How Did The American League Influence The Development Of Irish Cultural Nationalism

Taylor Derouen

Lecturer Pamela Cotter

MU4135

3 November 2016

The Development of Irish Cultural Nationalism and the Irish Nation

Irish cultural nationalism is deeply influenced by both the music and dance traditions of the nineteen and twentieth centuries. It would not be right to say that music or dance had any more influence than the other because both can be deeply connected to the Irish nation. Irish music and Irish dance had their own separate roles in the flourishing of Irish cultural nationalism and the Irish nation. Music took a more dominate role in the earlier history of Ireland, while dance had a more recent effect on Irish nationalism. Although, they can also be viewed together to display their joint effect on Irish
The Gaelic League had massive impact on Irish dancing. The Gaelic League was a political party established in 1893, a time largely lacking in political stability. One of the primary objects of the Gaelic League was to inspire nationalism in the Irish people. They had differing assortments of cultural practice that they intended to use to spark cultural nationalism. Originally the Gaelic League focused on the Irish language, but after Ireland was established as a republic its focused shifted to Irish dance (“Perceptions of Irish Step Dance” 35). The Gaelic League made sure their were traditional language, song and dance classes held in most parts of Ireland. They also organized competitions at feiseanna and oireachtias (festivals and assemblies where contest and tournaments in the arts were conducted). These festivals and assemblies were the birth grounds of the Irish céilí dances (“The Irish Céilí” 45). Irish dances, both solo and group dances, were always set to traditional Irish music. Céilí dances are a social group dance, although, they did not always start out that way. The term céilí was used to described going to a neighbor’s house to talk, and up until this point, had not been used associated with dance. The London branch of the Gaelic League decided to host the first ever Irish céilí dance. Part of the reason the Gaelic League did this is because they wanted to create a united community. Group dancing was a great way to bring people together. The céilí dances allowed people to feel as if they were apart of the nation of Ireland by participating in a dance with their fellow Irishmen that was specifically labeled as an Irish dance(“The Irish Céilí” 45). In 1929 the Gaelic League established the Irish Dancing Commission, known in Irish as An Coimisiun le Rinci