Author: maldonm

Classes, Past Classes

2025 Fall 2 | Tues 6:30pm | Irish Set Dancing

maldonm

intro

Welcome to Fall Term 2

week by week

SetStepsInter/Advanced
Week 1:
11/4		Learn:
Long: Lancers (1-5)
Short: Moycullen (1-4)		Reel step: up 23’s
Polka/Jig Step:
Polka step (down23’s)
Jig step (down23’s)		Connemara timing step (practice for next week)
Week 2:
11/11		Learn:
Short: Claddagh (1-4)		Up 23’s
Jig (down 23’s)		Connemara timing step
Week 3:
11/18		Review:
Short: Claddagh (1-4)
Short: Harvest Dance Set (1-4)		Reel Step: Up 23’s
Jig/Polka (down 23’s)
up jigs		Connemara timing step
11/21Céilí @ Waverly
Dance List
Kilfenora Plain 
Merchant 
Lancers
Moycullen
Connemara		Dale & Nell Russ What: 3rd Friday Céilí Who: Band: Dale & Nell Russ, Caller: Maldon Meehan Where: Waverly, 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR 97202
When: Friday November 21, 7-11pm
Cost: $15 general, $5 students, under 12 Free
Week 4:
11/25		Learn:
Half set:
Kilfenora Plain Set
Half Set:
Connemara Reel Set		Clare Battering
11/28
Friday November 28
6pm
Columbia Ecovillage Condominium
4647 NE Killingsworth St, Portland		Annual Butterball
A night of friends, community, family, music, dance and song.
Dance List
Kilfenora Plain
Merchant
Ballyvoruney
Lancers
Connemara
Open tunes/dancing (bands choice)		Geraldine Murrary
& Friends
Dylan Wilde
Kevin Grgurich
Brian Hart 
Amber Milmore
Phil Meehan
Maldon Meehan 		Street Parking only
Portland Cost: Donations encouraged, there will be a donation basket at the door
Week 5:
12/2		Review & Fine tune 1-2 of these:
Long:
Kilfenora Plain
Clare Lancers
Short:
Claddagh
Moycullen
Antrim Square
Harvest Dance Set
Practice Calling: Connemara Reel Set		Clare Battering
Week 6:
12/9		Review & Fine tune:
Claddagh
Uncalled:
Connemara Reel Set
If time:
Kilfenora Plain
Clare Lancers
Moycullen
Antrim Square Set
Harvest Dance Set		Connemara Step
Clare Battering		Clare Battering
Week 7:
12/16		Prep for the Céilí:
Merchant
Lancers
Ballyvourney
Connemara 
Caledonian		Clare Battering
12/19Ceili with Django Amerson & Friends
Dance List
Merchant
Lancers
Ballyvourney
Connemara 
Caledonian		Where: Waverly, 3300 SE Woodward St, Portland, OR 97202 When: Friday November 21, 7-11pm Cost: $15 general, $5 students, under 12 Free
Week 8:
12/23
Week 9:
12/30

playlist

Playlists

  • Included on this tab:
    • Spotify Playlist for the Term – A collection of tunes that match the sets we’re focusing on.
    • YouTube Playlist – Recordings and performances of the term’s featured set dances.
    • Lessons & Steps Playlist – Short videos of key movements, techniques, and steps for practice between classes.

Welcome to the Irish Set Dancing Playlists—a collection of resources to help you stay connected with what’s being danced at céilís near and far. Whether you’re preparing for a local dance, a weekend workshop, or a trip to Ireland, these playlists and notes are designed to help you build your repertoire and step confidently into any set.

Please use these resources to help you better understand the material. It’s not necessary to preview them before or after class, but they’re very helpful tools for remembering—and eventually memorizing—the dances.

Over the past three months, I’ve been keeping an eye on the dances that Bill Lynch (Set Dancing News) has been posting on YouTube. From that, I noticed a clear trend in which sets are most often danced. I’ll continue to track these through the Fall and Winter months to see if the dances shift or stay the same.

The goal is to include these popular dances in our 3rd Friday Céilí line up and in class, so that anyone heading to Ireland—or to céilís around the country—will be ready to jump in with confidence and familiarity.

Below is a list of the sets most often danced recently.

Most Danced Sets as of October 2025:

  • Connemara
  • Merchant
  • Moycullen
  • Lancers
  • Caledonian
  • West Kerry
  • Sliabh Luachra
  • Ballyvourney Jig
  • Plain
  • Kilfenora
  • Claddagh
  • Corofin

Danced Less Often:

  • South Galway
  • Ballyduff
  • Cashel
  • Mazurka
  • Labasheeda

Céilí Formula

Across the céilís, a common pattern emerged. For a typical three-hour céilí, most programs followed this general flow:

  • 3 shorter sets (2–4 figures)
  • 3 longer sets (5–6 figures)
  • 1–3 couple dances (waltz, jive, or two-step) or a sean-nós dance demo

Many céilís finish with a lively four-figure dance such as the Connemara Set. Usually there are three sets before the break and three after.

Music & Video Playlists

  • Spotify Playlist for the Term – A collection of tunes that match the sets we’re focusing on.
  • YouTube Playlist – Recordings and performances of the term’s featured set dances.
  • Lessons & Steps Playlist – Short videos of key movements, techniques, and steps for practice between classes.

Spotify Playlist for the Term

Save the playlist on spotify.

YouTube Playlist

Save the playlist on youtube

Lessons & Steps Playlist

steps

Steps for the term

Connemara sets: Connemara Reel Set, Fréres Nantais (Connemara Jig Set), Claddgha Set, Island Sets: Aran Set (Inis Mór) Inis Meáin Set, Inis Oirr Set (sets by county)

  • Connemara (timing step)
  • Heel downs

Clare Sets: Clare Orange and Green Set, Clare Plain Reel Set, Corofin Plain Set, Clare Plain Polka Set, Kilfenora Plain Set, Lough Graney Set – Full Set & Half Set, Clare Lancers Set, Caledonian Set, West Clare Caledonian Set, Long Caledonian Set, Labasheeda Reel Set, Clare Mazurka set, Paris Set (Labasheeda area), Ballykeale Set, Lakyle Set (early version of Pairs Set), Meelick Polka Set, Mullagh Half Set

Classes, Irish Set Dancing, Past Classes

2025 November | Sean-nós Dance & more

maldonm

intro

Welcome to November Online!

Deep dive into Clare musicians.

Week by Week

WoodshedKeep Her LitSpeed & Craic
Week 13
Paddy Fahy’s Jig/Sean Ryan’s
5
Priest in his Boots
The Sunday Set		7
Martin Hayes (fiddle)
Spotify
Week 210
The Galway Rambler, The London Lasses

12
Kitty Lie Over / Kitty Lie Over as a Reel
Clare Battering – Mick Banner Step		14
Kitty Hayes (fiddle)
Week 317
Mick: Dance At Home from the Step for Sets video		19
Clare Battering – Mick $500		21
Peadar O’Loughlin (flute)
Week 424
The Crooked Road / The Foxhunter’s Reel		26
The Sunday Set (Jigs)
Clare Battering – Aidan		28
Paddy Canny (fiddle)

playlist

On this tab you will find playlists for the music, sets and video lessons for the whole course.

  • Spotify Playlist – music

All videos for this months course

week 1

Woodshed

Paddy Fahy’s Jig (also called Fahey’s Favourite, Paddy Fahey’s Jig #1), Sean Ryan’s Jig (also called Gallagher’s, The Lonely, Martin’s)

Keep Her Lit

Speed & Craic

This weeks elements

  • Priest in his Boots
    • jump hop shuffle
    • tip cross
    • side step
    • hop shuffles
    • kick
    • circle
    • grapevine
  • The Sunday Set
    • stamp
    • connemara
    • heel downs
    • shuffle downs
    • double shuffle with heel drop (Madness)
    • toe toe heel
    • cross movements (Ronan)
    • Meave (heel and stab)
    • Mick A & R – 123 | ball drop step | step shuffle drop step, ball drop drop
    • Clare – floor shuffle
    • Tricky – 12 movement, heel heel ball ball (extra beats)
    • Hips
    • Wille heel slap 12 | delay slap | 4/5 heels | Shuffle backs
  • Jig elements
    • 1 beat movements
    • 2 beat movements
    • 3 sound
    • 4 sound

week 2

Woodshed

Keep Her Lit

Speed & Craic

week 3

Woodshed

Mick’s dance at home step from the steps for sets video. Here are my notes for the Step for Sets video. I was playing around a bunch and found that this track was very nice with the step and slow. It’s a hornpipe, but it sounds great. Mary MacNamara The Humours of Tullycrine / Mikey Callaghan’s (hornpipes)

11-17-2025 Woodshed Zoom Class Video

Steps for Sets with Mick Mulkerrin and Mairéad Casey (link to notes)

Keep Her Lit

  • Paidhin O’Rafferty’s Jig (I think we just did the $500 step)
  • Clare Battering – $500

Speed & Craic

week 4

Woodshed

In this Zoom class we covered “The Crooked Road / The Foxhunter’s Reel” from Under the Moon by Martin Hayes. Edith noted that this track sits right around 126 bpm.

About the Album

“Martin returned to County Clare to record Under the Moon, gaining the accompaniment of his father, famed fiddler P.J. Hayes, and guitarist Steve Cooney. He is also joined by his American musical partners, accordion virtuoso John Williams and Portland guitarist/fiddler Randal Bays. This album contains all the spirit and eloquence of his eponymous debut and adds even more passion. No one can get inside a tune–be it barndance, jig, or reel–like Martin Hayes. Under the Moon is an album that stirs the heart and electrifies the mind!” – (Compas records)

No wonder the guitar caught my attention so much during class—it’s Randal Bays! He also plays guitar on Martin’s first album. It was a bit hard to hear the guitar clearly on Zoom, so if you can, go back and listen to the recording. It’s just gorgeous. Also I don’t have liner notes anymore and Steve is also on the Album but just from listening I’m pretty sure it’s Randal on that track.

A Note on Speed

Katrina asked a great question about tempo: Are we trying to get up to 120 bpm?

For my own dancing, when I’m at a session, reels are usually a bit slower—often 110–115 bpm. At a céilí, the tempo can be closer to 120 bpm, sometimes a touch faster depending on the musicians.

On stage, though—and this is where I personally get into trouble—the tempos can really take off. This often happens when I’m invited to hop in on the last tune of the night. The band is warmed up and flying, and if I’m not warmed up or haven’t been practicing at those higher speeds, I can find myself struggling.

So what I’m really saying is: I like to be prepared for those situations. I want to know what I can comfortably pull off before I’m standing on stage in front of a crowd. If I haven’t been dancing at those tempos for a few months, I can find myself in a bit of a pickle!

Keep Her Lit

Speed & Craic | Clare Battering Steps transitions

Classes, Irish Set Dancing, Past Classes

Fridays 6:30pm | 2025 Fall | Irish Set Dances and Kitchen Dances

maldonm

intro

Welcome to Fall Term!

Through structured steps, humor and joy, explore these two Irish social dances with community. As you do, you’ll also learn about the culture from which the dances originated. All levels welcome.

Fall Term runs October 3 – December 12 (Notes: No class 10/17, 11/7, 11/21, 11/28. No black-soled shoes)

Course Resources

Week by Week

DanceSteps & MovesBackground
Week 1: 10/3Kitchen Dance:
The Corn Reeks
(Na Corn Rigs)		hop 123
hop 1234567
hop back, hop back, hop 123
house around		Article in The Irish Times
Set Dance:
Connemara Reel Set		lift 123
Lead Around / Back
Advance & Retire
House Around
Swing
Follows Chain
Week 2:
10/10		Kitchen Dances:
Stack of Barley
Week 3:
10/17		No PCC class
3rd Friday Céilí @ Waverly
Week 4:
10/24		No PCC class
Concert @ Waverly
Week 5:
10/31		Set Dance:
Connemara Reel Set
Canadian Barndance
Merchant
Week 6:
11/7
Week 7:
11/14
Week 8:
11/21		No PCC Class
3rd Friday Céilí @ Waverly
Week 9:
11/28		No PCC Class
Butterball @ Kathleen’s
Week 10:
12/5
Week 11:
12/12

playlist

On this tab you will find playlists for the music, sets and video lessons for the whole course.

history

History/Background

Set dancing teacher Padraig Mc Eneany posted a video of the French Lancers. It’s so cool! I’ve always hear about the Irish Set and other squares/sets coming from the orignial French Quadrila but never had the chance to see one. This is well worth watching if you are a set dance nerd. Same but different!

Barbra and Bret sent this to me and I wanted to share it with all of you:

  • History/Background – this a great video of set dancing on the site. One of the dancers look to me like the late Willie Keane. (the taller lead).

Kitchen Dance: The Corn Reeks (Na Corn Rigs)

  • In: hop (or drop) 123, hop (or drop) 123 (2x)
  • Out: hop back hop back hop back hop back
  • house: hop 123 (6x), hop back hop back hop back hop back

connemara

Connemara Reel Set

This playlsit has several Connemara dances. The first set is the Connemara Reel Set that we danced in class.

corn

Kitchen Dance: The Corn Reeks (Na Corn Rigs)

  • In: hop (or drop) 123, hop (or drop) 123 (2x)
  • Out: hop back hop back hop back hop back
  • house: hop 123 (6x), hop back hop back hop back hop back

stack

Stack of Barley

barndance

Canadian Barn Dance

merchant

Merchant Set

Classes, Past Classes

10/2025 Maldon’s Performance Process

maldonm

I have a goal of getting back into dance shape and back to preforming. I tought that I would record my process and share it with you.

Material Samhain Folder

  • W 10/01 – am Class, private lesson, pm Class, prep, listen, 4 hours
  • T 10/02 – Fiddler’s She Performance, listen 4 hours
  • F 10/03 – am class, Melt, Cape Breton, pm class, listen – 4.5 hours
  • S 10/04 – Yoga Nidra, Irish langae, walk, listen – 3.5 hours
  • S 10/05 – walk, listen, 2 hours
  • M 10/06 – am class, accordion, fumble, listen – 4 hours (had AI symptoms) – over did it, off on medication. Had to bring the walker back into the mix, not a good day!
  • T 10/07 rest, sets, listen – 6 hours
  • W 10/08 – am class, open studio – Melt Feet & Melt Lowback, pm class, listen – 3.5 hours
  • T 10/09 – Waltz Clog, stamina, listen – 2 hours
  • F 10/10 – am class, walk – 3 hours
  • S 10/11 – Walk – 1 hour
  • S 10/12 – Melt Feet & Melt Lowback, – 1 hour
  • M 10/13 – am class, open studio,
  • T 10/14 -sets
  • W 10/15 – am class, open studio, pm class
  • T 10/16 –
  • F 10/17 – am class, open studio, céilí
  • S 10/18 –
  • S 10/19 –
  • M 10/20 – am class, open studio,
  • T 10/21 – sets
  • W 10/22 – am class, open studio, pm class
  • T 10/23 –
  • F 10/24 – am class, open studio,
  • S 10/25 – Samhain Festival
  • S 10/26 –
  • M 10/27 – am class, open studio,
  • T 10/28 – sets
  • W 10/29 – am class, open studio, pm class
  • T 10/30 –
  • F 10/31 – am class, open studio,