The videos presented here from the collections of the Irish Traditional Music Archive were recorded at a sean-nós (old-style) dancing competition held in the local community hall in Ráth Chairn, Co Meath, on New Year’s Eve, 1996. The adjudicator was Máire Mhic Aogáin of Dublin, and the winner was Seosamh Ó Neachtain of An Spidéal, Conamara. The area of Ráth Chairn, with Baile Ghib, forms a gaeltacht or Irish-speaking district near the town of Navan, one with a strong traditional culture and with particular links to Conamara. This Co Meath gaeltacht was created by the Irish government in the 1930s by the distribution of large landlord estates to migrant farmers from counties Galway, Mayo and Kerry.

The videos were recorded for ITMA by Seán Corcoran of Drogheda. As is the case with all ITMA field recordings, they eavesdrop on the proceedings and are careful not to interfere with their natural course. We think that the musicians belong to the Esker Riada Ceili Band, but have been unable to confirm this as yet.

Buíochas do na damhsóirí as ucht cead a thabhairt na físeáin a fhoilsiú anseo, do Seán Corcoran, agus do Ann Ní Dhonnchadha, Comharchumann Ráth Chairn, as ucht a cabhrach/ With thanks to the dancers for permission to carry the recordings of their performances here, to Seán Corcoran, and to Ann Ní Dhonnchadha of Comharchumann Ráth Chairn for her help.

Nicholas Carolan, Piaras Hoban & Treasa Harkin, 1 April 2015

The revival of interest in sean-nós (old-style) step dancing which has been on the rise since the late 1980s has been driven mainly from Conamara in Co Galway. This loose, partly improvised, solo exhibition form is of uncertain origin and antiquity, but it contrasts with the rigidity and programmed control normally associated with Irish solo dancing.

Two leading young Conamara sean-nós dancers were filmed by Irish Traditional Music Archive staff at the 2006–2007 Frankie Kennedy Winter School/ Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy in Gaoth Dobhair, Co Donegal: Seosamh Ó Neachtain of An Spidéal and Róisín Ní Mhainín of Rosmuc. They danced to a range of rhythms played on accordion by Colm Gannon of Boston and Conamara at an event of the School entitled ‘An Damhsa’.

ITMA has been recording at the Frankie Kennedy Winter School since 2004–2005, and the results are available for listening and viewing to visitors to 73 Merrion Square, while some recordings have been made available on the website.

With thanks to Róisín Ní Mhainín, Seosamh Ó Neachtain & Colm Gannon for permission to reproduce their performances, and to Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy for facilitating the recording.

Nicholas Carolan and Treasa Harkin, 1 June 2013