THE INIS MEAIN SET

Study Notes Copyright © William Lynch 2007

The first figure of this set is danced either as a half set on its own, or by tops and sides as two half sets before they make up a full set for the second figure.
First Figure - Builcin (Reels) 256 bars
1 Dance around anti-clockwise to complete a circle back to place, each gent following his lady. 8 bars
2 Swing, with ceili hold. 8 bars
3 Waves: slide in and out, partners facing each other with crossed hand hold and dancing - slide 2,3,4 and back 2,3,4 (4 bars) and dance across to the opposite place, gents passing L to L and ladies turning clockwise once under both arms and once under R arm (4 bars).  The 8 bar movement is then repeated back to place. 16 bars
4 Swing. 8 bars
5 Ladies chain R hands in the centre, L to turn under the opposite gent's L arm as he follows the lady round and back to partners, passing R to R. 8 bars
6 Swing. 8 bars
7 1st gent and 2nd lady pass back-to-back and swing: they dance past each other R to R, sideways to the R behind each other, dance backwards to face each other and dance the last 2 steps in the centre (8 bars).  They then swing, falling back to place on the last 2 bars. 16 bars
8 Waves.
Swing.
24 bars
9 2nd gent and 1st lady pass back-to-back and swing. 16 bars
10 Waves.
Swing.
24 bars
11 1st couple swing across, the gent leaving his lady beside the 2nd gent on the last bar and taking both ladies' inside hands to form the three-and-one formation.  NOTE that the 2nd gent DOES NOT take the ladies' hands at this stage. 8 bars
12 Three-and-one: the formation advances to the centre (2 bars), dances 2 bars in place, retires for 2 bars and the 1st gent turns both ladies outwards underarm to finish alongside him, with no hands held, on the last 2 bars (8 bars).  2nd gent now takes the ladies' inside hands and the formation repeats the movement (6 bars), the ladies turning underarm into a basket (builcin) on the last 2 bars. 16 bars
13 Swing four, jumping on both feet on the last beat of the 8th bar, reversing the swing and dropping back to place on the last 2 bars. 16 bars
14 Ladies chain.
Swing.
16 bars
15 2nd couple swing across to form the three-and-one formation. 8 bars
16 Three-and-one, 2nd gent leading. 16 bars
17 Swing four.
Ladies chain.
Swing.
32 bars
Second Figure - Currachai (Polka - 'The Maggie') 280 bars
1 Lead around with waist hold, the gent's arm around his lady's waist and her L hand on his R shoulder. 8 bars
2 Swing. 8 bars
3 Waves: Top couples make waves across to the opposite place only. 8 bars
Side couples make waves across. 8 bars
Top couples make waves back to place. 8 bars
Side couples make waves back to place. 8 bars
4 Ladies chain: top ladies lead the chain, followed by side ladies, R hands in the centre, L to turn under the opposite gent's L arm and dance round behind him as he dances in place, R to R back to take ceili hold with their partners. 8 bars
5 Swing, the ladies moving on to the next gent on the R on the last 2 bars. 8 bars
6 Lead around.
Swing.
Waves.
Ladies chain.
Swing and ladies move on.
64 bars
7 Repeat 6. until back with own partners then:
Lead around and swing to finish
144 bars
STEPS
The reel is danced with a flat reel step and the polka with the normal polka step.
SOURCE
Willy Hammond at Cecil Sharp House, London, October 1994. He had seen the set on two occasions in 1991 and 1992 and had help in recording it from Paraic T. O Fatharte from Inis Meain.
Back to top Contents List of Sets 1

Glossary