National dance of Ireland name. Irish dances

Irish dance - a whole group of traditional dance forms that originated in Ireland - is divided into everyday (public, social) dances and concert dances (theatrical dances or staged dances, as they are commonly called in the UK). Public or everyday Irish dances - ceili and set dances. Staged dances are traditionally called solo dances.

History of Irish dance

The earliest evidence of Irish dancing dates back to a time of constant movement of various peoples through migration and invasion of Irish territory. Each of the peoples brought with them their preferred types of dance and music. There is very little evidence of the development of Irish dance in the earliest history, but there is evidence that the Druids practiced "circle" dances to perform religious rites dedicated to the Sun and the Oak, signs of which are clear today.

When the Celts filled the Irish lands, arriving from Central Europe, they of course had their own forms of folk dance. After the introduction of Christianity, monks illustrated consecrated manuscripts with pagan Celtic symbols, and peasants preferred to preserve the pagan spirit in music and dance. The Anglo-Norman conquests in the twelfth century correspondingly influenced the customs and culture of Ireland. Carol's music, popular among the Normans, took the following form: a soloist performed a song surrounded by dancers who echoed him in the same song. In the sixteenth century, written sources attest to three main Irish dances:

Irish "Hey" (dancers spin around partners)

Rinnce Fada (long dance)

Trenchmore (ancient peasant dance)

One of the letters from the English representative in Ireland, Sir Henry Sidney, to Elizabeth I in 1569 contains references to girls performing Irish jigs in Galway. He wrote that they were very beautiful, superbly dressed and danced first-class. In the mid-sixteenth century, dancers were invited to the large halls of newly built castles. Some dances were adapted by the English colonialists for performance in Elizabeth's royal halls, such as "Trenchmore" and "Hey". When the royalists sailed by ship to the shores of Ireland, they were met by girls performing Irish folk dance, and King George III was met by three couples in Kinsale (County Cork) in 1780. They stood in a row and held a white scarf. As soon as the music started, they moved out and formed separate pairs. At first, the couples danced with a scarf at a slow pace, then the pace increased and the dance became more energetic.

Irish dancing was accompanied by music played on bagpipes and harp. In the households of the Anglo-Irish aristocracy, masters often teamed up with servants to perform certain dances. They danced even in the morning after waking up or during funeral processions, following in a circle to the sad sounds of bagpipes. In the eighteenth century, dance teachers appeared in Ireland. Mainly, these were traveling people, they moved from village to village and taught the local residents basic dance steps. The teachers were colorful characters, dressed in colorful clothes, and often had assistants. Many students could not, due to illiteracy, determine where their left or right foot was. To do this, the dance teacher tied straw to one leg and hay to the other leg and taught: “raise the leg with the hay” or “raise the leg with the straw.” Mostly, each teacher had his own area, and he did not encroach on other people’s “dance” domains. The level of performance of the most gifted students was very high, and solo dancers were held in high esteem. Often the doors were taken off their hinges, laid on the ground, and a dancer performed a dance on them. At fairs, open dance competitions were held, in which the competition continued until one of the dancers fell from fatigue. Several versions of these dances are still performed in different areas of Ireland. The rich heritage in the form of dance forms is carefully preserved and today Irish jig, reel, hornpipe, sets, polkas, and step dances are known throughout the world. Solo dancing and step dancing appeared at the end of the eighteenth century.

Irish dance costumes

The costumes of dancers today are just a reminder of ancient dance costumes. Men in the past usually wore a high-buttoned waistcoat, tie, breeches, stockings and shoes. Ladies wore colored homespun ankle-length skirts and black bodices.
Each school today is distinguished by its original costumes. Most of the dresses are decorated with embroidery in the Celtic style, copies of the famous Tara brooch, which pins the cape thrown over the shoulder onto the back.
Men's clothing is less decorated, but it has a rich history. Often this is a plain-colored kilt, a jacket with a complexly draped cloak on the shoulder. Footwear – for both men and women – heavy, hard boots with heels for hornpipe, jig, for reel – soft “ballet” shoes.

Irish dancing today

Nowadays, Irish Dance is a cultural symbol of the country and it is clear that there are many dance organizations in Ireland that encourage the practice of dance. Adults and children participate in separate competitions called “feis” (feis, which was once the name for rural dance parties) for valuable prizes. There are solo performances and group competition performances, in which dancers are identified by age groups, from six years to seventeen years, and senior groups. Qualifying competitions are held in all four provinces of Ireland, with the winners then competing in the All-Ireland Championships. The World Irish Dancing Championships take place in Dublin at Easter, and representatives from England, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand compete for the title of world champion.

Kaylee

The history of the Irish "ceighley" begins with neighbors gathering for a pleasant time, with music, dancing and friendly conversations. Dance evenings were usually held on summer Sunday evenings, when young people gathered at crossroads. The music was performed by a violinist sitting on a three-legged stool with his hat upside down to collect donations. The violinist usually started with music for the reel, but had to repeat the melody several times before the young people began to dance. But after a while the area filled up, and then the dancer could not stop.

There are still many opportunities to enjoy Irish dancing in Ireland today. Informal dance evenings, “keily” sessions, when beginners are shown their first steps, take place in large cities during the summer season, in which both the older generation and young people take part with equal pleasure. Thanks to the professional dance show Riverdance, the amazing Michael Ryan Flatley and his stunning shows “Lord of the Dance” and “Dance Feet of Flames”, today Irish dance is not only known all over the world. Students continue to come to dance schools to achieve the same recognition in the future as Jean Butler, Colin Dunne or Michael Flatley.

Ireland has always been famous for its unsurpassed dance culture, but recently interest from the world community has increased even more thanks to spectacular shows that use Irish dance in a modern interpretation.

History of the creation of dance art

This culture has gone through its thousand-year history and, according to many researchers, originated from the times of the Celtic peoples, who founded their state on the territory of modern Ireland.

The most ancient image, somewhat reminiscent of Irish dance, is the Celtic Sean-Nos performed by the Gauls, who lived on these islands in the distant past.

The first mention of dances similar to today's modern dances dates back to approximately the eleventh century.

A little later, under the influence of the Norman conquerors, a completely different performance culture began to emerge - a group of people dancing in a circle. And in palaces and balls, Irish dance began to gain popularity already in the sixteenth century.

A little later, about two centuries later, the first teachers of dance art appeared, thanks to whom many types and varieties of the current modern variations arose. But at the same time, terrible oppression of this culture began, so the performance of the dances was kept in strict confidence. The church considered the art of dance to be obscene. Many historians agree that Irish dance acquired the characteristic motionless position of the hands on the belt precisely after Christian priests declared that dancing in this way was indecent and inappropriate, reminiscent of sacrilege or an invisible connection with a demon.

Modern look

Already in the nineteenth century, various competitions in which the prize could be a large pie began to gain popularity in small villages and towns. The modern period in dance art begins at the end of the same century. The Gaelic League was created, which set itself the goal of preserving Irish musical culture, which had been oppressed over the last century and a half, at all costs.

Dance rules were established in 1929 by the then Irish Commission, which were in effect at various competitions. As a result, the technique has changed significantly - it is used to perform modern Irish dances to this day. In the 1930s, women began to take part in productions more often and were given the opportunity to teach in educational institutions where they taught the art of dance.

Solo performances

Irish dances have many varieties and types. An amazing pattern of movements can be seen performed by solo dancers. They represent the true embodiment of a certain grace and lightness, but at the same time energy and rhythm. Both soft and hard shoes are suitable for solo. It can look like lace-up ballet shoes or boots with heels, depending on who it is intended for (men's and women's).

How to dance Irish dance, many dancers participating in competitions learn from childhood to a variety of national melodies (reels, jigs, hornpipes), which they use for solo performances. They all have their differences, but the common features are their arms pressed to their sides and beautiful posture with a motionless torso. This is done in order to pay as much attention as possible to the complexity and clarity with which the dancers’ legs move.

Sets

It is worth highlighting traditional sets as a separate category of solo Irish dances. They are performed in hard shoes and represent a standard set of movements. As the Irish dance set is called, so is the name of the melody to which it is danced.

There is also an unconventional form of this style, performed to a slow tune by dancers of the open level. The set of movements may depend on the imagination of the teacher or the wishes of the performer.

Group dancing

This variety is distinguished by the fact that the dancers stand opposite each other, thereby forming a square, basically these are the famous quadrilles. They are not native Irish, so their movements can be found in various European styles. The differences between the dances are in the number of figures, which can vary from three to six.

In the 80s, this type became widely known to the public and was taught in many dance schools. Today, social group dances are performed at a very high speed and in a wild manner.

Kaylee

This word literally means “a fun holiday with music and dancing.” At the beginning of the twentieth century, a new style of group performances also began to be called by this term, which has survived to this day.

Keighley is usually danced in soft shoes and, unlike the solo types, the dancers use hand movements. The main thing in its implementation is the complete interaction of all partners.

Basically, this type of dance is performed to jigs and reels. They include a different number of dancers: from four to sixteen. Variations can be very different, but often these are two or four pairs of people standing opposite each other. All types of keili can be divided into linear (progressive) or curly. The first ones mean that all the dancers stand in the form of one large and long line. When they dance the entire full cycle, they move one position, and accordingly they perform the next stage of the dance with a new partner.

The second type of caylie is most often found at competitions or representative events. Various choreographic performances have led to the fact that this category of dances began to resemble real spectacular shows that won the hearts of many spectators.

Nowadays, people of different ages can dance ceilidhs at various parties. And it doesn’t matter in what manner and at what level they are performed - an amazing feeling from freedom of movement and a perky rhythm will always arise in anyone dancing this dance.

It is believed that Irish dances are in no way inferior to oriental dances in their passion, they are simply performed in a more intelligent and secretive manner.

It turns out that Irish step occupies one of the main steps among many dance and production shows.

The tunes to which Irish modern sets and square dances, as well as other forms of this art, are danced, are played mainly on bagpipes, violin and accordion, and the result is a rather catchy and playful melody.

The Irish themselves say that the best dances are Irish dances, which symbolize the strong spirit and unyielding will of this people.

Irish dancing is an art form that was created in Ireland. It is extremely popular in the UK.

Irish dances are common. Public as well as social.

Also, Irish dancing can be performed in concert. We are talking about those subspecies that are staged at performances in theaters. And also about those dances that are used in competitions.

There are two types of everyday Irish dances. Seth- and Kaylee-.

Irish dancing can be either solo or group.

The history of Irish dancing

Irish dancing was first created in ancient times. They were invented by tribes that migrated to Ireland. As well as other peoples who tried to conquer this country through military invasion.

The tribes that migrated to Ireland made a huge contribution to the formation of national dances. They added elements of their musical culture to them. They were modified in every possible way. They also performed Irish dances to their national music.

Historians report that such dances were very popular among the Druids. They performed them in a circle. Holding hands.

The Druids performed Irish dances to perform religious ceremonies. Communicate with your gods. And get an answer from them.

With the help of Irish dances, the Druids prayed to the Sun God, as well as to Oak.

The Celts made a huge contribution to the formation of Irish dancing

A little later, the Celts invaded Ireland. They made a huge contribution to the formation of the national dance of this country. They modified it. And they also added elements of their musical culture to the dance.

Christianity was later adopted in Ireland. Monks began decorating books and manuscripts with symbols that were used by the Celts. However, the peasants tried not to deviate from Irish traditions. And during the performance of Celtic dances they used music popular in the country. They also repeated movements from standard Irish dances.

The influence of the Anglo-Normans on Irish dance culture

Ireland was later attacked by the Anglo-Normans. They conquered part of its territory and brought with them the culture of national dances.

In Ireland there was a music called Carol. She was extremely popular among the Normans. And they decided to bring Carol into the dance culture of Ireland. To develop it.

Carol was performed as follows. One person sang songs in this style. And around him stood people performing Irish dances. And they sang along with the soloist.

What Irish dances existed in the 16th century?

According to historians, in the 16th century there were only 3 dances in Ireland:

There was a jig in Ireland

Historians say they have found another dance that existed in the 16th century. They discovered a letter in which Sir Ireland Henry Sidey addressed Elizabeth the First. It was sent in 1569.

In the letter, Sir Sidey stated that in Ireland girls dance the "Irish jig". The dance, he said, was very beautiful and unusual. And the girls themselves dressed in bright, unique outfits.

In the 1650s, Irish dances were often performed before rulers

In the mid-16th century, national dances were extremely popular among the nobility of Ireland. Sovereigns regularly invited performers to huge castles. To dance beautiful Irish dances for them.

Subsequently, some peoples decided to borrow their national dances from the Irish. For example, they were taken and remade by the inhabitants of England. This is how the English versions of the dances "Trenchmore" and "Hey" appeared. They were subsequently performed before Elizabeth the First.

Irish dances were also performed in the 18th century.

According to historians, royalists on the shores of Ireland were also greeted with national dances. They were performed by girls.

In 1780, King George III sailed to Ireland. The state authorities sent six girls to his ship.

When the king arrived on shore, the Irish ladies greeted him with scarves in their hands. During this, a melody began to play. The ladies started dancing.

At the beginning of the dance, the girls moved slowly. But then they began to gradually increase the pace. They danced faster. The Irish dance was very energetic and beautiful. It was performed without going beyond a small area.

What kind of music were Irish dances performed to?

In ancient times, musicians were invited to perform Irish dances. They played tunes on bagpipes. Also, a harp was often used during performances.

The highest ranks of Ireland were not afraid to dance Celtic dances with their subjects. They happily danced along with ordinary people.

At what events were Irish dances performed?

Irish dancing was extremely popular among the population of the country. They were performed with or without reason. Both at important, tragic events, and on ordinary days.

Irish dancing was often performed early in the morning. The master stood up with his subjects and began to dance.

Also, Irish dances were performed during tragic events. For example, at the funeral of loved ones. Or relatives.

During these events, people danced Irish dances to the sad "singing" of the harp. Or bagpipes.

Irish people began to be taught national dances in the 18th century.

Irish people began to be taught national dances in the 18th century. It was then that professional teachers appeared in the country. They explained the principle of performing Irish dances to both adults and children. The teachers managed to teach this art to everyone. Regardless of the skills and abilities of people.

It is noteworthy that dance teachers never sat in one place. They regularly moved around villages and cities.

At first, residents of one village were taught to dance. Then they moved to another. And they already taught people to dance there.

The Irish dancing teachers looked unusual. They were dressed in bright clothes. And because of this, they were different from those around them. Stand out from the crowd.

Every Irish dancing teacher had an assistant. He helped the teacher explain to people how to dance. Thanks to this, the process of training one village took little time.

Irish dancing today

Nowadays, Irish dancing is also popular. Moreover, not only in the UK, but also in other countries.

Nowadays in Ireland, national dances are very well developed. There are special organizations in the country that teach young people this art direction. And they even encourage teenagers to learn Irish dancing. They are developing in this direction.

Celtic dances are most popular among adults and children in Ireland. They take part in competitions called fesh.

The winners of Irish dancing competitions receive good, expensive prizes. And high fees.

The incentives given to dancers allow Irish dancing to grow.

About modern Irish dancing competitions

In the modern world, there are several types of Irish dancing competitions.

Children can perform in solo numbers. Show off your Irish dancing skills on your own.

Also, athletes can take part in group tournaments. Within them, children are formed into groups. Toddlers must perform complex movements. And also interact with each other.

As part of group performances, children are divided into different age groups.

The smallest of them is the one in which children from 6 years old participate. The oldest one in terms of age is the one in which children 17 years old take part.

Participants for international Irish dancing tournaments are selected responsibly

National Irish dancing championships are regularly organized in Ireland. However, not everyone can participate in them.

To qualify for the national tournament, an athlete must win the qualifying round. Only after this can he be sent to international competitions.

A rigorous selection is carried out so that the most skilled residents of the provinces and cities compete for the title of the best Irish dancer. And so that the tournament turns out to be truly beautiful and unusual.

The World Irish Dance Championships are held every year. For Easter. The event itself takes place in Dublin.

It is noteworthy that not only residents of Great Britain participate in the World Irish Dancing Championships. Athletes from the United States, New Zealand, Australia and several other countries come to it. This suggests that Irish dancing is extremely popular in the 21st century.

In Ireland there is a belief that the hills are the gateway to another world. A world inhabited by fairies. It is not uncommon for people and hill dwellers to meet. And such meetings always promise something unusual. Often, following the charm of fairies, people follow them into a magical land, and return many, many years later, already very old people. Those who did not succumb to temptation, or earned the gratitude of the fairies, acquired all sorts of interesting abilities and, of course, a reliable assistant. But none of those who saw the fairies remained the same.

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In relation to dance, we can say that no one who sees Irish dance remains the same. And Irish dance itself is often called “the dance of the wondrous people.” Light, unearthly jumps, sliding steps, rapid throws and leg sweeps, combined with a calm body, produce a bewitching impression. Not the usual combination of pride and mischief, dignity and temperament!

The history of Irish national dance reflects the events that took place in Ireland itself, starting from the 20th century BC and ending with the 20th century our era - migrations of peoples and invasions of conquerors, changes of religions... Every culture with which the Irish came into contact contributed to their dance tradition. Although today there are only vague ideas about the most ancient stage of the development of Irish dances, it is known that the Druids were the first to perform them. Initially, the dance had a ritual meaning: they were performed in praise of sacred trees and the sun. Coming from the mainland to Ireland, the Celts brought with them religious dances, some elements of which have survived to this day.

The oldest form of Irish dance that still survives today is called Sean-Nos. It traces its origins to the Celts who lived in the British Isles from 2000 BC. and to 200 AD. Ancient chronicles indicate that this dance is of Irish origin, although sailors from distant lands, North Africa and Spain, who visited local ports such as Limerick, brought their own national characteristics to it. Sean-Nos competitions are still held today. This dance is most popular in Western Ireland.

Around 400, after local residents had converted to Christianity, Catholic priests continued to widely use elements of national culture in their services. The Holy Scriptures were decorated with Celtic archaic ornaments; Celtic rites and dances accompanied Christian holidays. In the 12th century, on the wave of the Anglo-Norman conquest, the traditions of the Normans, their customs and culture, including the most popular dance of that time, Carol, came to Ireland. The leader of Carol stands in the center of the circle and sings a song, which is picked up by the dancers surrounding him in a round dance. Carol's style greatly influenced the development of Irish dance.

By the 16th century, chronicles already mention three main types of Irish dances: Irish Hey, Rinnce Fada and Trenchmore. One of the oldest descriptions of the national dance is contained in a letter from Sir Henry Sidney, written to Queen Elizabeth I, who was “much amazed at the Irish melodies, as well as the dances.” Sydney described his observations of people dancing in the clearing, noting that the participants were dancing in two lines. This suggests that the English knight saw an early version of the Rinnce Fada dance.

By the middle of the 16th century, folk dances migrated to the state rooms of palaces and castles. Some of them, adapted into the English style, gained popularity at Her Majesty's court. Among them was the Trenchmore, a version of an old peasant dance. Around the same time, Irish Hey also gained popularity.

Due to the oppression and persecution of Irish culture that began in the 18th century, national dances for a long time were performed only under the cover of strict secrecy. A proverb of that time says: “The dancer dances until he returns to the village.” Moreover, folk dancing was sharply condemned by the Christian Church. The priests called them “mad” and “bringers of misfortune.” Some historians believe that the characteristic motionless position of the hands on the belt appeared in Irish dance after the church declared the movements of the hands obscene.

In the 18th century, “dance teachers” appeared in Ireland, with whom the era of the revival of dance traditions is associated. It is unknown where this movement first began, but it played a decisive role in the preservation and development of ancient customs. Teachers traveled around the villages, teaching dance to the local peasants. The dance teachers were dressed in bright national costumes. They often arranged competitions with each other, which usually ended only when one of them fell exhausted. Many dance teachers also taught musical instruments, fencing, or good manners.

Varieties of Irish dance:

Solo Dances

Solo dances were developed by dance masters in the last quarter of the eighteenth century and have continued to evolve in both physical and artistic aspects since then. Today they express the greatest freedom of expression, a superb mood, a true combination of splendor, lightness and strength of movement, achieved through years of hard work. Irish solo dancing in its modern form includes the jig, hornpipe, reel and set dancing.

The Jig

As a solo dance, the jig can be performed in various forms: The Slip Jig or The Hop Jig is currently danced exclusively by women, but until approximately 1950, competitions were held for this dance among both men and pairs. The slip jig, danced in 9/8, is the most elegant and graceful dance performed in soft shoes and is highlighted in the Riverdance show. The Single Jig is currently performed as a light dance (without beats or sound) in 6/8 and in rare cases in 12/8. The Double Jig can be danced as light dance (in soft shoes) or in hard shoes with tapping rhythm. If danced in hard shoes, it is sometimes referred to as The Treble Jig, or The Heavy Jig, or The Double Jig, which are danced in 6/8. The Heavy Jig is the only one that is danced exclusively in hard shoes, so that the dancer can especially emphasize the dance with sound and rhythm.

Hornpipe

In Ireland it is danced quite differently and has been performed to 2/4 or 4/4 music since the mid-eighteenth century. It is danced in hard shoes and today is one of the most popular Irish dances around the world.

The Reel

Most reel steps are performed to double reels, while single reel tunes are used more for simple steps used by beginning dancers. They are performed to 4/4 music and danced in soft shoes. The treble reel is danced in hard shoes. While it has become quite popular around the world among audiences who have ever seen Riverdance and other Irish dance shows, it is rarely (if ever) performed in competition. This dance, with its fast rhythmic beats and spectacular movements, delighted millions of spectators around the world when it was first performed as a “Riverdance” number during the Eurovision Song Contest. It can be said that in a few minutes this performance turned everything upside down in Irish dancing and provided it with more public recognition and respect than in the previous seventy years. The treble reel style gained popularity through the efforts of The National Folk Theater (Siamas Tire) under the artistic direction of Rev. Pat Ahern and teacher Patrica Hanafin from Tralee.

Solo Set Dances

Set solo dances are performed in hard shoes to special set music or excerpts of dance tunes and many of them date back to the mid-nineteenth century. Set music differs from a regular jig or hornpipe in that the latter strictly follow an 8-bar structure. Set melodies usually consist of two parts, which are divided by dancers into “the step” (the first part) and “the set” (the second part), while both the step and the set may not correspond to the 8-bar structure. In a set dance, the performer dances to strictly defined music, so that the movements and rhythm of the dance exactly match the accompanying melody. Below are some of the solo dances from the set: In 2/4 – The Blackbird, Downfall of Paris, King of The Fairies, The Lodge Road, Rodneys Glory. On 6/8 – The Blackthorn Stick, The Drunken Gauger, The Three Sea Captains, The Orange Rogue, Planxty Drury, Rub The Bag, St Patrick’s Day. On 4/4 – The Garden of Daises, The Hunt, Kilkenny Races, Madame Bonaparte, The Job of Journeywork, Youghal Harbour.

Ceilis (Ceilis – Irish Group Dances)

Ceili dances are group dances that are performed both in competitions and at ceilis (a type of social dance, dance party). Keighleys are a selection of dances with different formations - round dances, long line dances and long column dances. Thirty of them are described in the first, second and third parts of the Irish Dance Commission's collection “An Rince Foirne”, and knowledge of these thirty dances is a prerequisite for obtaining the status of an Irish dance teacher. They are danced the same way throughout the global “Irish” dance community with minor local variations. The dances performed during ceilis and competitions may differ slightly, the square in the Fairy Reel being a good example. The most common dances in competitions are 4-hand and 8-hand jigs and reels.

Social Group Set Dances

These dances, known as sets or half-sets, are derived in their variety from square dances, dances in which couples stand opposite each other to form a square. Quadrilles were very popular in Napoleonic Paris. Wellington's victorious armies became familiar with them and then introduced them into use in England and Ireland. Dance masters adapted these dances to already existing traditional steps and accelerated the tempo to the usual reels and jigs. Differences existed in the number of figures, the number of which ranged from three to six, while initially there were five. In the original quadrilles, the presence of five figures was determined by music in 6/8 and 2/4.

Group set dancing was virtually eradicated during the first seventy years of the twentieth century because it was considered alien by the Gaelic League. In recent years, set dances such as the Kerry and Clare sets have returned to the Irish dance scene and have become quite popular among middle-aged people.

Since these dances are not typically Irish, a similar dance style and detailed steps can be found in many European countries, especially Russia. Today, group set dances are often danced at very high speeds and in a wild manner that bears no resemblance to the original sets, which were characterized by strict discipline and good manners defined by the character of the set.

Today Irish dancing has conquered the whole world. Dance schools attract many students not only in Ireland itself, but also in many other countries. Irish dancing became popular everywhere. Four major competitions are held regularly - the American National Championships, the All-Ireland Championships, the British Championships and the World Championships. According to tradition, the World Championships are held in Ireland, and thousands of dancers arrive for whom a decent result at the championship can be the beginning of a stellar career. For example, in 1998 the World Championships, held in Ennis, attracted three thousand participants and another seven thousand coaches, teachers and fans.