Set dancers gather in Nenagh
Club Rince Aonach Urmhumhan was delighted to welcome so many set dancers, who descended on the Abbey Court Hotel, Nenagh, recently for the Connie Ryan Set Dancing Weekend.
We welcomed visitors from Japan, Canada, the US, all parts of Europe,the UK and from all over Ireland, north and south.
Ger Murphy and Ken Cotter opened the weekend with a welcome céilí on Friday night, playing their usual fantastic music to set the mood for the remainder of the weekend.
After the opening welcome address, Danny Morrissey paid tribute to Michael Loughnane, who taught set daning in Nenagh for many years and was always on hand to call the sets at our Set Dancing Weekend. We were privileged to welcome Michael’s family on Friday night and especially his brother Pat, who joined us from the US for the weekend. Danny’s heartfelt and fitting tribute is below.
Pat Murphy had a great turnout for his workshops on Saturday and again on Sunday morning. He taught us the Aran Set, Blacktown Set, Carryduff Set, Dromgarriff Half Set and the Knocknaboul Set. These are all nice, easy sets to learn and we will be starting the Knocknaboul Set at our class in the Nenagh Arts Centre on Tuesday night at 7.30pm.
There was a great session in the bar on Saturday evening that was enjoyed by all.
On Saturday night the Shandrum Céilí band treated us to a superb lively céilí. They play a great variety of tunes and it is céilí that is much looked forward to by all.
On Sunday the Glenside Céilí Band played for our Farewell Céilí. They were a joy to dance to; we all left wishing we could dance some more.
It was a super weekend, and the floor was full at all céilís. We were thrilled to welcome back so many of our friends and to welcome many new dancers that were joining us for the first time.
It was a great success thanks to the hard-working committee and the work put in by the management and staff of the hotel. It is worth it when you see so many smiling faces going home and promising to return next year. The work has begun and we are looking forward to it already.
Come along to our next class and you can see what it is all about. Contact Connie on 087 9542163 for more information.
TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL LOUGHNANE
On November 7, 2023, Michael Loughnane passed away just three months after celebrating his 60th wedding anniversary with his beloved wife Peggy. Michael was a great family man, a proud Thurles, Tipperary, and Irishman.
Michael’s contribution to Irish culture was quite unique. He was involved in Conradh na Gaeilge and Glór na nGael in the promotion of the Irish language and culture. He was actively involved in the teaching and promotion of set dancing, céilí and two-hand dancing throughout his native county over 40 years.
Michael’s association with Club Rince Aonach Urmhumhan commenced in September 1989. Michael agreed to teach at our weekly classes following a short Club Rince committee meeting. Over the following 30 years, Michael fulfilled that commitment at our classes, céilithe and weekend festivals. Michael never missed a class or céilí, no matter whether there was wind, rain, frost, or snow. His loyalty, dedication, commitment, and friendship to all of us in Club Rince was really special. We calculated that over the years, Michael drove over 65,000km on return trips between Nenagh and Thurles.
Michael was also part of the Ceoltóirí an Aonaigh group that travelled on cultural exchanges to Germany, Denmark, Scotland, and the Shetland Islands. This group also performed at Milwaukee Irish Fest in the United States on two occasions during the 1990s. Michael was one in a million. Ní bheith a léithéad an arís.
Report by Danny Morrissey, Club Rince Aonach Urmhumhan.