MEALAGH VALLEY JIG SET
The Mealagh Valley Jig Set has been demonstrated by Timmy McCarthy and his group on the video series "Come Dance with Me In Ireland". At a Willie Clancy Summer School workshop in Miltown Malbay in 2007 Arthur & Julia learned some more detail from Timmy including footwork and hand movements. Other written instructions for this set have been published in Pat Murphy's "The Flowing Tide" and Tom Quinn's "Irish Dancing". Joe O'Hara has an online version as do the Crooked River Set Dancers.
FORMATION
Square
Set of four couples, Gents on the left of their partners. 1st Top Couple
have their backs to the band. 1st Side Couple are on their left of 1st
Top Couple (when facing into the set), 2nd Top Couple opposite and 2nd
Side Couple on the right of 1st Tops. The progression of the active couple
is 1st Tops, 1st Sides, 2nd Tops, 2nd Sides.
This set uses easy jig/slide/polka steps - low to the ground. In the last figure the step more commonly known from the Borlig Polka - the "kick polka" step is used.
FIGURE 1: SLIDES (72 BARS)
| Top Couples | Kerry hold (Open waltz hold) - Advance & retire twice + Swing (waltz hold) | 16 bars |
| Top Couples | Ladies Chain - Right hands in the centre + Left arm hook with Opposite Gent both turning + Right hands passing back + Dance to Partner | 8 bars |
| Top Couples | Swing | 8 bars |
| Side Couples | Advance & retire twice + Swing + Ladies chain + Swing | 32 bars |
FIGURE 2: SLIDES (56 BARS)
| All Couples | Kerry hold - Advance & retire once + House to Opposite place + Repeat to home | 16 bars |
| All Couples | Swing | 8 bars |
| All Couples | Repeat: Advance & retire & house half way + Advance & retire & house half way + Swing |
FIGURE 3: SLIDES (136 BARS)
| 1st Top Gent + 2nd Top Lady | Advance + Swing in the Centre + Reverse to place | 8 bars |
| Top Couples | Upper Promenade hold - Dance across slowly + Turn the Lady under two hands half a turn clockwise on the last four bars | 8 bars |
| 1st Top Gent + 2nd Top Lady | Advance + Swing in the Centre + Reverse to place | 8 bars |
| Top Couples | Upper Promenade hold - Dance across slowly + Turn the Lady under two hands half a turn clockwise on the last four bars | 8 bars |
| 2nd Top Gent + 1st Top Lady + Top Couples |
2nd Top Gent + 1st Top Lady - Swing |
32 bars |
| Side Couples | Repeat led by 1st Side Gent + 2nd Side Lady and finally 2nd Side Gent + 1st Side Lady | 32 bars x 2 |
FIGURE 4: SLIDES (200 BARS)
| Top Couples | Ladies Chain + Swing | 16 bars |
| Top Couples | Slide in & back (1-2-3-lift back-2-123) [4 bars] + Turn in place (2nd Couple Advancing) [2 bars] + 2nd Lady Cross turning half a turn anti-clockwise to beside 1st Gent giving left hand to left over her left shoulder, while 1st Gent changes hands (right hand to right) turning his Partner half a turn clockwiseending with hand over her right shoulder [2 bars] + 2nd Top Gent takes Ladies spare hands in front | 8 bars |
| Tops Line of 3 | Advance to 2nd Tops position + Dance in place + Retire to 1st Tops + Dance in place Ladies also turning to join 2nd Top Gent | 8 bars |
| Tops Line of 3 | Retire to 2nd Tops place + Dance in place + Advance to centre + 1st Top gent pull Ladies to turn them out & around for a Basket (hands at waist level) | 8 bars |
| Top Couples | Basket left | 8 bars |
| Top Couples | Repeat: Chain + Swing + Slide in & back + 1st Lady cross over + Lines of three with both Gents + Basket left breaking back to place for Side Couples | 48 bars |
| Side Couples | Repeat with 1st Side Gent taking the ladies first, then repeat with 2nd Side Gent leading | 96 bars |
FIGURE 5: SLIDES (96 BARS)
| All Couples | Kerry hold - Lead around | 8 bars |
| All Couples | Advance & retire once + House across + Advance & retire + House across | 16 bars |
| All Couples | Four Ladies Chain across + Left arm hook turning with Opposite Gent + Chain back + Swing Partner | 16 bars |
| Repeat | Lead around + Advance, retire & half house + Advance, retire & half house + Four Ladies Chain across & back + Swing | 40 bars |
| All Couples | Lead around | 8 bars |
FIGURE 6: POLKAS (264 BARS)
| All Couples | Repeat until back in place | 16 bars |
| All Couples | Hornpipe Body + House the Set + Ladies move on to Original Partner |
32 bars |
| All Couples | Hornpipe Body + House the Set |
24 bars |
REFERENCES
Murphy, Pat (2000). The Flowing Tide. Cork: Mercier Press. ???.
Quinn, Tom (1977). Irish Dancing. Glasgow: Harper Collins. 277-286.