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CONNEMARA SET
Other published
instructions for this dance may differ slightly. Other sources include Pat
Murphy's "Toss the Feathers", Tom
Quinn's "Irish Dances" and Volume 1 of the video series "The Magic of Irish Set Dancing".
 FORMATION
Square Set of four
couples, Gents on the left of their partners. Numbering of couples is
anti-clockwise starting with Top Couple who have their backs to the band.
Second Couple (First Sides) are on their right, then Third Couple (Second
Tops), and finally Fourth Couple (Second Sides) on the left of First Tops.
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FIGURE 1: REELS
(160 Bars)
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All
Couples
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Lead
around anti-clockwise with front promenade hold (6 bars), turn the
lady (2 bars) and lead back (6 bars). Dance the last two bars facing
partner.
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16
bars
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All
Couples
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Swing
in céilí hold (6 bars). Dance out the last two bars
facing into the set.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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With
front promenade hold top couples advance and retire twice; face
partner for last 2 bars.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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House
around opposite couple inside set, holding crossed hands (6 bars);
finish facing into the set (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Swing
in place (6 bars); finish facing into the set (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Side
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice; house inside and swing.
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24
bars
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Top
Couples
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Ladies
chain, right hands in the centre, left hand to opposite gent, going
around him anti-clockwise turning under his arm + pass back right
shoulder to right to place.
Gents turn anti-clockwise with the opposite lady then clockwise in
own corner turning to face partner.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Swing
in place.
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8
bars
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Side
Couples
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Ladies'
chain and swing.
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16
bars
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Top
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice; house inside and swing
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24
bars
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Side
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice; house inside and ...
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16
bars
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All
Couples
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Swing
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8
bars
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FIGURE 2: REELS
(192 Bars)
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All
Couples
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Lead
around, turn the lady and lead back; dance last two bars facing
partner.
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16
bars
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All
Couples
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Swing
in place; dance last two bars facing into the set.
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8
bars
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Top
Gent + Opposite Lady
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Advance
passing right shoulder to right (2 bars), move sideways to the right
without turning (2 bars), reverse back passing left shoulder to left
(2 bars) to face each other in the centre.
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8
bars
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Top
Gent + Opposite Lady
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Swing
in the centre, reversing to place during the last two bars.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice (front promenade hold); finish facing partner.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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House
around opposite couple inside set (holding crossed hands); finish
facing partner.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Swing
in place; finish facing into the set.
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8
bars
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2nd
Gent + Opposite Lady
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Advance
passing right shoulder to right, move sideways, reverse to face in
centre. Swing in the centre, reversing to place during the last two
bars.
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16
bars
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Side
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice + face partner; house around opposite couple inside
set + face partner; swing in place + face into the set.
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24
bars
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3rd
Gent + Opposite Lady
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Advance
passing right shoulder to right, move sideways, reverse to face in
centre. Swing in the centre, reversing to place during the last two
bars.
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16
bars
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Top
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice + face partner; house around opposite couple inside
set + face partner; swing in place + face into the set.
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24
bars
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4th
Gent + Opposite Lady
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Advance
passing right shoulder to right, move sideways, reverse to face in
centre. Swing in the centre, reversing to place during the last two
bars.
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16
bars
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Side
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice + face partner; house around opposite couple inside
set + face partner and ...
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16
bars
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All
Couples
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Swing
in place (6 bars); finish facing into the set (2 bars).
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8
bars
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FIGURE 3: REELS
(184 Bars)
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All
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice in a circle; face partner when retiring the second
time.
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8
bars
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All
Couples
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Swing
in place; finish facing into the set.
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8
bars
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Top
Couple
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Advance
and retire (gent's arm around the lady's waist; lady's hand on his
shoulder); advance and face each other in the centre.
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8
bars
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1st
Tops +
Top Couples
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Swing
in the centre (6 bars); open out into a circle of four with the
opposite couple, who dance in to meet them (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Basket
(6 bars); retire to place facing into the set (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Ladies
chain; finish facing partner.
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Swing
in place; finish facing into the set.
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8
bars
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1st
Sides
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Advance
(2 bars); retire (2 bars); advance (2 bars); face partner in centre
(2 bars).
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8
bars
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1st
Sides +
Side Couples
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Swing
in the centre (6 bars); open out into a circle of four with the
opposite couple, who dance in to meet them (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Side
Couples
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Basket
and retire to place facing into the set (8 bars); Ladies chain +
face partner (8 bars); swing partner + face into the set (8 bars).
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8
bars
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2nd
Tops
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Advance
(2 bars); retire (2 bars); advance (2 bars); face partner in centre
(2 bars).
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8
bars
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2nd
Tops +
Top Couples
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Swing
in the centre (6 bars); open out into a circle of four with the
opposite couple, who dance in to meet them (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Top
Couples
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Basket
and retire to place facing into the set (8 bars); Ladies chain +
face partner (8 bars); swing partner + face into the set (8 bars).
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24
bars
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2nd
Sides
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Advance
(2 bars); retire (2 bars); advance (2 bars); face partner in centre
(2 bars).
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8
bars
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2nd
Sides +
Side Couples
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Swing
in the centre (6 bars); open out into a circle of four with the
opposite couple, who dance in to meet them (2 bars).
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8
bars
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Side
Couples
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Basket
and retire to place facing into the set (8 bars); Ladies chain +
face partner (8 bars) and ...
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16
bars
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All
Couples
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Swing
in place (6 bars); finish facing into the set (2 bars).
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8
bars
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FIGURE 4: POLKA (96
Bars)
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All
Couples
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Advance
and retire twice in a circle.
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8
bars
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All
Couples
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Dance
in place in waltz hold, turning twice.
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8
bars
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All
Couples
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Rejoin
circle + advance and retire twice, ladies moving on the inside to
the position on their right instead of retiring the second time.
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8
bars
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New
Couples #1
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Balance
in place and dance to the position on the right, turning twice.
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8
bars
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New
Couples #1
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All
circle advance and retire twice, ladies moving to their right a
second time.
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8
bars
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New
Couples #2
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Balance
in place and dance to the position on the right, turning twice.
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8
bars
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New
Couples #2
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All
circle advance and retire twice, ladies moving to their right a
third time.
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8
bars
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New
Couples #3
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Balance
in place and dance to the position on the right, turning twice.
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8
bars
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New
Couples #3
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All
circle advance and retire twice, ladies moving to their right to
rejoin partner.
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8
bars
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Original
Couples
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Balance
in place and dance back to original position, turning twice.
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8
bars
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Original
Couples
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Swing
in céilí hold (6 bars); finish facing into the set (2
bars).
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8
bars
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REFERENCES
Murphy, Pat (1995). Toss
the Feathers. Mercier Press: Cork. 96-98.
Quinn, Tom (1997). Irish
Dancing. HarperCollins: Glasgow. 130-134.
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