Figure 1.--Here is a photograph of us daning at a hotel show about 1980. We are wearing our solo costumes.

I came across your site while doing a search for Irish dancing Top lister in google. It brought back old memories of the trials and tribulations of wearing the kilt. I am 35 years old. My Dad was a farmer and my Mum was a secondary school teacher. She taught Irish, English and music and Irish dancing at the school. She was always into Irish traditions and folklore. So from the day that I was born, it was understood that I would do Irish dancing. My first kilt was for step dancing, but I wore other kilts as well. My Irish dancing costumes varied very little, Our Dancing School colours remained the same, but my solo costumes did change as I proceeded up the levels in competition.

Memmories

I came across your site while doing a search for Irish dancing Top lister in google. It brought back old memories of the trials and tribulations of wearing the kilt. I am 35 years old. I grew up in the Gaeltacht area. My Dad was a farmer and my Mum was a secondary school teacher. She taught Irish, English and music and Irish dancing at the school. She was always into Irish traditions and folklore. So from the day that I was born it ws understood that I would do Irish dancing.

Step Dancing

She had Irish dancing classes outside of school, and a lot went to them, Mothers mostly to blame, I started Step dancing when I was 6 and continued to dance until I was 22. I used to hate it when I started it. I suppose this was because my mother taught it. And the skirt did not help and as she did four classes a week I was stuck in all of them. Once I got to travel through it then it was not as bad. A good many of my friends did Irish dancing so it was no big deal. And anyone who did it accepted it pretty much. I have danced in Germany, England, Canada and the United States, mostly for Irish festivals or St. Patrick's Day. Our school costume was a green kilt, black knee socks, white shirt, green tie, and gray jacket. However this changed when I was 15 to a maroon kilt, which was the Galway county colour, and a gray jacket. White shirt and a county tie. Although in my time I have worn a number of different colour kilt, worst being white, second worst yellow, through to grey you saw that one in the picture, dark greens light greens, and blues. It was funny as I was growing up there was a lot of costume trading, I suppose because my mum had access to them I got more changes that anyone else, I generally grew out of my jackets every year, but there was always someone growing out of theirs and someone else growing into mine. I got my first new costume when I was 17 and my last costume when I was 20 which I still have. I am proud to say it still fits although I find it hard to keep up with the younger guys now.

Kilts

My first kilt was for step dancing, but I wore other kilts as well.

Dancing

From the age of 6 years until I reached 22 I wore the kilt on a regular bases, although as I got older less and less. I wore single coloured kilts and jackets for Irish dancing. I don't remember much discussion of our dancing costumes. Nothing was really discussed, The girls had no problem with the dresses, And to be honest the guys did not complain much, I suppose in my case I was stuck with it, in the other guys cases they were sent by parents so you wore your costume and got on with it no big deal. My mum always selected it, it was either a traded in costumes from a guy who outgrew it, or in the case of the new solo how far u had progressed in competition, When u got near the top you were allowed to wear the banim which was a off white kilt. To be honest I wore what I was told for a quite life after the first few weeks my kilts were just another part of my clothes it was like putting on jeans for going out cycling or short for hurling, the kilt was worn when it had to be.

Pipe band

And I got conscripted into the school pipe band in which again I wore a saffron kilt and green jacket. I hammered the snare drum.

Scouts

I was a keen Scout. I was also a member of the local scout group.

Cubs

As a Cub we wore a white shirt, dark green sweater covered in merit badges, yellow and navy neck scarf folded and held together with believe it or not a leather thing called a woggle. The uniform also consisted of grey shorts, grey knee socks, black shoes, and the traditional peaked cap. As Cubs we never wore the kilt, but then other than an odd camp we never went anywhere. I guess the cubs did not wear the kilt as it was expensive to buy and they would grow out of them pretty fast. I do remember the Cub leaders wearing a safron kilt though on enrolment and on special occasions but they were older scouts. The Women Cub leaders always wore a grey skirt. At the time the cubs and scouts did not allow girls, For them it was the brownies and girl guides but now with equality and all the other PC stuff they allow girls in and I suppose it brings up numbers.

Scouts

As a Scout we wore a dark green long sleeved denim like shirt hard wearing again covered in badges, same neck scarf, white cord and whistle, green beret with scout logos, long grey pants, or saffron kilt, long dark green wool socks with the kilt. black shoes, very simple black sporran. We did not wear the kilt often but for Jamborees especially if we travelled to another country we wore the saffron kilt with our Scout shirt, you had the choice to wear a kilt or pants with your formal uniform. I pitched tents in a kilt did a hikes even, but if u were going through forests or bushes u would ruin it, Also if you were doing wood building projects like bridges the kilt was not suitable. We did a scout exchange and for the 2 weeks I and 3 others wore our kilts with pride, even getting goodies for letting the other foreign scouts try them on and get pictures of them in kilts.

School

We did not wear primary school uniforms. You wore what you wanted, much to the upset of many parents. In Ireland durung the 1970s, uniforms were kept more for secondary school. This has since changed. We did not normally wear a kilt in my secondary school but I did wear a kilt a number of times for school. Our formal school costume was the same as the pipe band. But no one really had it. If you were repsenting your school there was a supply of kilts and jackets you could borrow. Although if you were in the pipe band you had your own.

I competed in the young scientist competition in Dublin when I was in 4th year. For the 4 days on the stand I wore the kilt and jacket. I wore the formal school uniform with a jacket and kilt much to my mothers delight She was a great fan of the kilt. I know at that time a number of schools wore the kilt and jacket everyday as I met a few at the competition in their uniforms.

I remember when I was 15 I was playing a game of hurling, Hated hurling with a passion, But mum wanted me to dance, dad wanted me to hurl, I just wanted to play with my Sinclair zx spectrum, But I got involved in a nasty tackle and suffered a leg injury, Mum was angry, It was the week before Halloween and it hurt like hell, as I had multiple breaks the put in pins and a traction bar which basically was four pins coming out of my skin and a bar about 2 inches from the pins holding them in place. It looked horrible and was a pain when you hit something with it, jeans were out of the question unless you wanted to fully cut the seam on one leg, the same with pants for the 14 weeks the brace was on I wore kilts they were easy to get in and out of and were warmer than shorts or god forbid my mother having to ruin my school pants, And as it was my fault in her mind it was easier to go with the flow and to be honest after the time it was as strange going back to pants. I dont know if you have ever tried a kilt but for sitting in the same position all day they are far better than pants. Although I still don't think I could have handled wearing them for 5 years everyday if I had to. Although If I had no other choice I suppose I would have done it. I don't know if your other readers had to wear them every day or hated it. Its funny. Here in Ireland girls are now fighting for the right to wear pants instead of skirts to school.

Dancing Costumes

My Irish dancing costumes varied very little, Our Dancing School colours remained the same, but my solo costumes did change as I proceeded up the levels in competition. Once I got used to them, I did not mind wearing them I don't know if I could have handled it every day for school, But in forth year a group of us wore the kilt for a week to school to raise money for charity. It was not too bad I always found the kilt very comfortable to wear although sometime a little chilly in winter.

When we travelled for Irish dancing we always wore a kilt uniform, although this got a little embarrassing in the later years. I also remember getting out of the airport in Boston and I thought my legs would freeze on the spot. We took on a sponsor at the dancing school to help with travel and accommodation when we went to places like Boston. Part of the deal was that we stood in for pictures and that by us getting PR for dancing they got it through us, The only condition was we wore their corporate colours and logo on our jackets. They provided the uniforms we just had to wear them. The girls got long skirts, blouses, scarves and jackets, We got a kilt, shirt, tie and jacket which was ok except for the colours and I think the company that made them made all their outlets uniforms and had no idea on making a kilt. Or probably the ones they made were less expensive than real kilts. So what we ended up with was a knee length rear pleated skirt with no buckles. There was just a zip on the side. Thank god it looked like a kilt, but it was a private joke between all on the trip. Although a real kilt would have been better at least you could have left the straps out on the plane while sitting.

Irish dancers wear many different colors of jackets, kilts and kneesocks. Some were less popular than others among us boys, although our opinions were not always the same. I especially disliked the white or yellow kilt. Yellow looked horrible and no more than the white was too easy stain at a feis. Even eating or having a drink had to be done with great care, although the wool was great. It did not asorbe that much. but would uou risk a spill of coke. My Tackiest solo costume was a yellow kilt brighter than safron, and a bright green jacket, bright green socks, and white shirt. The the comment was that it was really irish. Second tackiest was the travel uniform supplied to us from our sponser: yellow skirt (it could not be called a kilt), navy jacket, white shirt, and orange tie. We wore that after the deal to and from competition and to and from shows. In the end I was lucky to get a yellow kilt that I used instead of the skirt. The funny thing is my mother did not know what the big deal was.

Today

Its fun looking at old pictures and seeing how things were in yesteryears. Its funny where I come from Irish dancing is still alive but not as poupolar as it was. The same can be said for Scouting and Cubs. The same can even be said for amature radio. It has all died the internet has killed amature radio. But I guess kids these days dont want to go outdoors when they can be stuck in front of a playstation. Scouting got me into the outdoors thought me how to tie a knot. Taught me leadership and it was great fun to add. Belive it or not I work in computers everyday I love them dearly but I love to put on a old pair of hiking boots my worst pair of jeans and go for a long ramble with the kids. Switch off the cell phone, but in case of emergency I bring it with me. My Daughters took up Irish dance as now my sister teaches it under supervision of my mum, but she is not as involved anymore might scare off the talent :). My son does it. I do not force him, but it was his mum's idea I will not get phased out if he wants to give it up. But I hope he gets some of the good times that I have had and places I have been through it.

Ken

Created: January 20, 2003
Last updated: January 23, 2003