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School: Cill Tártáin

Location:
Kiltartan, Co. Galway
Teacher:
Mícheál Ó Tuathaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0047, Page 0144

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0047, Page 0144

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  3. XML “Local Dancers”

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  1. Local Dancers

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    Kiltartan some fifty or sixty years ago was the home of slep-dancing, and Johnny Donohue (Rincrush) and John Forde (the weaver) were two of the best exponents of that art.
    As a youth I listened to the telling of a trial of skill between Johnny Donohue (Kiltartan) and a noted blase dancer from the brusheen parish named Pat ("Maunice") Lyttleton.
    It was the night of Johnny Donohue's wedding. His wife was from blase, and Lyttleton formed one of the party. Lyttleton was as straight as the barrel of a gun, as supple as an osier, and so light of foot, that like the Fianna he could tread on a rotten branch without breaking it.
    The wedding was held in Rinnrush, and towards morning the trial of skill started. It was blase v bonnaught. A galway man is always spoken of in blase as a bonnaught man. The door was taken off its hinges and placed in the middle of the floor.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Mícheál Ó Tuathaigh
    Gender
    Male