: Hop (L) + Step to the right (R-L-R)	1 bar
Repeat #1	Ladies: Hop-1 + Hop-2 + Hop-123 to the right, ... Gents: Hop-1 + Hop-2 + Hop-123 to the left	2 bars
Repeat #2	Ladies: Hop-1 + Hop-2 + Hop-123 to the left, ... Gents: Hop-1 + Hop-2 + Hop-123 to the right	2 bars

Rotate

Hop-123	Ladies: Hop-123 to the right + Hop while turning half way clockwise + Step to the left (Hop/turn-123), while... Gents: Hop-123 to the left + Hop/turn-123 to the right	2 bars
Repeat: Hop-123	Repeat the last action twice more: Hop/turn-123 + Hop/turn-123 + Hop/turn-123 + Hop/turn-123	4 bars
Double	Ladies (all turns clockwise): Hop-1, Hop-2, Hop-3, Hop-4 Gents (all turns clockwise): Hop-1, Hop-2, Hop-3, Hop-4	2 bars

FOOTWORK

In the instructions below "L" means on (or onto) the left foot and "R" means on (or onto) the right foot.

Reels & Polkas

A flat reel step is used for the Reels. In the Polka figure normal Polka steps are used except for the Walkabout and Gents Change.

Walkabout

Everyone face anti-clockwise around the set, i.e. Gents face your partner's position, Ladies face across the set. Advance to the next position Ladies starting with the right foot, Gents with the left, then bring the other foot along side [12-] and complete the first 2 bars in place [123] followed by two 123s in place to complete the first 4 bars, turning left shoulder back to face the next position anti-clockwise at the start of the 3rd bar, i.e. 12-123 turn23-123.

This is repeated starting with the other foot to get half way around the set, then everything is repeated to get back home. The Gents need to turn half way to face in n the final sequence. All other turns are a quarter turn to the left (left shoulder back). The full sequence is:

Ladies footwork:
RL-RLR L(turn)RL-RLR LR-LRL R(turn)LR-LRL RL-RLR L(turn)RL-RLR LR-LRL R(turn)LR-LRL

Gents footwork:
LR-LRL R(turn)LR-LRL RL-RLR L(turn)RL-RLR LR-LRL R(turn)LR-LRL RL-RLR L(turn)RL-RLR

Gents Change

Gents advance to the centre and dance two 123s in place left shoulder to left (12-123 123-123) + Advance to opposite place beside the Opposite Lady, 'nod' to the other Gent, and dance two 123s in place turning to face into the set [8 bars]

Fling: Hop-1 [+ Hop-2]

Hop on the first foot [Ladies Hop (L)/Gents Hop (R)] then Step back (or foward) onto the other foot [Ladies Step (R)/Gents Step (L)].

Always followed by Hop-2 reversing the feet. Hop-2 is in the reverse direction in the "Zig-Zag", but continues in the same direction in the "Rotate" section.

Ladies: Hop (L) + Step (R) / Hop (R) + Step (L)
Gents: Hop (R) + Step (L) / Hop (L) + Step (R)

Fling: Hop-123 [+ Hop-123]:

Hop on the first foot [Ladies Hop (L)/Gents Hop (R)] then Step sideways [Ladies to the right (RLR)/Gents to the left (LRL)].

Every alternate time this is done the feet and directions are reversed. In the "Rotate" section every Hop (except the first one) is used to turn clockwise halfway, and the Hop-123s follow immediately.

Ladies: Hop (L) + Step (RLR) ... Hop (R) + Step (LRL)
Gents: Hop (R) + Step (LRL) ... Hop (L) + Step (RLRL)

HAND POSITIONS

Lower Promenade Hold

Join crossed hands in front - Right hand in right, left hand in left.

Upper Promenade Hold

Dancers face into or around the set lady on the right - join right hands above Lady's right shoulder and left hands in front

REFERENCE

Murphy, Pat (2000). The Flowing Tide. Cork: Mercier Press.

Created: Saturday, 12 May 2001 / Updated: 6 February 2003