An Cumann / The Irish Association of Nova Scotia

It wasn't long after An Cumann began to hold céilís in 1991 that set dances entered the repertoire. The first set dance teachers in the area were Christopher and Jane Shipley, summer visitors to Nova Scotia from Baltimore, Maryland. Following that introduction, An Cumann started adult Irish dance classes at the Chocolate Lake Communty Centre, where Kelly Curran taught a mixture of céilí dances and set dances. In the fall of 1992, Kelly left for studies in Ireland and Elizabeth MacDonald became the teacher. Elizabeth was a veteran of the Toronto set dancing scene, with a background in Highland dancing and Scottish country dancing as well. Under her direction, set dancing gained a firm hold in the Halifax area.

An Cumann hosted a number of dance workshop weekends with acclaimed teachers Elizabeth brought in from Toronto and Ireland. Nova Scotia set dancing soon grew to the point that it needed its own organzation, while still maintaining close ties with An Cumann and its céilís. Scaip na Cleití Dancers have thrived ever since, for several years with Elizabeth MacDonald at the helm and, since Elizabeth moved to Europe, under the direction of An Cumann's current president, Pauline Hingston. For further information on classes and other set dancing activities, follow the link (above) to Scaip na Cleití's website.

Irish Language

From the beginning, An Cumann has acknowledged the important role of the Irish language (Gaeilge) in Irish culture. For over 15 years, Vera Dutin, a native of Cork, has taught Irish classes during Irish Heritage Evenings and on many other Thursdays. For almost the same length of time an Irish language reading and discussion group has been meeting on Tuesday evenings. Along the way, An Cumann has held a weekend language immersion workshop and has regularly included use of the Irish language in the newsletter, Scéala.

Anyone interested in joining either the Tuesday or Thursday language groups should E-Mail Us.

Traditional Irish Music

In every survey of our members' interests, Irish music tops the list. An Cumann's main contribution to this aspect of culture has been to provide countless opportunities for local and regional traditional Irish musicians to perform. An Cumann's Céilí Band has played at all 17 of our St. Patrick's Day Céilís, as well as at dozens of céilís held at other times of the year. We've had amazing evenings with Ronnie MacEachern's "Off With Their Heads" and more recently with the all-women group, St. Brigid's Céilí Band. Three of the four shows at An Cumann's 2006-7 winter concert series at The Music Room in Halifax featured traditional music.

An Cumann also hosted traditional performances by Irish concertina master Gearóid Ó hAllmhuráin and by renowned 4-string guitar vocalist Seán Tyrell.

From the song tradition, we've had great shows by local group Dicey Reilly and by Irish ex-pat Jimmy Sweeney and a memorable, almost legendary, concert by Tommy Makem, Kevin Evans and Brian Doherty amidst fierce heat and fiercer mosquitos in Herring Cove.