Set dancers flocked to Nenagh

Visitors from around the world attended Connie Ryan weekend

Club Rince Aonach Urmhumhan were 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, all parts of Europe, the UK and from all over Ireland, north and south. They were treated to some fantastic music starting with a welcome céilí on Friday night with Ger Murphy and Ken Cotter, a lively céilí with The Shandrum Céilí Band on Saturday night and a farewell céilí, where we danced The West Kerry Set in memory of Seamus Begley, with The Glenside Céilí Band on Sunday afternoon.

Pat Murphy had a huge turnout for his workshops on Saturday and Sunday. He introduced his new set, The Ormond Set, written for Nenagh, a lovely five-part set danced to four reels and a hornpipe. We will be learning this set over the next few weeks at our Set Dancing class that is held in the Arts Centre each Tuesday night, 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Fr Pat Gilbert, PP, celebrated a lovely Mass on Saturday for those attending the workshop weekend with music provided by local musicians.

There was a great session in the hotel bar on Saturday before the céilí where many young local musicians came to entertain our visitors. It is great to see such talent in our youth and to give them a place and an audience to showcase it.

We were thrilled to welcome back so many of our friends, some of whom we hadn't seen for so long and to welcome many new dancers that were joining us for the first time. Of course, we also remembered those that we have lost over the last few years.

It was a great success thanks to the hard working committee and the work put in by the management and staff of the hotel. Looking forward to next year already.

Come along to our next class and learn a local set with us. Contact Connie on 087 9542163 for more information.