The Monaghan Set

The Monaghan Set.  Copyright © 1984, 1999 Brooks Academy.

Monaghan Set - Figure 1

Figure 1 - Wheel & Ladies Chain Reels - 104 bars
Opening Position: Couples face anti-clockwise around the circle, gents on the inside.  Each gent holds his partner’ left hand in his left hand, and with his right hand over the lady’s shoulder holds her right hand in his right han
A Lead Around (a)  All four couples dance anti-clockwise around until they reach their own positions.  On the last bar the four couples turn in place to face clockwise.  They turn clockwise, out of the circle, without letting go hands.  Gents remain on the inside of the circle but with left arms over the ladies’ shoulders.  Partners should not turn around each other, each dancer turns on the spot (8 bars).

(b)  All four couples dance clockwise back around to their own places again.  On the last bar the gents release their partners’ left hands, take the ladies’ right hands with their left hands and adopt the standard position (8 bars).

 16 bars
B House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
C Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
D Figure LADIES RIGHT HAND CHAIN:  The four ladies dance around inside the circle in a chain.  To commence the top ladies give their right hands across their bodies to the ladies on their left, and side ladies give their right hands out to the ladies on their right.  Top ladies never touch each other, nor do side ladies (8 bars). 8 bars
E Swing When the four ladies rejoin their partners all four couples swing in place.  8 bars
F Lead Around Repeat A. 16 bars
G House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
H Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
I Figure LADIES LEFT HAND CHAIN:  Repeat D as above, substituting left for right, and vice versa. 8 bars
J Swing When the four ladies rejoin their partners all four couples swing in place. 8 bars

Monaghan Set - Figure 2

Figure 2 - Crossover Jig - 128 bars
Opening Position: Couples face anti-clockwise around the circle, gents on the inside.  Each gent holds his partner’ left hand in his left hand, and with his right hand over the lady’s shoulder holds her right hand in his right han
A Circle Advance and retire twice. 16 bars
B House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
C Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
D Figure (a)  ADVANCE & RETIRE:  TOP COUPLES advance to centre and retire once (4 bars).

(b)  CROSSOVER:  The TOP LADIES dance across to each others’    places while the TOP GENTS dance in place (2 bars), then the TOP    GENTS dance across to each others’ places while the TOP LADIES dance   in place (2 bars).

(c)  SWING:  TOP COUPLES swing in place (8 bars).

(d)  ADVANCE & RETIRE:  TOP COUPLES advance to centre and retire once (4 bars).

(e)  CROSSOVER:  TOP COUPLES repeat (b) to bring them back to their own places again (4 bars).

(f)  SWING:  TOP COUPLES swing in place (8 bars).

 32 bars
E House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
F Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
G Figure SISE COUPLES repeat D. 32 bars
H House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
I Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars

Monaghan Set - Figure 3

Figure 3 - Back To Back & Reel of Three Reels - 152 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face to centre, joining hands in a circle.
A Circle Advance and retire twice 16 bars
B Figure (a)  PASS THROUGH:  TOP COUPLES advance and pass through, 1st tops on outside, and then retire and pass through, 1st tops on inside.  1st tops separate for last two bars.  The lady turns clockwise and dances in    beside 2nd sides gent, and the gent turns anti-clockwise and dances in  beside 1st sides lady.  2nd tops dance in place for last two bars. 

Each couple should take 2 bars to pass through, dance 2 bars while they change from the inside to the outside or vice versa, take 2 bars to pass back through, and 2 bars to dance in place or turn in beside the other couples (8 bars).

(b)  ADVANCE & RETIRE:  The two groups of three dancers facing each other join hands and advance to the centre and retire twice (8 bars).

(c)  SWING:  The two groups of three swing in place arms around each others backs.  They should make sure to come out of the swing in time for the next movement (8 bars).

 24 bars
C Circle All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
D Figure Repeat B.  This time the 2ND TOPS dance forward on the outside, back on the inside and turn to make the threes with the side couples. 8 bars
E Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
F Figure SIDE COUPLES repeat B.  1ST SIDES dance the figure. 24 bars
G Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
H Figure SIDE COUPLES repeat B.  2ND SIDES dance the figure. 24 bars
I Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
J Swing All four couples swing in place. 8 bars

Monaghan Set - Figure 4

Figure 4 - Change Places Polka - 104 bars
Opening Position: Couples adopt the standard position.
A Change Places (a)  TOPS:  1ST TOPS and 2ND TOPS dance half-way around the house PLACES to each others place while the side couples dance in place (4 bars).

(b)  SIDES:  1ST SIDES and 2ND SIDES dance half-way around the house to each others place while the top couples dance in place (4 bars).

(c)  TOPS:  1ST TOPS and 2ND TOPS dance half-way around the house back to their own places while the side couples dance in place (4 bars).

(d)  SIDES:  1ST SIDES and 2ND SIDES dance half-way around the house back to their own places while the top couples dance in place (4 bars).

 16 bars
B Home TOP COUPLES dance around at home. 8 bars
C House TOP COUPLES dance house around. 8 bars
D Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
E House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
F Change Places Repeat A.  On this occasion the side couples change first. 16 bars
G Home SIDE COUPLES dance around at home. 8 bars
H House SIDE COUPLES dance house around. 8 bars
I Home All four couples dance around at home. 8 bars
J House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars

Monaghan Set - Figure 5

Figure 5 - Change All Around Hornpipe - 128 bars
Opening Position: All dancers face to centre, joining hands in a circle.
A Circle Advance and retire twice. 8 bars
B House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
C Home & Change All four couples dance around at home.  During the last two bars the gents, keeping their partners’ right hands in their left hands, turn their partners under their left arms so that when the circle forms again the gents have their original partners to their left, and they have new partners to their right.  8 bars
D Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
E House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
F Home & Change Repeat C.  The ladies move one place around again. 8 bars
G Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
H House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
I Home & Change Repeat C.  The ladies move one place around again. 8 bars
J Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
K House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
L Home & Change Repeat C.  The ladies move one place around again to rejoin their original partners. 8 bars
M Circle Reform the circle and advance and retire twice. 8 bars
N House All four couples dance house around.  8 bars
O Home All four couples dance around at home, doubling the last two bars. 8 bars