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TO celebrate 30 years of the creation of the world famous ‘Blackbird’, members of the National Folk Theatre, past and present, have come together to showcase the traditional Irish music and dance piece in a new video.
In March 1991, Siamsa Tíre opened the doors of a brand new purpose built theatre in Tralee and a new production by the National Folk Theatre was the launchpad for this new beginning.
The production, Ding Dong Dedero – forging the dance, would tell the story of the famous North Kerry Dance Master, Jeremiah Molyneaux, known locally as Munnix.
One step dance, would form the back bone of this production, the now world famous Blackbird.
This step was specially devised by the members of the National Folk Theatre and their founder Director Fr. Pat Ahern in 1990.
It is based on the many recordings held by the company of Munnix pupils, such as Jack Lyons, Jerry Nolan, John McCarthy, Phil Cahill and many more, and is seen as the finest tribute to the North Kerry style, still used by the company to this day.
In 2020, thirty years on since the creation of the Blackbird, in the midst of the Covid 19 pandemic, members of the National Folk Theatre, past and present, have come together from all over Ireland and the world to play and dance, the Blackbird.
In total 28 dancers and 11 musicians have been included in this piece with artists young and old, spanning the generations and families that have trained in the National Folk Theatre Training Academy over the last 50 years. Have a look below…
