Laharn Crossroads Dancing Goes ‘Nationwide’

Boherbue Students Have Beef With Emissions

On January 29th, RTE’S Nationwide featured a segment on Laharn Crossroads Dancing which was filmed around August 2023

It not only focused on Laharn Crossroads Dancing but also the tradition of crossroad dancing in 20th century Ireland. It referenced a now legendary speech made by Eamon De Valera, on St. Patrick’s Day 1943. Recorded for Radio Eireann, it became known as the ‘dancing at the crossroads’ speech, recalling the vision the founders of the Gaelic League had for Ireland 50 years prior. Their vision sought a land where community would prevail.

A coming together of people through employment, sport, and culture. The speech funnily enough seems to be a victim of the Mandela effect (a phenomenon where a person believes that their distorted memories are, in fact, accurate recollections) as historian David McCullough points out that DeValera never mentioned dancing at the crossroads. However, you won’t get a better example of what De Valera was alluding to than this grand tradition.

The broadcast discussed how the pastime has come and gone over the years with the war of independence interrupting it in the early twentieth century and how in the mid century saw the dance halls take over in popularity.

Revived in 1991, Laharn Crossroads Dancing continues to be a popular event on the nice Sunday evenings throughout the summer. You’ll see the various interview subjects down below attest.

It won’t be long until Laharn Cross will be in action again. We’ll be sure to let you all know when it is.