THE GLENCREE SET

Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007

First Figure -The Zigzag (Polkas) 136 bars
1 Top Couples:
Pass through each other, the ladies inside and passing L to L (2 bars), ½ turn clockwise (2 bars) and pass back by the same route, ladies now R to R (2 bars). The ladies ½ turn anti-clockwise into place, R hand in their partner’s R, and take L hand in L with both pairs of hands held at head height and ladies in front of their partners (2 bars).
8 bars
Zigzag: they lead around each other, gents always facing forwards but moving arms to match their partners’ movements as the ladies twist R on the 1st step, L on the 2nd, R on the 3rd, L on the 4th and so on back to place where the ladies turn anti-clockwise under R arm to face partners and take ceili hold. 8 bars
Ladies chain R arm in the centre, L arm to turn the opposite gent, pass back R to R to turn anti-clockwise under partner’s R hand and into ceili hold. 8 bars
Swing. 8 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1. 32 bars
3 Top couples now repeat 1. 32 bars
4 Side couples now repeat 1 and all swing to finish. 32 bars
Second Figure - Advance and Retire (Polkas) 168 bars
1 Top couples:
Ladies chain R arm in the centre, L arm to turn the opposite gent, pass back R to R to turn anti-clockwise under partner’s R hand and into crossed-hand hold.
8 bars
Advance and retire: couples advance and retire twice, ladies turning 1 full turn anti-clockwise under R hand as they retire for the second time. 8 bars
Turn across: couples change places anti-clockwise, ladies turning 1½ turns clockwise under R hand as they cross the set to take crossed-hand hold in the opposite place. 4 bars
Advance and retire twice. 8 bars
Turn across to finish back home in ceili hold. 4 bars
Swing. 8 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1. 40 bars
3 Top couples now repeat 1. 40 bars
4 Side couples now repeat 1and all swing to finish. 40 bars
Third Figure - Gents Cross and Swing (Polkas) 168 bars
1 Top couples:
Ladies chain R arm, L arm, pass R to R and turn under R hand.
8 bars
Gents cross (2 bars) and swing the opposite lady (6 bars). 8 bars
Gents turn each other L arm in the centre 1½ turns (6 bars) and dance out to ½ turn their partners anti-clockwise R hand (2 bars). 8 bars
Lead around, the ladies turning clockwise under R hand 4 full turns to place. 8 bars
Swing. 8 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1. 40 bars
3 Top couples now repeat 1. 40 bars
4 Side couples now repeat 1 and all swing to finish. 40 bars
Fourth Figure - The Three and One (Polkas) 168 bars
1 Top couples:
Ladies chain and turn under partner’s R hand.
8 bars
Swing across: 2nd couple dances in place, R in R, with the lady facing out of the set while the 1st couple swings across to drop the lady beside 2nd gent, facing out, L hand in 2nd gent’s L hand. 8 bars
Advance, retire, and advance: 1st gent falls back to dance in place while the trio dances in (2 bars), back (2 bars) and in (2 bars) to meet 1st gent in the centre.  Ladies pass their outside hands under the inside armpit to be taken by 1st gent while 2nd gent drops their inside hands and 1st gent turns the ladies into a basket (2 bars). 8 bars
Swing four, falling back to place on the last 2 bars. 8 bars
Ladies chain and turn under partner’s R hand.
Swing across, 1st couple dancing in place while 2nd couple swings across.
Advance, retire, and advance, 1st gent with both ladies.
Swing four.
32 bars
Ladies chain.
Swing.
16 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1 and all swing to finish. 80 bars
Fifth Figure - The Jig 136 bars
1 Top couples:
Ladies chain and turn under into waltz hold.
8 bars
Dance in place (4 bars) and gallop across the set dancing: hop1 23 45 67 and back 23 45 67, gents back-to-back in both directions (4 bars). 8 bars
Ladies chain. 8 bars
Swing. 8 bars
2 Side couples now dance 1. 32 bars
3 Top couples now repeat 1. 32 bars
4 Side couples now repeat 1. and all  swing to finish. 32 bars
Sixth Figure - The Waltz 104 bars + General waltz
1 Circle: all take hands in a circle and dance: inswing (lady’s L foot, gent’s R), and back 23 (2 bars) and repeat three times. On the last bar, corner dancers turn to face each other. 8 bars
2 Take her home: corner dancers take waltz hold and dance into the lady’s place, turning clockwise. 8 bars
3 Dance at home, turning anti-clockwise in place. 8 bars
4 Circle.
Take her home.
Dance at home.
24 bars
5 Circle.
Take her home.
Dance at home.
24 bars
6 Circle.
Take her home.
Dance at home.
24 bars
7 All break out of the set into a general waltz.
SOURCE
Connie Ryan at the Galway Festival Weekend, March 1996.  The set was given to Connie in 1995 by Bill Quinn of Glencree which is in the north of Co.Wicklow and just a few miles southwest of Enniskerry.

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List of Sets 1

Glossary