Welcome to November Online!

Deep dive into Clare musicians.

• Musicians from Clare

• Keep Her Lit
• Jigs
  • Week 1: Priest in his Boots
  • Week 2: Kitty Lie Over
  • Week 3: Paidhin O’Rafferty’s Jig (2025 September week 2)
  • Week 4: The Sunday Set (Jigs)
• Reels
  • Week 1: The Sunday Set
  • Week 2: Clare Battering – Mick’s Banner
  • Week 3: Clare Battering – $500
  • Week 4: Clare Battering – Aidan

Week by Week

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

Woodshed

• The Galway Rambler, The London Lasses

Keep Her Lit

• Kitty Lie Over – Jig or reel
• Clare Battering – Mick’s Banner

Speed & Craic

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)

• Steps for Sets with Mick Mulkerrin and Mairéad Casey
  • Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghRmc_Awwhs&t=10s
• Step 1 – Connemara Step
• Step 2 – Polka Advance & Retire Knocknagree, Cork (Sliabh Luachra)
• Step 3 – Clare Avance & Retire Simple
• Step 4 – Clare – Advance & Retire ending
• Step 5 – Clare – Advance & Retire coming back with double heels
  • Demo – Steps 3-5 with music 
• Step 6 – Clare Advance & Retire (Mick)
• Step 7 – Clare House at Home (Basic)
• Step 8 – Clare House at Home (“adding a couple of extra beats”)
• Step 9 – Clare Jig Step Advance & Retire (heel hit and double shuffle) 
• Step 10 – Clare Hornpipe Advance Step
  • Demo – Clare House at Home & Advance & Retires
• Step 11 – Cavan Reel Step
  • Demo – Sean-nós Dancing – Trip to Kilfanora 
• Caledonian Set – for links to each figure click here.

Keep Her Lit

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

Speed & Craic

Woodshed

• The Crooked Road / The Foxhunter’s Reel – Martin Hayes
• Under the Moon – Whole Album

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

• The Sunday Set (Jigs)
• Clare Battering – Aidan

Speed & Craic | Clare Battering Steps transitions

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

• PCC Sets & Kitchen Dances – all course resources
• Spotify Playlist – music
• YouTube Playlist – video references

Week by Week

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

• PCC Sets & Kitchen Dances – all course resources
• Spotify Playlist – music
• YouTube Playlist – video references

Connemara Reel Set

• Printable Connemara Reel Set Callers Notes

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

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 of Barley

Canadian Barn Dance

Merchant Set

• Printable Callers notes
• Youtube Video playlist

Welcome to Fall Term 1!

Week by Week layout:

This first six-week term we’ll dive into the joy of Irish set dancing by learning a new set each week while also reviewing the set from the previous week. This layered approach builds confidence, helps steps and figures settle in, and keeps the dancing lively and fun.

At the 3rd Friday Céilí, we’ll bring it all to life by dancing the sets to live traditional music from both local favorites and visiting musicians. Nothing compares to the energy of a full set moving together with the music — it’s the heart of the tradition!

All levels are welcome. Beginners will learn smooth foundational steps and partner movement, while more experienced dancers will explore battering steps and footwork variations. Each dancer can choose their own level of challenge, and together we’ll create a strong, supportive set on the floor.

To support your dancing between classes, you’ll also have access to:

• A Spotify playlist with music for the term
• YouTube and Vimeo playlists with video references and lessons
• Pre-recorded companion videos focusing on battering for sets. This is a great way to practice on your own or with a partner, and to build confidence in your footwork before bringing it back into the set.

By the end of the term, you’ll have several full sets under your belt, a foundation of smooth steps, and—if you’re ready to push further—a repertoire of battering steps to carry into céilís and beyond.

Fall Term 1 runs September 23 – October 28.

Course Resources

• Spotify Playlist – music for the term
• YouTube Playlist – video references for the term
• Vimeo Playlist – full lessons for the term

Class Structure

All Dancers / Beginners

Each week, I will teach smooth steps for different tune types. We’ll focus on how to dance these steps with your partner and within the set.

Intermediate / Advanced

I’ve included video lessons of the battering steps. You can choose to work ahead or use them to review after class. In-person, I’ll briefly introduce each battering step, but the real progress will come from your own drilling and practice.

• Battering steps are usually danced between 110–120 bpm.
• Be patient with yourself—when the music feels too fast, switch back to the smooth steps until you’re ready.

Companion Course

Online: Battering for Sets / Sean-nós Steps

• Class page with Zoom Link and class links
• Course home page – Week 1 & 2 are Clare Battering Steps, Week 3 – Polkas, Slides and Jigs. You will need to login with the login and password that I sent you. If you need it again email or text me maldonmeehan@gmail.com, 971-373-1374 and I will send it on.

This companion Zoom class (with recordings provided) is designed to complement the weekly set dancing course. It focuses on footwork, step practice, and moving with steps.

The material will strengthen your battering and help you feel more confident when dancing in the full set, whether in class or at a céilí.

A great way to build skills at home, on your own or with a partner.

Advance & Retires

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

Week 2

Steps

• Connemara Step – This step can be dances with a hop or a step. I tend to dance it with the step rather than the hop. I takes less energy and I can have more stamina.
• Stamp & Stamp – When I was first incorporating battering steps into the Connemara set I used this step a lot as it allowed me to travel further than the Connemara step. I still use it when I need to cover more distance in a set or traveling across the set.
• Heels or Zig Zag – I love this step for moving sideways. It’s very nice in the back to back movement.
• Finishing Step – This is a great step for dancing the last 2 bars of something. It takes the place of 2 Connemara step and adds a different rythmic pattern.
• Full Connemara steps course – If you want to explore more steps check out the full Connemara Sean-nós course. I often use these steps in the Connemara set as well as the sets from the Aran Isllands.

Partner

• Lead Around/Lead Back
• Swing (céilí hold)
• Advance & Retire
• House

Group

• Follows Chain
• Back to Back
• Little Christmas

Connemara Reel Set

• Printable Connemara Reel Set Callers Notes

Week 3

Steps

• Up Jig or Skip 3’s
• Down 23’s / Polka step
• Note on steps: this is a fast moving dance and you want to be sure to move with your skip step rather than the small tidy step you might use in other sets. This step covers a lot of ground and is a lively dance.

Partner

• Swing (waltz hold)
• Swing (céilí hold)
• Show the follow
• Gallop
• Stack of Barley

Harvest Dance Set

• Printable callers notes for the Harvest Dance Set

Here is a kitchen dance or 2 hand dance of the Stack of Barley. It has more moves that we danced in the Harvest Dance Set.

Week 4

• Review:
  • Connemara Reel Set
  • Antrim Square Set
  • Kilfenora Plain Set
  • Harvest Dance Set
• Steps:
  • 3’s – reels, up jigs, down jigs
  • Advance & Retire – reels, jigs
  • Connemara Step
  • Clare Step

Week 5

Week 6