Riverdance Background Information

For the most part Riverdance reveals an exciting stage display of dancing, singing and music all rolled into one. At its fundamental, level it represents the story relating to Ireland and the people who live there. Similar to a vast river with its many tributaries all flowing into one basin the people of Ireland have also originated from a variety of different places which hundreds of years later flowed into the area of the present Ireland. Riverdance is also the story of creative exploration of Mother Nature by humanity towards the fine arts. This show tends to features not just the dance of the Irish people, but in addition that of African-American, Russian and Spanish. This again fits comfortably in with the previous analogy concerning the river and its tributaries because through creative expressions like dance and the music the result has evolved from different sources. Although like the tributaries, they originate from many different sources they all ultimately merge into one mighty river, which is their common trait. Below we have a brief overview of the history of the Irish people, which we hope will serve as a basis of understanding directed towards the story of Riverdance. It is a tale of the Irish people and their associated culture.

Much debate currently exists among archaeologists as to where Ireland's initial inhabitants originated from however Spain is the prime possibility and likely source of origin. Research has revealed evidence of a possible 2000-year-old civilization that thrived before the Celtic people arrived in Ireland from various sections of Britain and France. Before the 5th century and much before Saint. Patrick attempted to convert the people to the Christian religion many pagan beliefs prevailed. In the 8th and the 9th century, the Vikings coming from Norway and Denmark invaded the country. Since the Vikings found the area very amiable, they decided to settle there and built some of Irelands first cities which included Dublin.

In the year 1169 AD as one of the continuing feuds was taking place among several warlords, the ousted king wanted to requested assistance from Henry II King of England. The King sent an expeditionary military force of his Norman barons to the ousted King to help him and then proceeded with a massive scale military invasion resulting in the conquest of the entire country. The English successfully established a feudalistic state in Ireland at that time. During the 8th Century, the policy of the English was to establish working plantations that ultimately resulted with the Irish people being tenants on their land that was owned by the wealthy English. In the 19th Century, they experienced successive seasons that unfortunately hit the potato crops with the blight causing nationwide famine. As a result of this famine, many of the Irish families left their motherland for among other places - America. Upon arrival in the United States they were rudely greeted by an abundance of poverty and prejudice at all aspects of their lives however they managed to preserve their spirit and their culture enabling their heritage to survived and be bestowed upon future generations of the Irish-American families.