Old Time Songs and Ballads of Ireland (1901) - The Siege of Ennis

 

Monaghan Men's Irish Dancing Class and their Partners

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

The Irish Dancing Masters went around Ireland between 1700 - 1800s revitalized Irish dances and songs.  One famous Irish dance was the Siege of Ennis.  Here is a version of it below.  Try it out!

The Siege of Ennis

Formation:

Dancers form in lines of four, facing another line of four, all holding hands, so you have two lines facing each other. This setup is repeated throughout the room.

The Dance

Advance and Retire (twice):

All dancers advance towards the opposite line (four steps forward), clap hands, and then retire back to their original positions (four steps back).

Repeat this advance and retire movement once more.

Swing (Right Hand in Right Hand):

Dancers face their partner, take right hands (or a two-hand hold), and swing around in place for eight counts.

Advance and Retire (once) with the Opposite Line:

After swinging, dancers face the next line of four (moving to the right of their original position) and advance and retire once with this new line.

Swing (Left Hand in Left Hand) with New Partner:

Dancers now swing their new partner (the person they advanced and retired with) using left hands (or a two-hand hold) for eight counts.

House Around:

Each set of four dancers join hands in a circle and move around to the left for eight counts, then switch directions and move to the right for another eight counts.

Repeat:

The dance repeats, with dancers moving to the next new line of four to their right after each cycle, allowing everyone to dance with different partners throughout the song.

 

To learn some great traditional songs and ballads from Ireland,

 click on the image below!

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.