The Four Books Set

Written by Paul Carr with help from members of Set In Their Ways dancers. The set is a personal tribute to Pat Murphy, the renowned dance master who has inspired countless set dancers over many years. Pat has done a sensational job in researching, teaching and recording of both traditional and contemporary set dances. Pat has published four books of the sets that he has collected and these have become the standard works for teachers around the globe. Pat has also videoed most of the sets to ensure that the sets do not undergo change by 'chinese whispers' as they are passed on. The titles of the four books are well known traditional Irish tunes, and I thought it might be nice to write a set that could be danced to these tunes. This is what I have done. The books are: Toss the Feathers (1995), The Flowing Tide (2000), Apples In Winter (2009) and Tabhair Damh do Lámh (2014)

The music on this video was kindly recorded by Norm Merrigan, James Palethorpe, and Eoin O'Keefe all residents of Sydney, Australia.

Figure 1 -  Toss the Feathers (160 bars Reels, to include "Toss the Feathers")

(a) Intro (8 bars)
(b) All: Lead Around with crossed hands (8 bars), turn lady under both hands, 
    and Swing in waltz hold (8 bars)
(c) Top  couples: RH Star (4 bars) and back with LH Star (4 bars)
(d) Side couples: RH Star and LH Star
(e) All: (tops face L, sides face R) RH Star (4 bars), LH Star halfway (2 bars), 
    turn lady under L hand (CLW) (2 bars) placing the lady on gents R and facing
    the next couple; repeat x3
(f) All: Swing (8 bars) and House (8 bars)
(g) Top couples: Ladies Chain (R hand, L hand turn under and gent follows
    lady around, R shoulders, R hand turn under - like the Plain Set) (8 bars) 
    and Swing (8 bars)
(h) Side couples: Ladies Chain and Swing
(i) All: (tops face L, sides face R) Half ladies chain (R hand, L hand turn under
    (4 bars) finish with gent facing out, lady facing in), Swing (4 bars)
    Finish facing the next couple around the set (ladies progressing one way
    around the set (tops CLW, sides ACLW),gents staying at home and alternating
    directions, always finshing facing out for the swing). Repeat x3
(j) All: House to finish (8 bars)

Figure 2 - Apples In Winter  (200 bars Jigs, to include "Apples In Winter")

(a) Intro (8 bars)
(b) All: Lead Around with crossed hands, turn lady under both hands, and 
    dance at home (16 bars)
(c) Top couples: Cross overs (ladies cross over by R shoulder, gents cross 
    over by L shoulder, face partner and dance around each other, like in 
    the Corofin Set), Repeat to home (16 bars)
(d) Side couples: Repeat (c) (16 bars)
(e) All: (tops face L, sides face R)
    Crossovers (ladies cross over, gents cross over, dance around each 
    other finishing facing the next couple around the set, with ladies on the
    R of gents) (8 bars); Repeat x3 (24 bars)
(f) All: Dance at home (8 bars) and House (8 bars)
(g) Top couples: RH Star (8 bars) flowing into a Christmas (6 bars), retire 
    to home (2 bars), Pass through and back (R and L without hands) (8 bars)
(h) Side couples: RH  Star, Christmas, Pass through and back (24 bars) 
(i) All: Couples RH wheel (waist and shoulder hold with partner, ladies holding
    R hands)(8 bars), flow into Swing 8 (large Christmas) (6 bars), back out 
    to home position (2 bars), Tops pass through (R and L without hands) (4 bars),
    Sides pass through (4 bars), Tops pass back (4 bars), Sides pass back (4 bars)
(j) All: Dance at home (8 bars) and House to finish (8 bars)


  
Figure 3 - The Flowing Tide (160 bars Hornpipes to include "The Flowing Tide")

(a) Intro (8 bars)
(b) Body (stepping: in,2,3 and out,2,3, house on (no stamp))
(c) House
(d) Progression: 
    Gents: RH Star halfway (2 bars)
    All: left hand turn lady under and gents dance into opposite gents place (2 bars)
    Ladies: RH Star halfway as (meanwhile):
    Gents: Pass through ladies place and on one place to R (2 bars)
    All: (ladies L hand, gents R hand) turn lady under ACLW into waltz hold (2 bars)
    (note: at the end of the progression gents are one place to L, ladies in opposite place)
(e) Repeat (Body, House, Progression) x3 (96 bars)
(f) Body (16 bars)
(g) House, doubling the last 4 bars (8 bars)
   
Figure 4 - Tabhair Damh do Lámh (168 bars waltz to include "Tabhair Damh do Lámh")
 
This figure is based on a dance called "Wicklow" that was danced in the rural Werris Creek
region of the Liverpool Plains in NSW, Australia in the early 1950s by Australians of Irish
descent.  Originally coming from Ireland as a four-hand jig it was adapted into waltz time 
as this was the musicians' preference.  We were taught it by Darryl Powell who danced it as 
a boy in Werris Creek and is now a long term resident and dance caller in Canberra, Australia. 
The tune was a harp tune written in 1603 by the blind harper Ruaidri Dall Ó Catháin. 

(a) Intro (8 bars)
(b) All: Waltz the Set (8 bars)
(c) All: (tops face L, sides R) Circle L in fours (2 bars), in to the centre (1 bar), and
    reverse along direction of travel (1 bar), Circle R in the same way (4 bars). Finish as
    two half sets. Remain in half sets until the end of the figure.
(d) Top couple (those who were tops in the full set) in each half set: Holding inside hands
    advance (2 bars), turn to face (1 bar), and reverse (1 bar) as (meanwhile):
    Bottom couple: Cast out, dance up to tops position and face them (4 bars)
    All: Give nearer hands to opposite (outside hands for tops in bottom position, and inside
    hands for bottoms in tops position). Dance a full turn around opposite (4 bars).
    Repeat with Tops leading from bottom of the set.
    Top couple: take two hand hold and chassez down the centre of the set (2 bars) as
    Bottom couple: face across the set and chassez up the outside of tops to change places.
    All: two hand half turn (2 bars).
    Bottom couple take two hand hold and chassez down the set as
    Top couple face across the set and chassez up the outside
    All: two hand turn to place
    All: Circle L (2 bars), in to the centre (1 bar), reverse along direction of travel (1 bar)
    All: Circle R in the same way to home (4 bars)
(e) Repeat (d) with bottom couple leading (32 bars)
(f) Repeat (d) with top gent and bottom lady leading (32 bars)
(g) Repeat (d) with bottom gent and top lady leading (32 bars)
(h) All: Waltz the hall to finish

(note: This figure can be extended by couples meeting with another after 16 bars of waltzing and
recommencing from (d)

A word document of the notes can be downloaded from
MP3 files of the music can be downloaded by pressing the buttons below: