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Irish Dance – The Ceili

The Irish word ceili originally referred to a gathering of neighbors in a house to have an enjoyable time, dancing, playing music and storytelling. Today it refers to an informal evening of dancing. Ceilis are held in large towns and country districts where young and old enjoy together group dances.

The ceili can be traced back to pre-famine times, when dancing at the cross-roads was a popular irish pastime. These dances were usually held on Sunday evenings in summer. The music was often performed by a fiddler seated on a three legged stool with his upturned hat beside him for collection.

The fiddler began with a reel such as the lively "Silver Tip", but he had to play it several times before the dancers joined in. The young men were reluctant to begin the dance but after some encouragement from the fiddler, the sets of eight filled up the dancing area