This article is from page 20 of the 2012-08-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
FOR Dan Furey, set dancing was a way of life and a labour of love – something that will be celebrated once more in Labahsheeda this weekend when the 18th annual festival bearing his name will be staged.
“We would have been one of the first set dancing weekends around the country,” says Liam Woulfe of the organising committee, “and like last year, we’re holding the festival in the last weekend in August before the school holidays end.”
Dan Furey’s dedication to set dancing was legendary in Labasheeda and beyond, with his dedication in passing on the dances of the Labasheeda area over six decades winning him a permanent place in the history of traditional dancing in Ireland.
He is best remembered by dancers for having given us the Paris Set, and the Labasheeda Reel Set, and also some solo dances such as The Priest and His Boots, Single Time and the Gabhairin Buí.
“To bring the festival about each year, there is a lot of community effort. A lot people help out. This year’s festival will be opened by Fr Tom McGrath who spent over 40 years in Kenya as a missionary priest.
“Stephen McDonagh is a local his- torian who, along with Heritage officers from Clare County Council, will give a talk on the Battery Fortress in Kilkerrin – around now is the 200th anniversary of the erection of the Napoleonic fort.
“There is usually an impromptu céili at The Battery on Sunday morning, re-enacting the tradition of locals going there to dances hosted by the British soldiers based there. It’s a unique part of the festival and there’ll be a good crowd there, with people travelling through the fields to get to the point,” he adds.