Special museum event to mark riverdance 20th

To coincide with Riverdance’s 20th anniversary this year, the National Museum of Ireland Country Life, Turlough Park, Castlebar, Co Mayo and Irish TV will be hosting an evening of conversation, reminiscence, music and dance on Friday 19 September at 7pm, to mark Culture Night 2014.

Riverdance can trace its origins to the ‘Mayo 5000’ celebrations in 1993. Since its first performance at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1994, Riverdance has wowed audiences worldwide and has reinvented Irish traditional dance.

In 1993, one of the showcase events for the ‘Mayo 5,000’ celebrations was ‘The Spirit of Mayo’ concert, the music for which was composed by Bill Whelan and held in the National Concert Hall in Dublin. ‘The Spirit of Mayo’ concert was an inspiration and the catalyst for Whelan’s Riverdance composition, which became a worldwide phenomenon.

The Museum’s Culture night event will commence with Irish TV in conversation with Des Mahon, Brian Quinn, Sheila Coll and other key players from 1993. They will take us through the fascinating story of how Riverdance found its origins in the Mayo 5,000 and the Spirit of Mayo celebrations. Entertainment will be provided by guests including musician Robbie Harris who regularly performs with Riverdance around the globe. The audience will also be entertained by the Nolan Bailey School of Irish Dancing featuring Jordan McCormick, a local world-champion Irish dancer, and friends.

The National Museum of Ireland is committed to collecting objects and associated information that tell us stories about our living traditions. In our work we attempt to observe how our traditions change and also what elements remain. There have been significant changes nationally and internationally which were influenced by the Riverdance global phenomenon, not least of all in the area of Irish dance. The story of Irish dance is a fascinating one. The Museum is continuing its collection of Irish Dance-related objects and stories that reflect and tell the story of Irish Dancing for future generations.

The event, which is being supported by Irish TV, will be broadcast in early October 2014 on County Matters on Sky 191, Freesat 400; www.irishtv.ie