 Name: Tilly Age: 3 fingers! How long have you been dancing with SRL? This is my first year. What do you want to be when you grow up? A unicorn princess. How did you get started with Irish dance? My older sister Rooney does it and when SRL started a class for my age group too I got to sign up! What’s your favorite movie? Descendants, Evie is my favorite.  As you may be able to tell, Tilly's family's cats are named Batman and Robin What’s your favorite thing about your Irish dance class?
Walking on my tip toes and frog hops! Also my friend Lily. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? A piggie! Because I like pigs. How do you make someone happy? Give them a cat. Cats make everyone happy. What would you tell a new dancer? I like Irish dance and you will too!! This post is part of a series. Meet our last spotlighted dancer, Colby, here. And check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.
0 Comments
 A more modern depiction of Belenus Springtime Traditions, Part 4 Beltane Happy May Day! (Well, two days late.) As Americans, we’ve all heard about May Day celebrations, but chances are all the words conjure for you are a vague image of girls dancing around a pole with ribbons. Or maybe the words just alarm you (though, fun fact: mayday as a distress call is actually just a corruption of the French m’aider which means, unsurprisingly: help me.) However, if you’re not new to the blog, you won’t be surprised to hear that in Ireland, May 1st has a long history of celebration—all the way back to its druidic, pagan past. Beltane (pronounced bel-tein) is one of the four major fire festivals in Gaelic, pagan culture and has been observed from April 30th into May 1st for as long as there have been people in Ireland. The name means “bright fire” or, alternatively, “fires of bel” for the Celtic sun god, Belenus, as this bright twin of Samhain (which marks the beginning of winter) was meant to mark the beginning of summer on the Emerald Isle. Though there’s plenty of healthy debate about Belenus’s exact role in ancient, Irish worship, most sources see him as a Gaelic equivalent to Apollo, especially as he’s often depicted with similar accouterment: a chariot being driven across the sky, a corona of light, and the sun. However, Belenus had additional associations that fit a springtime god well: healing and medicine (to this day, shrines to Belenus often include therapeutic and sacred springs,) fertility and sexuality, and even livestock and crops.  Modern May Bushes may have wishes tied to them (and some places: hurling balls hung from the branches!) Like all the major fire festivals (check out our posts about Samhain and Imbolc—and we’ll see you this summer for Lúnasa) in Gaelic culture, Beltane was a time when the community came together at a shared bonfire to honor Belenus and relight their own hearths from the blaze—but Beltane is notable for its tradition of having two bonfires. As the ancient Irish were a largely agrarian people who were early cultivators of livestock, these bonfires did more than bring everyone together, but were believed to honor the return of the sun and thus, a return of life after a long, hard, hungry winter. People would drive their cattle between the two bonfires to let the smoke wash over the animals to bless them, protect them from disease, and encourage fertility, before driving them out to pasture for the warmer months. The sacred smoke was also thought to bless those in attendance and sometimes, the brave would leap over the fires in an attempt to garner even better luck. Much like Samhain, Beltane was also believed to be a time where our world and the Otherworld (in Gaelic: Tír na nÓg aka the faerie world,) were closest. Also much like Samhain or Yule, decorations were placed in and around the home to ward off trickster faeries (who might be looking to steal milk and butter from the livestock they just went to such careful trouble to protect—people left the faeries their own milk and honey outside instead!) But what does one decorate with in May? Why, May flowers, of course! Yellow flowers such as buttercups, primroses, and marigolds were especially coveted, and people supplemented their floral decorations with greenery—in some regions whole boughs or bushes that were additionally decorated with strips of colorful cloth! These decorations were a multifaceted part of the day: they were celebratory of the warmth and sun in the months to come, but also thought of as protection—everyone knows the fey love beauty can’t resist stopping to smell a pretty flower!  Maypoles are still a tradition common throughout both Western and Eastern Europe, and even here in the United States! Like all other pagan spring celebrations, Beltane was also holiday focused on fertility and new life. Not only were homes decorated with flowers and greenery, in some regions flower crowns or posies were popular accessories for unmarried or newly married women (and even placed on the cattle people were hoping to breed and protect.) While the iconic Maypole was a later, English addition to the festivities (and were most popular in heavily English-influenced areas,) it gained popularity over time and became a part of the communal festivities in many areas. The dance around the Maypole has long been considered by historians to be a remanent of a fertility ritual, and many towns would then crown a May Queen from the dancers to lead a procession—a tradition thought to be Roman in origin, originally in worship of the spring goddess, Flora.
While most of us probably didn’t have access to a Maypole (or any cattle to bless) this year, we can certainly get behind celebrating spring after this long, (isolated) winter! While these types of agrarian celebrations seem a truly ancient part of our past some days, humans will always be excited to see the sun after the coldest months of the year. So, as you go about your modern life this early May, maybe pick some daffodils and leave some milk and honey out for the faeries—you know, just in case. This post is part of a series. Read about the tradition of Mothering Sunday in our last installment here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Laura F. Dancer at SRL: Emma F. How old was your dancer when they started Irish dance? What is your earliest memory of them dancing? Emma began Irish dance at 8 years old. My first memory of her dancing was sitting in the local Irish-American club on a Saturday morning watching her learn her Point-2-3s. How long has your family been dancing with SRL? We joined SRL in April of 2017 Why SRL? Emma was looking for a focused experience that would allow her to continue to advance competitively. Working with Courtney, and now with the addition of Christian and Bailey, Emma has continued to improve as a dancer. While, as of this writing, she has not yet qualified for Open, I can honestly say the time spent working with the teachers at SRL and the friendships she has forged with other dancers are by far the best things that have happened to her.  Best dance memory? There are so many! Looking back, I appreciate all the pre-dawn departures for feis and all those drives. In the moment, it wasn’t always fun to be up before the sun and be pinning a wig on a cranky teen but those hours spent driving to and from when it’s just us are such great memories. Without dance, we wouldn’t have had all those adventures together. Any dance parent fails or funniest moments to share? We’ve never lost a wig on stage but we have had capes come loose and numbers fall off. If your dancer is retiring, which parts of being so involved with the Irish dance world will you miss the most? Emma is planning to continue dancing in college, but now that she will be away and competing with a college team, I see my time spent at feis coming to an end. I’ll miss seeing our dance families and friends from other schools. It has always been so nice to catch up with everyone. As crazy as things always get at Oireachtas, I will miss a weekend spent watching not only my child compete but to spend time cheering for her friends, running from stage to stage trying to watch everyone. It’s this amazing dance family we have built over the years that I will miss this most.  What’s the most important life lesson you think your dancer learned from Irish dance? I would have to say resilience and grace. In competition, it can be a struggle to keep going to achieve the placements you need to move up and you have to withstand the disappointment and grace to accept that it is a journey that isn’t always easy but you keep at it and get a little better each time along the way. What are your dancer’s plans for the future so far? Emma will be attending the nursing program at Sacred Heart University this fall. She has also auditioned for and been invited to join the Irish Dance Ensemble, The Claddagh Dancers, which is a collegiate competition team. Any advice to graduating dancers? I wish all our graduating dancers the best of luck in whatever their next steps may be and wherever life takes them. Enjoy this next chapter and stay in touch with your dance family because we love you all and are so very proud of each and every one of you!  To younger dancers and their families?
Try not to become overwhelmed and don’t be discouraged if progress takes a little while. Enjoy the moments because it goes so quickly. Our kids do this because they love to dance, first and foremost. What are your hopes and dreams for your dancer’s life? Dance has been such a big part of her life for so long that I hope Emma keeps dance in her life in some way, be that with continuing to compete or as an assistant in classes or maybe as teacher herself one day. Most of all, I hope she continues to find joy in her life. I want her time away at college to be happy and for her to be successful as a student as well as have fun and make amazing memories and ultimately find a job that she loves in her chosen field. This post is part of a series. See our last spotlight with Judy D. & Cayla B. here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Click the image for a selection of Mother’s Day cards by an Irish creator Springtime Traditions, Part 3 Mothering Sunday If you have any friends from Ireland on social media, you may have noticed something odd over the years: they wish their mom a Happy Mother’s Day over a month before you’ve even started thinking about it! In the United States, Mother’s Day (just a reminder: it’s May 9th this year) is the first Sunday in May and has been a national holiday since 1914. The US creator, Anna Jarvis, argued that a holiday was needed to highlight women’s achievements, particularly all the sacrifices mothers make for their children. (Though, she would later go on to criticize the commercialization of the holiday, upset over what she saw as a private time of spiritual reflection becoming another marketing opportunity.) But where did Anna get this idea? While springtime celebrations of mothers and motherhood have been occurring in a variety of forms as long as humans have existed (one could even count Imbolc as one of these early traditions,) the origin is more closely linked to the early-Christian tradition of “Mothering Sunday.” Celebrated on the fourth Sunday during Lent (which moves just as Easter does,) the first incarnation of the holiday only included moms as a secondary aspect of the celebrations.  Want to try making your own Simnel Cake this year? Click the image for a recipe! Originally, Mothering Sunday was created to bring families together spiritually during the Lenten season. It was common in the Middle Ages for children to not reside at home, but rather go out to work as servants or farmhands. Mothering Sunday was one of the few times the families would be reunited, as everyone was let off of work to return home to their mother churches to make donations. It’s said that the children would pick the early spring flowers for their mothers on their way home, and voila! A day celebrating not only their mother church, but actual mothers, eventually became the norm! While this technically isn’t a national holiday in Ireland, the secular version experienced a resurgence after WWII, rolling off the swell of support the holiday had by Irish immigrants in America. One of the most long-lasting traditions in Ireland is that of food on Mother’s Day. While Americans love a big breakfast in bed or a brunch, the Irish are particularly fond of a Simnel Cake. Simnel Cakes are a kind of spring fruitcake, or even an extra-sweet and denser version of Ireland’s favorite springtime treat: hot cross buns! While Simnel Cakes can have many variety and regional variations, one ingredient links them all together: marzipan. A treat more popular in Europe than the US, marzipan is a combination of almond flour, powdered sugar, and egg white that becomes a moldable paste that’s usually layered within the cake, as well as on top. While Simnel Cakes (and their marzipan) may be flavored with anything that sounds appetizing, it’s the 11 marzipan balls on the top of the cake (to represent the 11 loyal disciples) that make it “Simnel.”  Is a mum you know proud of her Irish heritage? Click the image for an Ireland-inspired gift guide! This year, Ireland celebrated Mothering Sunday on March 14th—but what did it looks like? Turns out modern Irish Mother’s Day looks a lot like modern American Mother’s Day: flowers and gifts and homemade cards for mom, making her a meal (or a Simnel Cake) or bringing her to her favorite restaurant, maybe a trip to the park or the movies or church, and all kids and dads (and pets!) on their best behavior, taking over all of the chores mom usually completes. Most moms (or, at least if you ask mine,) are more interested in the appreciation (and hopefully break from their never-ending responsibilities!) than the commercial part. I’m sure Anna Jarvis would be happy to know this, but, still, who doesn’t like a present? We’ve gathered together a few of the most original gift guides we could find for you, just in case you’re not sure how to show a mom in your life how much you appreciate all she’s done and continues you do. Check out these suggestions:
1. Uncommon Goods Mother’s Day Gift Suggestions 2. Good Housekeeping: Unique & Heartfelt Mother’s Day Gift Guide 3. Business Insider’s Funny & Inexpensive Mother’s Day Gifts 4. Buzzfeed’s Gifts to Make Mom LOL 5. The Little Market’s Sustainable and Ethical Mother’s Day Gift Guide So, a little early to be sure, but, Happy Mother’s Day to all our amazing SRL moms! And we mean all of you: traditional moms, adopted moms, step-moms, mother-figures, pet moms, moms we miss a little extra today, and all the grandparents and fathers and aunts and uncles who have stepped in and are amazing moms to our dancers! We appreciate you, your kids appreciate you (even if it doesn’t always seem like it,) and we hope you take a moment today (even if it’s not our Mother’s Day) to appreciate yourself and all you do! This post is part of a series. Read all about the (confusing) history of Easter and Irish Easter traditions here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Socks in the Frying Pan appear to be as fun as their name suggests Staff Recommendations: Courtney Welcome to our new series, where you can get to know SRL’s staff better with some hand-picked recommendations! Next up is our Miss Courtney—director of SRL and an instructor at all levels! Irish Music Groups/Musicians: Goitse, Flook, Beoga, Kan, Socks in the Frying Pan, Damien O’Kane, We Banjo 3 Strange, But Delicious Food: Cucumbers with salt and vinegar. For all the times you really crave fish and chips! Recipes: I love to cook and making new recipes so I get a HelloFresh box once/month to change up my diet and learn something new! Take Out: Sushi or poke always! Mei Tzu for sushi and Pokemoto/Joy Bowl for poke. Games: Monopoly for board games, Phase 10 for card games, and The Sims for computer games. Small Business in Area: I have so many that I love! Gina’s Total Fitness is part of my daily routine and I love to go to Luann’s in Ellington any time I can. Small Business Online: Cavology… for people like me who spend more on dog clothing and accessories than they do on themselves.  Maui in May Vacation (One Day!): There are so many! I love a beach trip so my ultimate favorites over the years have been Maui, Fort Lauderdale Beach, Honeymoon Island, and my childhood vacation spot Isle of Palms. Restaurant: I love to eat good food so this will also be a long list – Abigail’s in Simsbury, @ the Corner in Litchfield, Max’s Oyster Bar in West Hartford, and my most recent find is OKO in Westport Instagram Accounts: @zillowgonewild, @on_a_beach_somewhere, @swaggingtarget, @traderjoesobsessed  Zillow Gone Wild has found the real estate listing gems for you Dessert: Anything smores-related, Tiramisu, or a chocolatey cheesecake. Ice Cream Flavor: Mint Chocolate Chip. Secondary options are a good coffee ice cream or anything chocolatey.Outdoor Activity: Beach! You really won’t catch me outside much unless it’s a dog walk or beach day. First Job: SRL! Fun fact I have never worked for anyone but myself (and I’m not sure I ever could!) Irish Dance Social Media Accounts: @targettrainingdance, @tc_ad_life,@dancedpt,@davidgeaney94, @gardinerbrothers, @irishdancevids, @irishdancing_memes, @notirishdance Gift to Give: Things that someone has expressed they like/want but don’t expect you to get for them. Way to Spend a Sunday: Well, I used to spend every Sunday at a feis but COVID has given me time for the first time in almost my entire life to see what else one can do on the weekend! When the weather is nice, Chris and I like to take a day trip to a nice town and walk around with Maeve grabbing coffee and a trying a new restaurant. When it’s too cold, too hot, or too rainy – nothing beats making breakfast to rival a B&B at home and then spending the day watching a documentary or TV Series. What to Take to a Desert Island: Oh I would never survive on a desert island…. I’m covering all my bases by bringing an RV, my phone, and my WiFi router.  Just don't let a seagull steal your cone as you watch the boats pass Road Trip (One Day!): Mystic is always a fun day trip from the Hartford area. Water views, good food, ice cream by the drawbridge! A weekend trip I like is visiting Cape Cod. Skill to Learn: There are so many skills I wish I learned in school but only learned them just in time to solve a crisis or survive adulthood (some are still a work in progress) – general handiness, financial literacy, car maintenance basics, and home improvement come to mind. Tips for Productivity: Tackle the most important task of the day or the one you’re tempted to put off FIRST. You’ll feel lighter just by completing it and you know that even if you don’t accomplish anything else on your list that day, you’re still ahead by completing that one most important thing. Also, a to-do list/scheduled day. Coffeeshop: Luann’s in Ellington, Birdhouse Coffee in South Windsor, and GG & Joe’s in Westport.  A must-listen for all 20-somethings! Podcast: Gymcastic, School of Greatness, Entrepreneurs on Fire, Smart Passive Income, Almost 30, The Dream
Advice for Dancers: 1) Everyone has a natural weakness to overcome – your success comes down to your patience with yourself and commitment to working through your weaknesses and challenges. There is never an easy or quick road to success. 2) Use your resources – not only do you have access to classes and your teachers, you have feedback from judges, the ability to record your dances and reflect back on them, free exercises and stretches on YouTube & social media, and so much more! This post is part of a series. You can learn more about Miss Courtney here, in her Q&A, or read our last set of recommendations with Bailey here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Volume VI Young Adult Books, Part 1 What’s the age range for Young Adult books? Depends on who you ask. We’ve seen the range as wide as 12-25, or as narrow as 13-16. But these guesstimates and the name itself give you a good idea of what the category means beyond a term dreamed up for marketing: it’s for people whose life is in constant state of flux and confusion, trying to sort out how to grow into independence and, well…grow up. Ireland is particularly furtive ground for such stories, with its long history of political and religious turbulence, as well as a cultural tradition of prizing self-reliance and inner strength. Because what else does a YA book do if not show us—no matter our age—how we can do better for those around us, and ourselves, by showing us another perspective, another story of how someone else figured it out? Or at least started to? Tempted to read along? You should--here’s a great article about why adults should be reading YA too! 1. The Radiant Road, Katherine Catmull This fantasy novel tells the story of Clare Macleod, an Irish teenager who’s spent much of her life in America. When Clare and her father return to the house in Ireland where Clare was born—a home built into an emerald green hill with one wall made up of an ancient tree—Clare is swept up in a world of fairytale and romance (both the light and dark sides.) Clare’s story weaves together Celtic mythology and the contemporary ups-and-downs of being a teenager through dream-like, poetic prose and a tale of fast-moving adventure. Since YA fantasy novels tend to get a lot of flak (probably Twilight’s fault,) we often forget the true purpose of fantasy in literature: it’s a safe way for us to explore our fears, a pure way to exercise the imagination, and has the ability to help us see our own selves and own world all the more clearly for having seen it through a funhouse mirror—essentially, it can give us all a new sense of perspective.  2. The New Policeman, Kate Thompson The first in a fantasy trilogy, Thompson’s novel tells the story of 15-year-old J.J. Liddy, a teenage boy born into a family of traditional Irish musicians in Kinvara, Ireland. With modern life leaving people less time for the pleasures of music, J.J.’s mother laments that all she wants for her birthday is more time—a wish that sets J.J. on more of an adventure than he bargained for. While many have noticed the mysterious disappearance of male protagonists in YA fantasy (and YA in general,) Thompson brings J.J. to life by interweaving his adventures in Tír na nÓg with that of his own family’s secrets and the town’s (rather hopeless) new policeman. By using music as the interconnecting theme—between worlds, times, and people—Thompson’s novel is both a comic adventure and a dive into Irish culture and mythology (Not to mention a winner of both the Guardian Children's Book Prize and the Whitbread Children's Book Award.) Quick note: this series is best for YA readers on the younger side.  3. A Swift Pure Cry, Siobhan Dowd Winner of both the Branford Boase and the Eilís Dillon Awards in 2007 (among many other awards,) Dowd’s story is definitely one for the older range of Young Adult readers (think late teens!) Fifteen-year-old Michelle “Shell” Talent is growing up in the small Irish village of Coolbar in County Cork, trying to manage her suddenly overtly religious father and two siblings after the death of her mother. When a new priest comes to town and Shell’s family is thrust into poverty due to her father’s newfound devotion, Shell experiences her own reawakened spirituality and becomes close with altar boy Declan and his girlfriend, Bridie. Though the story may be tragic and complicated, Dowd weaves a tale that explores multiple subjects that are closely tied to the Irish experience (particularly in the 1980s, when the true story it’s loosely based on occurred): religion and pregnancy, immigration and death, and the strange complexities of growing up in a small town. Readers also highly recommend Dowd’s Bog Child (another ‘80s inspired award winner!)  4. The Unknowns, Shirley-Anne McMillan Set in modern day Belfast (where “the Troubles” are both in the past and have never really ended,) McMillan’s novel tells the story of Tilly, a teenage girl who feels out of place wherever she goes. But when Tilly has a chance encounter with a boy who calls himself Brew, she’s catapulted into a world she didn’t know existed right under her feet—one of parties and mischief, but also support, kindness, and hope in the most unexpected places. McMillan’s books are known for their engaging plots that sweep you up and carry you along, but also the way she captures the still turbulent cityscape where many have no faith in the political system. While McMillan’s stories are unflinching and take hard looks at what it means to be different in a society still often looking for conformity, they’re also a guide for how to cut your own path and find your own dreams. Want to learn a little more about this title before you purchase? Check out this interview with the author, all about the book!  5. Circle of Friends, Maeve Binchy
Maeve Binchy’s books have been considered Irish teen classics for years—this book came out over 30 years ago, but is still highly recommended to this day. (It was even made into a movie in 1995 starring Chris O’Donnell and Minnie Driver, with appearances from Alan Cumming, Aidan Gillen, and Colin Firth.) Set in the 1950s in a fictional, rural Irish town, the story follows childhood best friends Benny and Eve as they escape their small town for University College Dublin. Upon arrival, their circle of friends expands to include students Jack and Nan, and follows all four as they try dipping their toes into the world of adulthood in this historically and distinctly Irish setting, with all its complexities, heartbreaks, and joys. Binchy drew on her own experience for the character of Benny (and the Dublin/University setting,) and it gives the book both a straightforward realism and true readability. The New York Times put it best: "There is nothing fancy about 'Circle of Friends.' There is no torrid sex, no profound philosophy. There are no stunning metaphors. There is just a wonderfully absorbing story about people worth caring about.” This is Volume VI of a series, read about some Middle Reader book recommendations here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Michaela J.
Dancer at SRL: Colby J. (and Me) How did you get started with Irish dance? My best friend signed us both up for the adult class, and kept going back even when she had to stop; and she signed Colby up for his classes after his interest in joining the adult classes. What did you want to be when you grew up when you were little? Why? I actually wanted to be a dancer (or gymnast) when I was kid! I always loved watching them move, and thought it was so graceful and beautiful. How did Colby get started? He would sit in during the adult class I was in when I didn’t have a sitter, and eventually he started peeking into class and joining in learning the steps with us. After the adult session ended, we signed him up for his own class! How did you pick your dancer’s name? When we were coming up with names, his dad suggested it as a potential girl’s name; but I didn’t like it. Weirdly enough, I liked it as a boy’s name, and it really sounded nice. It’s also a joke that we named him after Colby Jack cheese, as we met at culinary school and both enjoy food. What benefits do you get out of the adult class? I enjoy the social aspect, as someone who didn’t get out much after moving here, it’s nice to have somewhere to go and people to interact with while learning the fun of Irish dance. I also like that I can go through some of the steps with Colby while he’s learning; it’s something new and fun for both of us! What do most people not know about you? Probably a lot, I’m not really one to open up much! I guess one thing would be that I like pickles on my tacos. Also, I really enjoy baking, and went to school for baking & pastry. How do you think joining in has positively affected Colby? It’s been great for working on his balance as well as giving him a way to learn something fun that he enjoys. If you were a fictional character, which one would you be? Why? I can’t say anyone specific, but probably a witch or magical being, because who wouldn’t want magical powers?! Why do you think people dance? It’s a great way to express themselves, and to let loose. What’s the most important quality to have in life? I guess I would have to say perseverance, and empathy. But honestly, it’s hard to choose. This post is part of a series. Meet our last spotlighted parent, Christina H., here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  As adorable as it is biologically nonsensical *More like "Western World History" this week! Springtime Traditions, Part 2 Bunnies Laying Eggs? You might notice that this Easter post, while still coming early in April, is arriving a little after that anthropomorphic bunny and his (?) eggs. Be honest, now...didn’t we all think Easter would be later this year? And, well, if Easter moves around, why not a post about it? Ever wonder why that is, or, like us, have you just accepted it and googled when it is every year? Perhaps it’s not surprising that Easter, very much a Christian holiday, doesn’t have any particular ancient, Celtic roots beyond what it’s become to many in our increasingly secular world: a celebration of spring’s return (see last week’s post for more about Imbolc—the Celtic, pagan welcoming of spring.) Even the confusing, roving nature of Easter’s date isn’t Celtic in origin. Though Easter falls on the first full moon after spring’s arrival, this is due to church decisions to try to align better with corresponding Judaic celebrations (as the Judaic calendar follows lunar cycles.) And remember: while nothing sounds more Celtic than following the world’s natural movements, the pagan Celts were sun worshippers above all else.  An image of the goddess in a 1903 Nebraskan newspaper shows the active mythologizing of a figure it’s possible no one ever worshipped Then where did this mish-mash of traditions to celebrate a very Christian holiday come from? Some scholars say from what’s now Germany, and some say…they don’t know. The name “Easter” is said to have come from an ancient, pagan (but not Celtic!) Northern Anglo-Saxon goddess Ēostre (pronounced yow-str.) Ēostre’s realm of influence was incredibly similar to Ireland’s springtime goddess, Brigid: fertility, fecundity, and all things revolving around new growth and life. Ēostre’s symbols included, among others, hares (continually a symbol of fertility) and eggs (for obvious reasons,) giving rise to the somewhat confusing combination we retain on Easter to this day. Or not. This has been the accepted story for many years, but a recent research inquiry by a Library of Congress employee (among a few other skeptics) calls this into question. According to folklorist Stephen Winick, there’s not only no actual evidence to support this version of Easter’s origins, but the worship of Ēostre as a goddess at all. The only mention of her in early written records is a singular mention in the St. Bede’s medieval tome The Reckoning of Time. After that, there’s no textual evidence of the goddess (and definitely none that links her with Easter imagery) until the Brothers Grimm in the 1800s, who even proposed that Bede’s statement about the goddess was pure conjecture and “Ostara” (the Old High German version of Ēostre) was only a reference to the season, no goddess at all. An 1874 publication by a German mythologist found the already established connection between Ēostre, hares, and eggs a completely mysterious one—but, in the end, our best guess is simply that all our Easter symbols are simply spring-like, so we celebrate with them all over the world.  Most Americans only know Hot Cross Buns as the first song they learn on the recorder—click the image for a recipe to make your own! While the origins of our Easter traditions are a bit fuzzy, we do know that they’re pretty similar between Ireland and America. Ireland not only has their own Easter bunny delivering small gifts to children who have kept Lent (cue all that sugar,) but the same egg hunting and painting (and rolling and racing…) traditions we know and love on this bank holiday. Since we know Ēostre probably has nothing to do with these eggs, it’s more likely that these games and art projects were a result of the happenstance of an overabundance of eggs—they’re traditionally not eaten during the Lenten season.
The rest of Ireland’s traditions, even if not your own, all make a certain springtime sense: the purchasing of new clothes for Easter mass, spring cleaning and, at one time, repainting your home, priests making rounds to bless said newly painted homes, people traveling to celebrate together after winter weather has kept them apart, and, like all good holidays, feasting (similar to the U.S. lamb and ham are the most common main dish served.) Most iconic beyond the rabbits and eggs are Ireland’s hot cross buns, a spiced, sweet bread roll commonly eaten on Good Friday. While the tradition of baking sweet treats for springtime celebrations is as old as any record we have, the hot cross bun has been adapted to Christianity’s needs: the spices are said to represent embalming herbs, while the cross is a reference to the crucifixion. While worldwide Easter customs vary (take the Australian Easter Bilby or France’s inexplicable flying bells and fish chocolates,) one thing is clear: it took more than one country’s traditions to make into the holiday it’s become. But spring has just begun. Tune in next time for another dip into Ireland's springtime traditions with: Mother's Day! This post is part of a series. Read about the early spring fire festival of Imbolc in our last installment here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Colby J. Age: 6 How long have you been dancing with SRL? Almost 3 years! How did you get started with Irish dance? I started watching Mommy in the adult class and Miss Courtney let me join in; then I joined the pre-beginner class Who do you look up to? Mommy What’s the best gift you ever received? There are a lot of gifts that I love, I can’t choose one! What’s your favorite dance memory? My first recital!  If you were an animal, which one would you be and why?
A cheetah because then I can run fast. Why do you dance? Because it’s my favorite thing to do to music! What do you want to be when you grow up? A pizza man What’s your favorite snack and favorite TV show to watch while you eat it? Chocolate. Dinotrux and Octonauts. Octonauts because it teaches me about the sea animals. What’s the best advice you can give a new dancer? Have fun and maybe good luck! What’s your favorite thing about dancing? Everything This post is part of a series. Meet our last spotlighted dancer, Aubrielle, here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  A modern depiction of the goddess Brigid bringing new life Springtime Traditions, Part 1 Imbolc Spring is here! And, as we’ve discovered on this blog, many of our modern celebrations here in America come from ancient, Celtic, and often pagan traditions. Just as Samhain welcomes autumn and Yuletide winter, the people of ancient Irish had a number of festivals to welcome back the warm weather and promise of growth and change. Pagan springtime traditions begin in Ireland not in March or April, but the beginning of February (that’s around the time we’re all about ready for spring, after all) with Imbolc/Imbolg (pronounced im-bohlk) or, it’s Christianized incarnation: St. Brigid’s feast day. One of the four major fire festivals (along with Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain,) Imbloc falls squarely between the winter solstice and the spring equinox on February 1st into the 2nd and heralds the upcoming change of the seasons. “Imbolg” means “in the belly” and before it became the feast day of St. Brigid/Bridget (an actual historical figure we’ll have to do a post on someday soon!) it was the dominion of the fertility goddess Brigid. Brigid (who deserves her own post as well,) oversaw not only birth and pregnancy, but also poetry, crafts, and prophecy as a goddess of creation. As an early agrarian society, this festival also aligns with the breeding cycle of sheep—long a staple feature in Irish farm life and a symbol of fecundity.  St. Brigid’s Holy Well (and clootie tree) in Co. Kildare Imbolc was traditionally celebrated like all fire festivals with, you guessed it, fires! For Imbolc, the blazes signify the sun’s return and the beginning of the “light half” of the year. While the two biggest fire festivals (Samhain in October and Beltane in May) were (and still are!) usually large, communal affairs, Imbolc was a time of reflection at your own hearth with your family before all the work that would come when spring fully arrived. Additionally, it was tradition to take the time to visit holy wells to leave offerings to the gods so they would help spring arrive quickly and provide good weather for the growing season. Supplicants would walk “sunwise” around the well and provide food from their feast tables (everything from cheeses to bannocks,) coins, and “clooties”—strips of cloth often used in healing rituals, often left in nearby trees. (So far, none of these traditions sound much like anything we practice today, but just wait…does this bit remind you of anything?) Weather was of particular concern to Irish pagans whose reliance on the land was one of the tenants of their religion, and Imbolc was also a time to look for omens regarding that summer’s weather. Bad weather on Imbolc was considered a good omen for the coming season, based all around the rather terrifying legend of the Cailleach (meaning literally “old woman” or “hag.”) The Cailleach is associated with storms and winter, and sleeps through the warm months—so if it’s a bad day out on Imbolc she’d said to be already asleep. Because, of course, if she needed more wood for more winter it’d be nice out to facilitate her gathering firewood!  This is good ol’ Phil, but did you know there’s a Cajun groundhog in Louisiana who predicts a longer spring or an early summer on the same day? Click the image to learn more! Did you guess? That’s right, Imbolc is the root of Groundhog’s Day! Even though this relatively silly holiday didn’t appear until 1887 (and Imbolc’s roots lay far in the distant past,) it prescribes to the exact same superstition: a cloudy day means Puxatawny Phil doesn’t see his shadow and spring is on its way! If you missed it this year, Phil did predict six more weeks of winter in 2021. Luckily, we’re already past it!)
Similarly to the Christian church’s adaptation of other pagan holidays, there was a natural changeover from Imbolc (which, reminder, was always closely associated with the goddess Brigid as she’s part of this lighter half of year with her creation associations) to the Catholic feast day it’s become. No, the church isn’t celebrating a pagan goddess, but an abbess from the 5th century who also held this traditional Irish name and whose good works and miracles (founding Ireland’s first nunnery, converting her own Druidic father, restoring sight to the blind, and even creating beer out of water) had her canonized and named one of Ireland’s two patron saints. Those familiar with Catholicism will recognize this time (February 2nd, more specifically) not only as celebrating the Saint Brigid, but also as Candlemas—a day where many Irish people still bring candles to their churches to be blessed. The influence of the ancient fire festival is easy to see (though with the advent of electric heating, it makes sense our hearths and bonfires have become the more readily available candles.) But, you might be thinking, Imbolc only covers February and spring is a whole season! Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Tune in again next week for more connections between Ireland’s past and present, and how we continue to celebrate around the world today! This post is part of a series, read our last installment, all about St. Patrick's Day in modern Ireland, here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  A favorite of many members of our staff! Welcome to our new series, where you can get to know SRL’s staff better with some hand-picked recommendations! Next up is Bailey—associate instructor for all age groups! Advice for Dancers: Every champion was once a beginner; you have to trust the process and acknowledge that success and progress take time. Also, always listen to your teachers, we want your success as much as you want it! Books: The Harry Potter series (my favorite one is Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince!) Strange, But Delicious Food: I like ketchup with scrambled eggs or omelette ...I don't know if that’s weird? Take Out: Chinese food is always a good idea, or Panera! Instagram/Social Media Account: Feis App has a really inspiring Instagram page, as they post videos of very talented dancers!  Who's excited for the Summer Olympics coming back this year?! Favorite Quote: "The hard days are what make you stronger." --Aly Raisman, Olympic Gymnast and gold medalist Outdoor Activity: Skiing (in the winter) or hiking! Tips for Productivity: Turn off your phone, or any device that is distracting! Set aside a designated time and place to practice where you have no distractions. 30 minutes of uninterrupted practice time is much more beneficial than an hour filled with distractions.  We have plenty of used Rutherford's in our office! Favorite Brand of Dance Shoes: My hard shoes and ghillies are from Rutherford's! I also get my buckles and shoe laces from them as well. Favorite Irish Dance Wigs: Camelia Rose wigs have been the best, I used to wear the Alliyah bun wig in a dark brown color. Way to Spend a Sunday: In my pajamas, relaxing and watching TV with my cat, Elton. Music/Song: My favorite Irish dance song to listen to (it's on Feis App) is “Vibin Set, Reels 113” OR “Molly McAdam Set, Heavy Jig 73.” Any songs by Anton & Sully are always fun to practice to (also on Feis App.) My favorite non-Irish dance song would have to be “I'm Still Standing” by Elton John.  An oldie but a goodie! Advice for Dancers #2: Never be afraid to take a day off. Dance is physically and mentally demanding, so taking time away to clear your head can be a good idea! I used to take 1-2 days completely off of dance per week to allow my body and mind to reset and refresh. This post is part of a series. You can learn more about Bailey here, in her Q&A, or read our last recommendation corner with Miss Codi here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  One of the most memorable images of St. Patrick’s Day in the U.S. for over 50 years St. Patrick’s Day Edition! Check out our last ten fun facts here. 1. One of the most recent Leprechaun “sightings” was in 1989. A man named P.J. O’Hare claims he saw one and now has the clothes the wee faerie folk left behind on display in his pub in Carlingford, Co. Louth. The town even holds an annual Leprechaun hunt every year! 2. They’ve been dying the Chicago River green every Saint Patrick’s Day since 1962—but the first time was an accident! The year before the tradition began, then-mayor Richard J. Daly approved dumping some green dye in the river to help see where sewage was being dumped and fix the problem. A local named Stephen Bailey, a member of the Chicago Journeymen Plumbers Local, realized with a little more dye they could (safely! It’s a vegetable-based dye now!) color the whole river and the tradition was born. These days, they use 40 pounds of orange powder to get that garish green hue! 3. The odds of ever finding a four-leaf clover are about 1 in 10,000. (Though check out this 2014 story about a woman who found an astonishing 21 four-leaf clovers in her yard!)  Fan of Guinness even when it’s not March? Click the image for some more vintage posters! 4. From 1999 to 2007, the Irish town of Dripsey claimed the title of “Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade in the World.” The parade route was only 26 yards long! (Nowadays Hot Springs, Arkansas has claimed the title for themselves.) 5. An estimated 13 million pints of Guinness are consumed every St. Patrick’s Day—that’s a steep increase from the more typical 5.5 million a day. (Beer sales in America alone rise 174%!)  Click the image for a full history of one of America’s favorite cereals 6. Leprechauns are a protected species under EU law. A man named Kevin Woods from Carlingford (yes, the same place with the annual Leprechaun hunt!) managed to get his local Sliabh Foy Loop trail protected under the European Habitats Directive, including the 236 Leprechauns the local lobbyists claim live there! 7. The special type of marshmallows everyone loves to pick out of Lucky Charms cereal are called “marbits” and were originally just chopped up circus peanuts! (AND! The original incarnation of Lucky Charms didn’t have a sugar coating. A General Mills project manager named Paul Bunyon had to find a solution for all the excess Cherrios, so he did what any sane person would do…mixed them with candy.) 8. We’re used to thinking about the story of Irish Immigrants coming to America, but what about Australia? In 2010, the Sydney Opera House went green to celebrate 200 years of St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the country. The first was when the then-Governor of New South Wales, Lachlan Macquaire, provided entertainment for Irish convict workers on March 17th, 1810!  Irish Ambassador Thomas J. Kiernan presenting shamrocks to President Kennedy in 1961. As JFK was proudly Irish, his presidency was the beginning of the tradition! 9. You may have noticed there isn’t any corn in that corned beef and cabbage you have once a year on March 17th…the “corned” bit actually refers to the large salt crystals that were historically used to cure meat and called, you guessed it, “corns”! (That’s why it had to be boiled—to get rid of the excess salt!)
10. There’s a 50-year-long tradition that, on or around St. Patrick’s Day, the current Prime Minister of Ireland (the Taoiseach) presents the current U.S. President with a crystal bowl of shamrocks. It’s both a symbol of the close ties between the two countries, and a political move that helps a relatively small country retain a familiar relationship with the U.S.! While it most likely won’t be happening this year, it did in 2020, just days before the world went into lockdown. This post is part of a series, read Volume III here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.
If your dancer is retiring, which parts of being so involved with the Irish dance world will you miss the most?
The part I will miss the most when Cayla retires from SRL (she does hope to continue in college) will be seeing all the people we have met and befriended over the years from different schools and especially the quality time spent with her. We will all be entering a new phase of life and it will never be the same. What’s the most important life lesson you think your dancer learned from Irish dance? The most important lesson Cayla’s learned are the benefits of hard work and never giving up. What are your dancer’s plans for the future so far? Cayla hopes to study environmental engineering and to keep dancing! Any advice to graduating dancers? To younger dancers and their families? My advice to graduating dancers would be continue to enjoy dancing and think back to the great times and friends you have had these past years. To younger dancers and families: enjoy every moment including the ups and downs and treasure your time together because it will be gone in the blink of an eye. Believe me, this is bittersweet and there are a few tears falling as I write this. What are your hopes and dreams for your dancer’s life? My hopes and dreams for Cayla are that she would follows her dreams and find a good place for herself in life. This post is the first in a series. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  A vintage Leprechaun postcard—note the red pants! Dispelling Myths About the Mythical Leprechaun So, what do you know about Leprechauns? They’re Irish, small, and magical, they love playing tricks and pranks, they’re an emblem of all St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, they love wearing green, love gold, have something to do with rainbows, and they’re imaginary. Nothing else to say (unless you plan on making a Lucky Charms joke,) right? Well, not quite. Let’s take a look at these assumptions one by one… Your first assumption is definitely right: Leprechauns certainly are Irish. In fact, some people believe they’re the true natives of Ireland, along with the other “Fair Folk” or Faeries! The legend of Leprechauns are as old as any on the isle, though they’ve obviously changed over the years (no breakfast cereal was involved at the beginning at all.) Leprechauns are mentioned in Irish texts as far back as the 8th century, and not just in one part of Ireland, but all through the country. And with your second assumption—they’re small—you’re two for two! The origin of the modern word Leprechaun is the Gaelic word “luchorpán” meaning “small-bodied.” Those third and fourth assumptions, that they’re magical tricksters, are right on the money again (no pot of gold pun intended.) W.B. Yeats (famous poet, but also an Irish folklorist,) separates the lighthearted gags that Leprechauns like to pull from the more serious tricks the Sídhe (pronounced shee) like to perform (like swapping human children for Changelings.) A perfect example is the belief that if you manage to catch a Leprechaun (no small task—pun intended!) you get three wishes…but you better be careful about the way you word it. Leprechauns will find any loophole you leave in your phrasing! (One story tells of a man who wished for riches beyond compare and his own island...except when the Leprechaun snapped it’s fingers he was wildly rich on a deserted island, with nowhere to spend it. He had to use his last wish just to get back to Ireland!)  A still from the 1951 Porky Pig short “The Wearing of Grin” an early example of the trivialization of Irish folktales Next, we have the first real error: Leprechauns have absolutely nothing to do with St. Patrick’s Day beyond the fact they’re Irish! There is a (unofficial) Leprechaun Day, but it’s May 13th and more of a modern invention connected more to our cartoon, infantilized versions of the myth. Many Irish people aren’t fans of how common the simplified, caricature versions of this long-standing myth are in the cultural zeitgeist. As early as 1963, John A. Costello, former Prime Minister of Ireland, was even quoted as saying in an address to the Oireachtas (Irish parliament:) “For many years, we were afflicted with the miserable trivialities of our tourist advertising. Sometimes it descended to the lowest depths, to the caubeen and the shillelagh, not to speak of the leprechaun.” This desire to stop trivializing Irish mythology hasn’t gone away—as recent years have called more and more schools to look at their culturally insensitive mascots, even Notre Dame’s famed “Fighting Irish” Leprechaun mascot has been coming under fire. After that, we all know the stereotypical Leprechaun look: green suit, red hair, gold buckles on their hat and shoes. While the color green (and red hair) has become associated with Ireland for a myriad of reasons (mostly religious and political,) the color originally associated with Leprechauns was red! As green became the color of Ireland over time, it became the color of the playful fairies, too. But those shoes you’re thinking of—those actually do point to a “truth” of their mythology. The basis of many a fairytale all across Europe, Leprechauns are the shoemakers of the Fey (as Yeats once said: “Because of their love of dancing, [faeries] will constantly need shoes.”) The word Leprechaun is even associated with an old Gaelic term: “leath bhrogan” meaning shoemaker, and it’s said you can find them by following the sound of their hammering. Many myths also claim they’re involved in Fey dances in another way: they’re also said to be extremely skilled musicians (maybe that tap, tap, tap is just their hard shoes!)  A 1892 drawing of a Leprechaun holding a shillelagh—Prime Minister Costello’s worst nightmare What about the pots of gold at the end of the rainbow? There’s a myth for that! Only modern stories paint Leprechauns as covetous, hoarding their gold--the original telling is more about humans and their greed. The Leprechauns are said to have procured their pots of gold long ago, when the invading Danes left their riches for the Leprechauns to guard when they left Ireland to invade yet another already occupied country. Ever the tricksters and proud Irishmen (there’s no record of female Leprechauns, and no explanation as to how this might work,) the Leprechauns hid the pots of gold all over the countryside. Since it’s impossible to actually find the end of the rainbow, the myth of the pot of gold at the end is said to be another way for Leprechauns to trick humans and expose their greed—they can go looking for someone else’s belongings, but they won’t find them! (And, if you manage to, be careful to watch the Leprechaun closely. They’re known for distracting humans and disappearing before you get any gold or wishes!)
Your last assumption (that they’re imaginary,) well, that’s up for debate. While I certainly wouldn’t go so far as to say there’s any proof of their existence (beyond ancient texts and tall tales in the Irish countryside,) at least a third of Ireland isn’t ready to dismiss it out of hand. In a 2011 survey conducted by Co. Louth-based whiskey producer, Cooley Distillery, 33% of Irish people polled believe Leprechauns still exist and 50% of those asked believed that Leprechauns at least existed in the past. These statistics actually aren’t that surprising--a small but fervent faction of Irish people at least passively believe in the Fair Folk, meaning that while they don’t claim to actively interact with faeries, they make sure to mind any customs regarding the Fey…just in case. Ultimately, the Leprechaun is more than a cartoon used to sell sugary (though, delicious) cereal, but a part of a nation’s rich, folkloric history as much as their early kings and heroes. There’s a mischievousness, but ultimately playful air to them that we’ve come to associate with the Irish nation itself, with their love of storytelling and joking, music and dance. Like anything else, the Leprechauns (and the Irish) are a far more interesting and full story when you scrap the stereotypes and learn just a little more! This post is part of a series. Read our last post, all about St. Patrick's Day in Ireland, here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Start your dancer this summer! While innumerable things have changed in our world in the last year, no virus can stop the seasons from changing. From this vantage point in March, we’re all dreaming of spring, but parents know there’s something slightly more ominous looming in the horizon: summer. Two or three whole months of no school, and these days, little social interaction outside the house. But since the 1870s, parents have been turning to the most active possible solution to keep their kids engaged during the hottest months…summer camp! Connecticut has a long history with summer camps, with the first American summer camp having been founded in Gunnery, CT just after the Civil War. The idea caught fire and in a less than 20-year period around the turn of the century the number of summer camps in the United States rose from 100 to over 1,000. These first camps were all about removing children from urban environments to reconnect with nature, and this kind of summer camp hasn’t changed all that much since. But after WWII, parents were eager to return their children to a more innocent time and summer camps had a second boom—this time with a wider range of variety as special-interest camps such as sports camps and arts camps popped up all over the country.  A SRL Summer Camp pre-pandemic But what has made the summer camp an American institution? The skills taught at summer camps—be it outdoorsmanship or art forms like dance—have always been only part of the equation. The Harvard Graduate School of Education puts it this way: “All those classic camp dynamics—being away from home and parents, making new friends, being part of a team, and trying new things—are building blocks to crucial social-emotional [learning (or SEL)] skills.” Foundational, SEL skills include “self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making” and have been found to be crucial for both success in school and in later, professional life. But, unfortunately, due to the restraints placed on teachers by state-mandated curriculums, we often see this type of learning not prioritized in the classroom. Americans have been turning to a solution outside of school for 150 years now, and we have the data to back it up: a 2005 study conducted by the American Camp Association found consistent and significant growth in SEL skills (and self-confidence) in children after only a single summer camp session! As important as SEL skills are, there’s another factor that’s helped give summer camps such staying power: the physical benefits. The majority of summer camps have always included a focus on physical activity, and in our increasingly digitized world, finding a healthy and active outlet for kids is more important than ever. We all know that our country has been facing issues for years when it comes to the health of younger generations—but it turns out summer camp could be of help. In a 2011 edition of the Journal of Adolescence, a study reported that adolescents with no organized summer activities were at the greatest risk of obesity, while a 2010 study found that day camp campers who were exposed to active peers and active teachers were more likely to be physically active even after camp ended. While a week of physical activity is definitely good, the way camps instill the habit of exercise is even better!  SRL dancers chatting before a performance While our registered dancers here at SRL Irish Dance Academy (from Beginner level up!) know all about how fun one of our summer camps can be, what about someone who’s never attended an Irish dance class? Don’t worry, we have a great option for even the newest dancer, as well! SRL is hosting two, week-long “Intro to Irish Dance” Summer Camps this year. Each week consists of five straight days of one class a day (at work-friendly times for parents!) to give new dancers a real feel for our year-long programs. The best part? Until May 1st, SRL is running a deal that will carry you into the school/dance year: sign up for this "Intro" Camp and we'll include a free four-week Taster Session in September (and wave your registration fee when your dancer falls in love with Irish dance and insists on signing up!) This camp is multipurpose, for not only will it ease any parent’s mind about how interested their child is in Irish dance before enrolling for the year, but it will provide that social and physical outlet kids need every summer (but this one especially!) Even if your child finds out Irish dance isn’t right for them, they’ll still be invited into a fun, welcoming environment, taught to stretch and move their body in new ways, and be able to interact with their peers as both team mates and friends while they increase their self-esteem by learning a new skill. We’ve been holding classes in our clean, appropriately socially-distanced studio since September without any issue, and are excited to introduce your child to the world of Irish dance!  Why not spend the summer dancing? We could go on and on about the benefits of starting dance early (and we already have! check out our post about it,) but the real takeaway from SRL’s intro program is the same as any camp: increasing your child’s SEL skills while allowing them to express themselves in a healthy way and have fun! This opportunity creates a break from technology, lets them develop a sense of independence, let all that silly energy out, and have more and varied social interactions. And, not to mention, it gives parents a much-needed break, too!
Learn more about our “Intro to Irish Dance" Summer Camp—with a special discount (and additional savings!) running until May 1st! Or feel free to reach out by phone or email (office@irishdancect.com) for more info. We look forward to dancing with you soon!  Click the link to check out some kid-friendly Twisted Fairy Tales! Welcome to our new series, where you can get to know SRL’s staff better with some hand-picked recommendations! First up is Miss Codi--associate instructor for our younger students! Books: Twisted Fairy Tales. Seeing the different ways those could have gone is so interesting! Food/Recipes: Our go-to is a pasta dish with lots of veggies and ground turkey. Recently we’ve been doing a meal kit, and I love the variety we eat now. Take Out: Vegetarian sushi, especially if they have mochi for dessert! Video Game: Hidden object video games are lots of fun. My husband and I put them up on the TV to play together, and see who can find the objects first. Small Business in Area: Farr’s Sporting Goods. We went in to get disk golf discs, and were pleasantly surprised at how much of a selection they had.  Niagra Falls isn’t just the waterfalls—there’s a whole state park to explore! Must See Natural Wonder: Niagara Falls Coffeeshop: Starbucks. I try to go to different local shops, but I keep coming back. Restaurant: Carlito’s Bakery or Market on Main. Dessert: Mochi or macarons! Ice Cream Flavor: Cherry Outdoor Activity: Disc Golf. Love the course at Wickham, but there are so many now, it’s great!  For ages 6 and up! Board Game: Disney Sorry. Easy to talk around with friends, but still fun to play with everyone. Vacation (One Day!): Disney World. I also would love to go on a train tour of Europe, but that’s a little farther out. TV Shows: Currently WandaVision, but all of the new Disney+ content has been awesome. I loved The Mandalorian and am really excited for the Loki show (as well as the Boba Fett show!) First Job: “Tour Guide” for 5 Wits. I got to spend my time leading Spy Missions and Guiding Tours through being trapped in the Nautilus. Guilty Pleasure: McDonald’s Happy Meals. I try so hard to stay away from fast food, but if I’m going on a long drive I’m always tempted.  Pets: Two cats, Luna and Rowena. They are sisters and almost 5 years old, but still love to cuddle with each other!
Tips for Productivity: Make a list so you have a visual representation of what needs to be done and you can see your progress. Tackle things in small pieces, so you don’t get overwhelmed. Advice for Dancers: Try to practice several times a week. Record yourself so you can see what you need to work on, instead of trying to fix it in the moment. Tips to Cheer Up: Go for a walk, cuddle with animals, or talk out the situation. Removing yourself from the situation by going for a walk helps to give some perspective, which is the same with talking it out. Cuddling with animals just gives you time to calm down. This post is the first in a series. You can learn more about Miss Codi here, in her Q&A! Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  An image from Dublin’s 2019 St. Patrick’s Day parade, making its way down Dame Street in the city center St. Patrick’s Home Turf: St. Paddy’s Day in Ireland We all know the Saint Patrick’s Day stereotypes: lots of green, lots of gold, and lots of Guinness. But that’s our American (or, for as many as 32 million of us, Irish-American,) tradition. How have the Irish marked the occasion over the years? The truth of it is simple: until the Irish-Americans made it the party it’s become today, St. Patrick’s Day was a religious holiday. It seems obvious when you say it: it’s literally a day celebrating a saint. Traditionally, the Irish spent the morning in church and celebrated in a modest way the afternoon. Though the holiday falls squarely during Lent, Lenten prohibitions were lifted on the day to allow for feasting and at least some mild revelry. The government even took steps to keep it mild: going against the harmful stereotypes that were perpetuated about the Irish people during Ireland’s mass emigrations in the 1800s due to the potato blight, pubs were actually closed on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland (by law) until 1977. Even after the ban was lifted, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Ireland were overall subdued (leading to the rumor that the Irish don’t celebrate the holiday) until around 1995. With the advent of the internet, the world was expanding rapidly, and the Irish government did its best to increase its appeal to tourists by embracing the high-spirited, secular twist Americans had put on the holiday, starting over a century before. And it worked—Dublin’s parade (pre-COVID) is now a five-day festival and has boasted half a million attendees! Of course, places in Ireland celebrated St. Patrick’s Day the American way (i.e. with a parade) earlier than ’95—it just wasn’t as widely advertised. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade in Ireland was held in Waterford in 1903, with Dublin not coming around to the celebrations until 1931—1995 was just the year the government got involved!  A full Irish breakfast generally includes: back bacon, sausages, grilled tomatoes, mushrooms, fried eggs, black pudding (and/or white pudding,) and Irish brown bread. Click the image for a recipe! However, there’s a few misconceptions we need to clear up: first, corned beef and cabbage? An American invention! This “traditional” meal is a 19th century, Irish-American adaptation of a common Irish meal: ham and cabbage. As the Irish immigrants in New York in the 1800s weren’t able to afford ham, they had to make do with hard, salted beef usually used for long sea voyages. They would boil the beef three times in order to soften it and remove as much brine as possible, resulting in the meal we still eat today. The Irish are far more likely to indulge in a full Irish breakfast with tea or a leg of lamb with potatoes and other root vegetables…or maybe some shepherd’s pie—some stereotypes do have their root in truth, after all. Second, don’t you dare call it St. Patty’s Day! For one thing, Patty isn’t short for Patrick, but Patricia. As the Miami Herald reported in 2018: “Saint Patrick was indeed not a woman nor a hamburger.” In fact, the original, Gaelic spelling of Patrick is Pádraig, accounting for the mysterious appearance of two ds in the correct nickname: Paddy. But, you could also skip the abbreviations full stop—Paddy (among other traditional Irish names such as Mick) were once used as a derogatory names for an Irish person in the not-so-distant past. Might as well give the man his due and just say St. Patrick’s Day!  The Irish diaspora exists all around the world—just check out Rome’s colosseum! Lastly, and most importantly: the concept of the “wearing of the green” (also a popular Irish air!) isn’t just to mark your Irish heritage and celebrate it, but a bigger political statement. As we discussed a few weeks ago, the color originally associated with St. Patrick as actually blue, but the green was inspired by his teachings (see this post for more info!) and became a symbol for Irish nationalism against British oppression—starting with the Irish Rebellion of 1789. This event isn’t a light one--an estimated 10-70,000 people died in their fight for freedom. Wearing a shamrock (which is three leaves, not four) on your lapel or even wearing a piece of green clothing was considered a rebellious act in and of itself. In many ways, St. Patrick’s Day’s celebration of Irish culture isn’t just a party, it’s in honor of those who gave their lives for home and country—so maybe leave off on the pinching.
It makes sense that so many places in America go green for St. Patrick’s Day (most famously, the Chicago River every year since 1962, but don’t forget the Empire State building, among many other landmarks) we once shook off the shackles of our British rulers, too! Now that America has more people of Irish heritage than actually live in Ireland, we can have our own traditions to celebrate the Irish diaspora across the country…but it’s still important to bear in mind what this day means for its country of origin. No matter how you choose to celebrate this year: Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit! (Or: A Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to you!) This post is part of a series. Read about the history of St. Patrick's Day in America here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Christina H. Dancer at SRL: Aubrielle How long has your family been with SRL? 2 years How did you pick your dancer’s name? Aubrey and Brielle were our two favorite girl names, so I put them together and that’s how she became Aubrielle. Why Irish dance? Aubrielle has been doing other types of dance for years but Irish dance is beautiful and unique. What’s your favorite dance-related memory? When Aubrielle was 4 years old she was up on stage for her recital and throughout her entire jazz dance she had the biggest frown on her face. She did a great job dancing, but that frown had her father and I laughing throughout the entire number. What did you want to be when you grew up when you were little? Why? When I was little, I wanted to be a waitress when I grew up because waitresses were so nice, and they always served my favorite food.  Favorite winter family activity?
Our favorite winter activity is snow tubing in our backyard. What advice would you give parents who are looking to try out Irish dance? If your child loves to dance, they should try Irish dance. It is different than any other style of dance. How do you think dance has positively affected your dancer? Dance has built her confidence and has opened her up to experiencing new things. What’s the most important quality to have in life? The most important quality to have is courage. If you have courage, nothing will hold you back from achieving your dreams. This post is part of a series. Meet our last spotlighted parent, Becca H., here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Evidence of the earliest known St. Patrick’s Day parade refers to the figure as “protector of the fields” *Irish-American Saint Patrick Immigrates to America I remember hearing something growing up that used to deeply confuse me: the Irish don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. This isn’t true, of course, St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland and the Irish have been celebrating him on his feast day in the liturgical calendar (March 17th) for at least 1,000 years…But haven’t you heard the rumor that all rumors have a grain of truth? The truth isn’t that the Irish don’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, but that the modern conception of St. Patrick’s Day (think “Kiss Me I’m Irish” tees, shamrocks and Guinness everywhere, and parades, parades, parades!) is more of an American invention. Or, more specifically, an Irish-Spanish-one-day-American invention. The first known St. Patrick’s Day parade took place over a millennia after his death in what is now Saint Augustine, Florida. In 1601, the area was a Spanish colony, but an Irish vicar named Ricardo Arturo (or, Richard Arthur in his native tongue) organized the event to honor the Saint, who at the time his parishioners believed protected the city’s crops. This fact didn’t even come to light until 2017, when a historian named Michael Francis discovered a record of the event in centuries old documents about gunpowder expenditure!  JFK and Jackie Kennedy at the Holyoke St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1958 Before this discovery, America was still quick to snag the claim of the first St. Patrick’s Day parade, though there’s some debate about which city gets the honor. Boston, still known today for its wealth of Irish-Americans, held its first parade in 1737 when Irish soldiers serving the British marched through the city in solidarity and the Irish Immigrants of the city came out in force to celebrate with them. However, despite their first parade not occurring until 1762, New York City also likes to claim the honor! It comes down to the fact that NYC’s became not only the biggest parade in the country (with up to 3 million attendees and 150,000 people marching pre-COVID,) but also the most consistent (Boston only made theirs an annual event after NYC and used to draw in only a measly million attendees.) While millions of attendees are pretty impressive, what if I told you one of the runners up was in SRL’s own backyard? The Holyoke, Massachusetts St. Patrick’s Day Parade might not be not as well-known as Boston or New York, but this parade still became one of the largest in the country. Hosted every year pre-2020 on the Sunday after the holiday, Holyoke started the tradition in 1952 and its numbers reached 400,000 by the 2011 celebration…which is ten times the population of the city itself. It’s all down to the fact that Holyoke had historically held one of the densest populations of Irish Immigrants in the country—in the 1800s it was called “Ireland Parish.” The parade has been considered so influential that many notable officials have attended, including two Speakers of the House and even President John F. Kennedy when he was a Massachusetts state senator (even with Boston only two hours away!)  President Truman shaking NY Governor Dewey’s hand at the 1948 NYC parade But this all begs the question: why such huge celebrations? It’s not just the American desire to go big. Something that’s easy to overlook in this country’s history is the treatment of Irish Immigrants, particularly in the 1800s. When the Famine arrived in 1845, over 1 million Irish citizens fled to the New World to avoid starvation. The Irish may have found a more agriculturally prosperous country, but they also found a society ready to discriminate against them because of their poverty, their Catholic beliefs in largely Protestant America, and their thick, foreign accents.
St. Patrick’s Day parades in American cities developed into larger and larger gatherings not only as cultural touchstones that helped the Irish celebrate their heritage and find a sense of community, but also as a way for these immigrants to gain power in a place that denied it to them. The culmination of this came in 1948, when President Truman attended New York City’s parade, a nod to the political capital the Irish immigrant had gained in the previous century. From those 1 million immigrants, at least 32 million United States citizens now claim Irish ancestry, and the idea of being discriminated against for being Irish is in our past. Still, when you have a pint or give someone a pinch this year, take a moment to remember the background and purpose of all that green…then get back to the celebration! This post is part of a series. Read more about Ireland's history by reading about some of Ireland's most romantic traditions here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Aubrielle Age: 12 How long have you been dancing with SRL? Why SRL? I’ve been dancing at SRL for 2 years. We heard that it was a great Irish dance school from our neighbor. How did you get started with Irish dance? I saw Irish dance at my cousin’s dance recital and thought it looked like fun. That fall my mom signed me up for it. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Pizza! It’s my favorite.  What’s your favorite dance-related memory? Winning three medals at the Fall Feis. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? I would be a Cheetah because they are very fast and strong. What’s your favorite thing about dancing? My favorite thing about dance is mastering new dance steps.  If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?
Ireland to learn more about the history of Irish dance. What’s the best advice you can give a new or younger dancer? Stick with it, even when you think it’s hard just keep trying and you will get. Who do you look up to? Mr. Christian because he is an amazing Irish dancer. I would love to be able to dance like that someday. This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with another SRL dancer, Madison T., here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  One of the earliest known images of St. Patrick, meeting the High King of Ireland, c. the 13th century. (Wonder why he’s wearing blue? Keep reading!) The Man, the Myth, the Legend: Saint Patrick It’s March and you know what that means: Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner! This month on the SRL blog, we’ll be covering all things to do with (as the Irish would prefer we stop calling it…) St. Patty’s Day and all the celebrations of Irish heritage it invokes. And while March 17th probably conjures images of green beer and leprechauns, you probably don’t know quite as much about the holiday’s namesake: the mysterious Saint Patrick. We might be calling this post “Irish Mythology,” but first, the facts: St. Patrick was real, but he wasn’t Irish. The man who would eventually be canonized was actually born Maewyn Succat in Roman Britain (though some sources would argue Scotland or Wales—it was a long time ago, after all) into a prosperous family. During his teen years, his father’s villa was attacked by Irish raiders and St. Patrick was abducted and sold into slavery. St. Patrick spent 6 or 7 difficult years as a slave and herdsman in the cold, wet fields of Ireland before he dreamed of his escape: a voice told him to make a run for the coast. It worked, and St. Patrick was able to return home. However, St. Patrick’s time in Ireland had deeply affected him, and caused him to not only become a fervent Catholic, but to return to the place of his captivity on a mission of good works. While St. Patrick’s many writings are often incoherent (his Latin is comparatively poor to others of his time,) scholars agree they all hold a pure conviction to help the people of Ireland through his religion. While it’s easy to dismiss this as typical missionary work these days, St. Patrick did this at severe risk to his person—he was “cast into chains” at least once and often had to hide for fear of his life—because he believed he had heard “the voice of the Irish” calling to him. He continued this work of converting his former captors until his death in 461 in Saul, Co. Down near the site of his first church at the mouth of the Slaney River. St. Patrick is buried at Down Cathedral in Downpatrick and is visited to this day on March 17th as a “traditional day for spiritual renewal.”  A more modern depiction of Saint Patrick that often appears on Catholic prayer cards to this day What’s still best known about St. Patrick are the myths surrounding him: the shamrocks and the snakes. In a Sunday School tale often still told today, St. Patrick used Ireland’s native shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity to his converts. With those three leaves (which is typical—making four so rare and lucky!) that are connected by a singular stem, the shamrock became a real-world analogy for God’s multifaceted presence in the Christian faith (God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit—both separate and the same.) Whether or not St. Patrick was actually the first to teach this, it’s a helpful physical example to explain the concept! And now, the biggest myth: the snakes! If you know only one thing about St. Patrick, it’s that he was the pied piper of snakes, driving all the serpents of Ireland into the sea. If you’ve heard about Adam and Eve, it’s not too hard to figure out the allegory here—by being largely responsible for the conversion of the Irish from Paganism to Christianity, St. Patrick was thought (from the perspective of the times) to have driven the “evil” off the island. This is something we can definitively prove is a myth, as there is not a single geological record of a snake ever existing naturally in Ireland—after all, the island broke off from mainland Europe during the Ice Age and the cool climate isn’t particularly suitable for a cold-blooded creature. There are many lesser-known, but no less miraculous miracles said to be performed by St. Patrick—above all, the raising of the dead. St. Patrick claims in his own writings to have raised at least 33 people from death (notably Jesus’s age at his time of death,) and also apparently had healing powers. His prayers were said to have caused everything from a wolf returning a lamb to him unharmed and a herd of swine appearing to feed a hungry crowd in a deserted area to uncovering deceits and smiting blasphemers—all of which may be clear metaphors for the religion he stood for, but are stated as fact in the earliest known records of them. Having taken place in the 5th century—there’s no way to know for sure!  The Presidential Flag of Ireland, featuring St. Patrick’s blue and Ireland’s official national symbol (not the shamrock!): the harp One more surprising St. Patrick fact? The color traditionally associated with him wasn’t green, but blue. It’s a lighter, azure-like blue still often called “St. Patrick’s Blue” and can be seen on older Irish flags, as well as on the emblem of the Irish Citizen Army, who attempted to end British rule in 1916 with the infamous Easter Rising. By the time the Irish Citizen Army used this blue as their symbol, it was already fading in fashion as St. Patrick’s color simply due to the fact that Ireland is a truly green country. As early as the 1798 Irish Rebellion, the “wearing of the green” (a shamrock on the lapel) became a nationalistic practice and eventually came to be associated with St. Patrick, but bits of blue can still be seen…the Presidential Flag of Ireland, for instance!
No matter your religion, St. Patrick was a man of strong convictions, devoted to serving a country he saw as needing his help and spiritual (truly, moral) guidance. Instead of hating his former captors, the people who had kidnapped him and worked him to the bone, he returned with kindness in his heart. Remove Catholicism from the story and you’re still left with something to celebrate: St. Patrick’s Day isn’t only a celebration of Ireland, but a celebration, just as spring is arriving, of awakening, forgiveness, and new beginnings to come. This is Volume IV of a series. Read our last installment all about Irish love stories here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Caroline T. Age: 5 How long have you been dancing with SRL? Why SRL? I started in Fall 2019 as a pre-beginner. Now this is my second year and I'm in the beginner class. My sister and I both started at SRL at the same time. If you were an animal, which one would you be and why? I would be a dolphin because they are cute and I could swim with all the other animals in the ocean. What do you want to be when you grow up? Why? A veterinarian because you get to take care of animals. How did you get started with Irish dance? I tried it in the summer at a camp, and really liked it.  Who do you look up to?
Daddy What's the best gift you ever received? My ice cream play-doh set I got for Christmas. What's your favorite snack and favorite TV show to watch while you eat it? Pretzels, and Peppa Pig What's your favorite dance-related memory? Wearing my Halloween costume in class! This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with Caroline's big sister, Madison T., here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  The lighthouse at Hook Head, County Wexford Check out Volume I and Volume II! 1. Hook Lighthouse in County Wexford is one of the oldest in the world. While the present structure has been around for 848 years, there’s evidence that a lighthouse has stood on that spot back to the 5th century. 2. St. Patrick is also the patron saint of Nigeria. He was named the patron saint of the country by Irish bishops in 1961—the same year Ireland opened their embassy in Lagos (there’s actually a long-standing Irish Catholic presence in the country!) 3. It may or may not be a coincidence that Nigeria actually beats Ireland in Guinness consumption (though it’s only second on the list--the UK takes the top spot!)  A photograph of the Guinness Brewery in 1915 4. And while Ireland doesn’t drink the most Guinness in the world, it does drink almost the most tea (impressively beating the UK), at an average of 1,184 cups of tea a year…per person. (Only Turkey has Ireland beat!) 5. Still, Guinness is one of Ireland’s most renowned exports—the famous Guinness Brewery located in Dublin and the top tourist destination while in town. Don’t worry, it will still be there when you’re able to travel again: in 1795, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000 year lease on the land. 6. If you are planning on visiting one day, consider going in April or June: they’re the driest months of the year there, depending on where you are in the country. But any month will work! While Ireland’s often considered one of the wettest places in the world, it’s actually 80th on that list (though it does have one of the oldest rainfall records in the world—300 years old!)  The most recognizable picture of the Irish-American bandit 7. The infamous Billy the Kid, real name Henry McCarthy, was born to two Irish immigrants in New York City in 1859. While his career as an outlaw and his life were short, he was said to be fluent not only in English, but also Spanish and even Irish Gaelic! 8. Ireland has won the Eurovision Song contest more than any other country in the world, seven times since 1970. They’re also the only country that’s won three times consecutively! (Not really sure what Eurovision is? Most Americans aren’t really—just think of it was “a cross between ‘The X-Factor’ and a Miss Universe pageant.”) 9. An Irish art director and film production designer named Austin Cedric Gibbons designed the statue we call an “Oscar” today in 1928. If you look closely, the coveted Academy Award is a knight holding a sword, standing on top of a film reel.  Hopefully, the people pictured aren’t new students… 10. Students at Trinity College in Dublin have a much-believed and almost beloved curse: if you pass beneath the “Campanile” (a bell tower,) you’ll fail all your exams. Even those who don’t believe in superstitions admit avoiding the area—if only because it’s also believed to be built over the graveyard of a medieval monastery.
This post is part of a series, read Volume I here and Volume II here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  Name: Madison T. Age: 8 How long have you been dancing with SRL? Why SRL? This is my 2nd year. I started in the fall of 2019 as a beginner. We found out about SRL when we went to a performance at the Enfield Public Library, and loved watching the dancers. How did you get started with Irish dance? I went to a trial class at the studio and wanted to come back because it was so much fun. Who do you look up to? My mom. What's your favorite dance-related memory? The first day of my very first class. I loved my teacher!  What do you want to be when you grow up? Why?
A singer. I love singing and making up songs. What's your favorite thing about dancing? I love learning new steps. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live and why? Florida. It's super warm, and I love it there. Plus, I was born in Tampa. If you could only eat one thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Homemade mac and cheese. That's my favorite meal. What's the best advice you can give a new or younger dancer? Always do your best, and keep practicing whenever you can so you don't forget your steps! This post is part of a series. See our Q&A with another SRL dancer, Sarah H., here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram.  A statue of Diarmuid and Grainne in Kilbaha, Co. Clare The Irish Love Story Since it’s the day after Valentine’s Day, we decided it was the perfect time to share one of Irish mythology’s most epic love stories! Why the day after? Because Irish mythology, and particularly Irish love stories, aren’t known for their happy endings. In fact, Joseph Campbell, one of the preeminent scholars in comparative mythology of the 20th century, theorized that our concept of love in Western, modern culture was not only influenced, but entirely formed by Irish mythology. Campbell believed that Irish mythology’s insistence of true, romantic love over duty (ending, usually, in tragedy) has formed Western consciousness as we know it. Innumerable Pre-Christian, Irish love stories involve the lovers running away from society into the wilderness with only their “love to keep them warm” (no one sings that sad, romantic classic quite like Billie Holiday.) When the Normans invaded Ireland at the beginning of the Middle Ages, they (like many before and after them—look at Halloween or Christmas traditions, for instance) adapted Irish mythology into their own tales for their own purposes. This adaptation became the archetype of courtly love, forming the Arthurian legends that still influence our storytelling and romantic ideals today. Take, for example, the story of Grainne (typically pronounced “Grawn-ya”) and Diarmuid (aka “Dear-mid”,) from the Fenian cycle—one of the most enduring love stories in all of Irish mythology. (Even if these names are new to you, it will probably sound a bit familiar.) Grainne was the beautiful daughter of the High King of Ireland, who decided his daughter should marry the (aging) mythic hero and warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill (or these days by the pronunciation: “Finn MacCool,”) leader of the warriors known as the Fianna. Like many things parents try to map out for their children, this didn’t go entirely to plan.  Darby’s Bed in Co. Limerick (an ancient tomb) is one of the many places the couple is said to have hid At her wedding feast, Grainne spotted the young, handsome Diarmuid, best warrior and best friend of her new husband, and it was love at first sight (in all fairness, Finn MacCool was older than her father.) In a desperate move, Grainne drugged the entire party and convinced Diarmuid to run away with her. His pride wounded, Finn MacCool immediately began his pursuit of the young lovers across all of Ireland and back again, with many an adventure in between (innumerable local legends claim that this spot or that is where the couple hid so many years ago.) The pair was eventually allowed to settle in what’s now County Sligo until Diarmuid was gored by a boar…but that wasn’t truly what killed him. Grainne begged MacCool (who had either still been pursuing the couple or had invited Diarmuid on the hunt knowing he was destined to die by boar—versions differ) to use his magical gift (water drunk from his cupped hands could cure any ailment) to save her love. But MacCool’s long-harbored pettiness led him to let the water slip through his fingers and Diarmuid ultimately passed away from his injuries. Legends agree upon one fact: Grainne died soon after of a broken heart. (We know what you’re thinking, this can’t be what all Irish love myths are like. Well, the details change, but the broad strokes are the same across the board.)  The view from Grainne and Diarmuid’s legendary hiding spot (a cave overlooking the area) in Co. Sligo Now where have you heard this before? This story is pretty similar to the better known (there is, after all, a beloved Wagner opera of the name, as well as a less beloved 2006 film starring James Franco,) Irish tale of Tristan and Isolde, as well as the tale of King Arthur, his wife, Guinevere, and his knight, Lancelot. It’s not much of a jump to move ahead 1,000 or so years (skipping many incarnations in between) and compare it to Othello or even Romeo and Juliet (“never was there a story of more woe,” as the Bard said.) Another 250 years brings us to Wuthering Heights, and only another 100 and we catch up to West Side Story (which is, very consciously, a modern Romeo and Juliet.) Turn on the TV today and you might catch a showing of The Notebook or Me Before You, or maybe an episode of This is Us. Even our what we consider real life, modern fairytales like Princess Diana, Grace Kelly, or different relationships within the Kennedy family all ended tragically. Sure, there are plenty of couples out there in the real world (and in stories!) that live happily ever after…but aren’t those usually the cleaned-up versions we tell to children?
While it’s not a straight shot from ancient Celtic lore to a TV show starring a former teen pop star, there’s an undeniable influence Irish mythology has had on Western society and our ideals of romantic love. It’s hard to say whether this is the healthier, more realistic view of love (mortality, after all, being a fact of life,) or a fatalistic and maybe even self-indulgent focus on the negative–that’s for each person to decide for themselves. You can love or hate to cry over a tragic love story, but I think Joseph Campbell would agree you have the Irish to thank! This is Volume III of a series. Read our last installment all about Samhain (Irish Halloween) here. Check out the blog every Monday and Thursday for more posts about Irish history, dance culture, community news, and spotlights on our dancers, staff, and families—among other fun projects! And don’t forget to dance along with us on both Facebook and Instagram |
SRL NewsFind all of our latest news on our Scoil Rince Luimni Facebook page! Categories
All
Archives
July 2021
|
RSS Feed