South Galway Set
The South Galway Set is a traditional Irish set dance from the Gort area of Galway. It can be seen in Volume 2 of The Magic of Irish Set Dancing, taught by the late Connie Ryan. Other published instructions include Terry Moylan's Irish Dances, Pat Murphy's Toss the Feathers, and Tom Quinn's Irish Dancing. Joe O'Hara also offers two online versions: a 4-couple workshop version and a traditional half-set version.
Instructions for the South Galway Set are also on the Newcastle Irish Set Dancers' website, with many more Irish Set Dances, copied there by Arthur Kingsland.
The dance is a square set of four couples, with the gents on the left of their partners. The 1st Top Couple sits with their backs to the band, the 2nd Top Couple opposite them. The 1st Side Couple is on the left of the 1st Top Couple (facing into the set), and the 2nd Side Couple is opposite them (to the right of the 1st Tops). All couples dance all parts of each figure, unless Figure 4 says otherwise (Top couples on their own, then Side couples on their own).
The jig steps used are the up jig steps. All Advance and Retire movements for the jigs and reels are danced Forward 1-2-123, then Back 1-2-123.
The set is danced quite flat, with a little lift, but not as much as in the Clare style, and it’s not heavy on the feet. The jig is danced with the rising (up) jig step.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 15:13 (CET).