WEST KERRY SET

This set comes from the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry. Newcastle Irish Set Dancers learnt this dance from ceilis at the Willie Clancy Summer School in July 2001 and at the Harp Irish Pub in Tempe Sydney late in 2001. Other published instructions for this dance include Pat Murphy's "Toss the Feathers". Joe O'Hara and the Irish-American Lobby Education Foundation have versions of this set online.

FORMATION

First Sides to the Left 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 left of 1st Top Couple (when facing into the set) and 2nd Side Couple are opposite them (to the right of 1st Tops).

FIGURE 1: POLKA (144 BARS)

All Couples	Waltz hold - House around twice with ladies going straight backwards for first 2 bars each time	16 bars
All Couples	Open promenade hold - Lead around	8 bars
All Ladies	Right hand star once around to Partner [4 bars] + Swing Partner [12 bars]	16 bars
Top Couples	Ladies Chain - right hands in centre + left around Opposite Gent + Pass right shoulders back to Partner who moves into Lady's position facing forward (to the position on the right)	8 bars
Top Couples	House around twice with ladies going straight backwards for first 2 bars	8 bars
All Couples	Waltz hold - House around twice (1st 2 bars straight) + Open promenade hold - Lead around	24 bars
All Ladies	Right hand star once around to Partner + Swing Partner	16 bars
Side Couples	Ladies Chain (Partner moves into Lady's position facing next position)	8 bars
Side Couples	House around twice with ladies going straight backwards for first 2 bars	8 bars
All Couples	House around twice (1st 2 bars straight) + Lead around + Clap on the last beat	24 bars

FIGURE 2: POLKA (192 BARS)

All Couples	House around twice (1st 2 bars straight) + Lead around	24 bars
1st Top Couple	House around twice (1st 2 bars straight)	16 bars
All Couples	House twice + Lead around	24 bars
2nd Top Couple	House around twice	16 bars
All Couples	All House twice + All Lead around	24 bars
1st Side Couple	House around twice	16 bars
All Couples	All House twice + All Lead around	24 bars
2nd Side Couple	House around twice	16 bars
All Couples	House around twice + Lead around + Clap on the last beat	24 bars

FIGURE 3: SLIDE (192 BARS)

All Couples	Slide and change twice: Slide in and back (1-2-1-tap 1-2-123) + House to Opposite place + Slide in and back + Half House	16 bars
All Couples	Open promenade hold - Lead around	8 bars
Top Couples	Ladies Chain - right hands in centre + left around Opposite Gent + Pass right shoulders back to Partner who moves into Lady's position facing forward (to the position on the right)	8 bars
Top Couples	House around each other (1st 2 bars straight)	8 bars
Repeat - Tops	All Slide and change twice + All Lead around + Top Couples Ladies Chain + Top Couples House around each other	40 bars
Repeat - Sides	All Slide and change twice + All Lead around + Side Couples Ladies Chain + Side Couples House around each other	40 bars
Repeat - Sides	All Slide and change twice + All Lead around + Side Couples Ladies Chain + Side Couples House around each other	40 bars
All Couples	Slide and change twice + Lead around + Clap on the last beat	24 bars

FIGURE 4: POLKA (152 BARS)

All Couples	Front Promenade hold - Lead around twice with Ladies turning under Gent's raised hands after the first time	16 bars
1st Top Couple	House around twice (1st 2 bars straight)	16 bars
Top Couples	Slide and change twice	16 bars
2nd Top Couple	House around twice	16 bars
Top Couples	Slide and change twice	16 bars
1st Side Couple	House around twice	16 bars
Side Couples	Slide and change twice	16 bars
2nd Side Couple	House around twice	16 bars
Side Couples	Slide and change twice + All Clap on the last beat	16 bars

FIGURE 5: SLIDE (224 BARS)

All Couples	Waltz hold - House around twice (1st 2 bars straight) + Open promenade hold - Lead around	24 bars
All Couples	Circle - Advance and retire twice	8 bars
All Ladies + Gents	Ladies - Right hand star 3 positions (to the right of original place) [4 bars] + Gents - Left hand star one turn to place [4 bars]	8 bars
New Couples	Swing new Partner	8 bars
Repeat x 3 times	All House around twice + All Lead around + All Circle Advance and retire twice + Ladies Right hand star 3 places + Gents Left hand star to place + Swing new Partner	3x48 bars
All Couples	House around twice (1st 2 bars straight) + Lead around + Clap on the last beat	24 bars

FIGURE 6: HORNPIPE (120 BARS)

All Couples	House around (1st 2 bars straight)	8 bars
All Couples	Double around the house turning twice to each position (hop-1 hop-2 hop-3 hop-4)	8 bars
Ladies move on	Ladies walk on to the next Gent on their right, passing outside him	8 bars
Repeat x 3 times	House around + Double around the house + Ladies walk on	3x24 bars
All Couples	With original Partner - House around + Double around the house	16 bars

REFERENCES

Murphy, Pat (1995). Toss the Feathers. Cork: Mercier Press. 221-222.

Created: 23 January 2002 / Updated: 30 April 2003