RIVERDANCE WAS CREATED AS A JOKE

We needed an Interval Act to kill time while judges were making up their minds deciding which neighbouring country they would vote for in the Eurovision Song Contest – Cyprus, in particular, always spend ages agonising about their vote – the fact that Greece has been the recipient of their “Douze Points” every year for the last 47 is a pure coincidence.

We had run out of entertaining ideas and the producers were agonising over what to put on stage – intern JohnJoe mentioned that there was a a hape of young fellas at the Coláiste Samhradh in Ros a’ Mhíl that were doing some mighty buck leppin at the nightly céilis – the locals were coming down every night to watch them make amadáns of themselves.

The producer was impressed by the exuberance from JohnJoe but had little undersatanding of what the gentleman from the West was actually saying. Trevor was from Glenageary and had never before ventured farther West than Lucan – Trevor had a major crush on the intern and was intrigued by the manly form of this Western son of the soil.

“OK goys, let’s go and watch these performers and check out their moves – we need a kick ass act for the interval that will amaze everybody watching”

A people carrier was despatched to Ros a’ Mhíl – Trevor led the deputation with the dreamy JohnJoe appointed guide and translator.

The Scoláirí from the Irish Summer School had been forewarned of their arrival and decided to let rip for their unusual audition.

JohnJoe had asked some of his buddies from the Spiddal Junior B Football team to come along to look at the amadáns and at his strange employer from the big smoke. His buddies were all of the same caste as JohnJoe and shared a certain ruggedness – Trevor was in a state of rapture!

The music started in the school hall and the unruly students commenced their liberal interpretation of Irish dancing – it was appalling stuff and was encouraged by ironic cheers from the Junior B Footballers – “They goys really like this stuff” said Trevor. “Is this authentic traditional Irish Dance?” he asked JohnJoe.

“Oh No!” replied JohnJoe “’Tis a Twentieth Century interpretation of a traditional Irish Art Form!”. (JohnJoe had been picking up some jargon in RTE)

Trevor was nothing if not decisive and decided there and then to put this cutting edge act on stage – “OK JohnJoe – I’m putting you in charge of the dancers but we don’t have much of a budget for this act and can’t spend more than 200K!”

JohnJoe’s grasp of jargon was a bit loose and he believed that the budget was to be 200 pounds. “We’ll never do it for 200 – I’ll need at least 400 and they’ll be no receipts!”

“Best I can do is 350K” was the reply and this was accepted. 

And this, Ladies and Gentlemen is how Riverdance was born.

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