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Monday 6 August 2012

Irish.

Once upon a time somebody in our family must have been Irish......but it was a very, very long time ago now....way back in the mists of genealogy. No matter, latent Irishness has now surfaced and is showing up in our eldest daughter's passion for Irish Dancing.

Which is a genre of dancing that you can practice and compete in, here, in Hobart......a place as far away from Ireland as you can geographically get. Amongst all of the Niamh's, Sadbh's and Enya's (yes, I'm not kidding) I'm happy to report that our Jemima held her own, ultimately scoring two gold, two silver and a bronze medal at the Feis extravaganza yesterday:



It is, no doubt about it, quite a spectacle with all of that jigging and reeling. Her father and I have both had a go and it really is quite complicated doing all of that tricky footwork while you keep your arms still and by your side:

Over the six hours that our entire family was in the audience, our boys were very well behaved.....gone are the days when Tobes used to get told off by the lady on the microphone. Now, it's the baby who demonstrated singleminded determination by trying to make a dash for it onto the stage, over and over and over again:



Irish dancing in Hobart has become a bit more sequinned and sparkly in the last two years. Soon our own Irish Dancer is going to reach to the age where they are required to wear LOTS of makeup, a spray tan and a synthetic curly wig:


I didn't realise that as a race, the Irish people's most distinguishing features are tanned legs and curly hair? Did you?

Rx

15 comments:

  1. Your post caught my eye - as the daughter of Irish immigrants growing up in London in the 60s/70s. The Irish dancing circuit was an extended version of going to church for the Irish community, it's where success was displayed, in the most expensive dresses possible. I was never indulged and my sister was pulled out of classes once she started talking feis, as my mum refused to pay for the costumes. I still have a hankering and am looking forward to release of the film Jig - due out any day now.
    My children have been blessed with 'need a uni degree irish to spell my name' names - god love 'em - what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
    I wish your daughter well in her dancing.
    Carmel

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    1. Thanks Carmel for an insight into how Irish Dancing was back in the day in London within the Irish community. It sounds fascinating with such a tangled web of cultural meaning an innuendo. There were some Irish people at the Feis in Hobart yet the majority have probably never been to Ireland.......me included yet I would LOVE to go and kiss the Blarney Stone! Rx

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  2. Well done to Jemima! I have never seen the tanned legs and wigs before - how silly!

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  3. Yes, and of course the great irony is that they look so much prettier without! Rx

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  4. I enjoyed reading this. My daughter is young and yet to be in a competition but when she is old enough, I dread the wigs! Yes curly hair is a huge feature of the Irish, but the wigs are soooo fake and ugly! I think they are allowed to wear buns though aren't they? In Ireland the dresses have become extremely ugly, almost like the American child pageants. I thought make up was banned until a certain age, and even then it had to be subtle. The tanned legs a big no go...disgusting on young girls! I wonder if the tanned legs and the modern dresses are allowed in the national competitions? Well done on your daughter for doing so well, her dress is lovely :) Proud Irish Mummy from the North of the state :)

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  5. OMG, six hours at a dance concert with 3 children?!?! You are very brave. I assume you took a supply of homemade snacks to keep the hoards fed?
    By the way, am sure I saw you in the distance at Woolies last week between school pick ups! My boys go the same school as yours (twins in yr 4 and oldest in yr 6) and recognised your pony (?) skin bag!!! It is Hobart after all :)

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    1. We had to make a cake for the tuckshop.....and my husband bought most of it back individually sliced for feeding the troops! Yes, it is Hobart, isn't it......nice to meet you in the carpark today! Rx

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  6. I don't understand the wigs for a dancing comp but I can tell you where it comes from! The black Irish(as this colouring is sometimes called outside Ireland)is thought to originate from the Spanish traders and survivors of the Spanish Armada who integrated into Ireland. It is of course all conjecture but I rather like the stories!!!!
    Jemima looks beautiful and congratulations to her for those grand awards

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  7. Wow, congratulations!! I know a lot of work goes into all this. We are Irish McClellands (go figure, came to Australia via South Africa, then married Italians, needless to say our children have amazing colouring - blue eyes with olive skin!!) & my family is Irish English, thus producing one very pale blondie in my mix of 4 children. We have Irish names for our children (none of which you mentioned, phew) which suit our surname & heritage, thankfully each child has always been the ONLY child with that name at preschool/ primary & high school, which makes them feel special. The mothers are the heroes in this particular dance sport, so much effort & energy to maintain, well done family, love Posie

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  8. Your children must be gorgeous with such a mixed heritage.....I'm a seventh generation Australian which is why our genealogy is so watered down. I wish that we had a more immediate connection with somewhere else as it really does make Irish Dancing in Hobart, for me, seem voyeuristic and like we don't really belong......although I would guess that most of the people up on stage don't either! All of those Niamh's and Enya's do and how special it makes it all for them! Rx

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  9. Are they really expected to wear wigs, please tell me you are joking....

    Well done to Jemima for her medal haul, she must be so proud. Irish dancing looks terribly complicated so I am very impressed. Camelia looks absolutely divine in her pink tutu as well! xx

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  10. What a wonderful haul - go Jemima! No wonder Camelia wanted to join the action. J x

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  11. Just wondering where in Hobart do you go for Irish Dancing? I've been googling etc for my daughter and came across this.

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  12. Yes, it's difficult to find out this info for the uninitiated! Dancing lessons for the Scoil Rince Ni Kelly are run by Bronwyn Kelly 0406872425 on Saturday mornings in North Hobart. Rx

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  13. Beware ... Jemima may already be hooked, line and sinker into the world of Irish dance. I just found your blog and am secretly laughing as you begin the serious dance sport/art form as a family. Wigs, fake tan, sock glue, sparkly dresses and headbands and make up including fake eyelashes are all part of the compulsory uniform for an Irish dancer. Brothers and younger sisters have to sit patiently in dance venues and are often bribed with the offerings of the parent run tuck shop stall! Dads get to carry the precious cargo of dress bags and make up and if lucky get to read the morning newspaper whilst listening to a jig or reel being played over and over and over..... And mums well they get to stress with their younger daughters as hair and make up are done to as best of a standard as possible! Then there are fragile egos to calm on days that adjudicators don't like your daughter's style. There are also so many proud moments for mums to enjoy as everyone in the family does their job to offer support for the Irish dancing star! So good luck to Jemima and every one in your family!

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I LOVE hearing your thoughts! Rx