Cèilidh

A cèilidh (/ˈkeɪli/ KAY-lee, Scottish Gaelic: [ˈkʲʰeːlɪ]) or céilí (Irish: [ˈceːlʲiː]) is a traditional Scottish and Irish social gathering. In its most basic form, it simply means a social visit. In contemporary usage, it usually involves dancing and playing Gaelic folk music, either at a home or a larger concert at a social hall or other community gathering place.

For the cryptosystem, see CEILIDH.

Cèilidhean (plural of cèilidh) and céilithe (plural of céilí) originated in the Gaelic areas of Scotland and Ireland and are consequently common in the Scottish and Irish diasporas. They are similar to the troyl traditions in Cornwall and twmpath and noson lawen events in Wales, as well as English country dance throughout England which have in some areas undergone a fusion with céilithe.

Etymology[edit]

The term is derived from the Old Irish céle (singular) meaning 'companion'. It later became céilidh and céilidhe, which means 'visit' in Gaelic.^[1] In Scottish Gaelic reformed spelling it is spelt cèilidh (plural cèilidhean) and in Irish reformed spelling as céilí (plural céilithe).

In the 1945 film the characters attend a cèilidh.

I Know Where I'm Going!

In the song Oh! What a Ceilidh, performed by Andy Stewart on his 1965 album Cambeltown Loch. The song's composition is credited as: (Grant-Stewart).

In the 1983 film the characters are shown at a cèilidh.

Local Hero

The 1987 song When New York Was Irish by mentions the cèilidh.^[13]

Terence Winch

The 1990 film features a céilidh.

The Field

A song by the group is titled "Funky Céilí" (1992).^[14]

Black 47

's 1994 film Shallow Grave features Ewan McGregor and Kerry Fox at a cèilidh.

Danny Boyle

In the 1997 film the third class passengers hold a cèilidh which Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet's characters attend.

Titanic

In the 1999 Belfast-set movie With or Without You, London–Irish band Neck appear performing at a céilí that Christopher Eccleston and Dervla Kirwan's characters attend. Neck describe themselves as being a "psycho-ceilídh" band - a term picked up by frontman Leeson O'Keeffe from Shane MacGowan when he was playing in his post-Pogues band, Shane MacGowan and The Popes. One of Neck's most popular tracks, an instrumental highlighting the band's musicianship on a set of traditional Irish jigs and reels, is called "The Psycho-Ceilídh Mayhem Set".

Michael Winterbottom

In the 2000 – 2005 BBC TV series the characters are shown at a cèilidh.

Monarch of the Glen

In 2002's a cèilidh is portrayed.

The Magdalene Sisters

The characters in the 2003 film participate in a céilí band competition.

The Boys from County Clare

In the 2006 film , the characters are shown at a céilí.

The Wind That Shakes The Barley

The popular Celtic musical team describes a céilí in their popular tour song "At the Céilí", a live recording of which appears on their 2007 album Celtic Woman: A New Journey.

Celtic Woman

Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan features the song "Céilidh Cowboy" on his album.

The Crock of Gold

The song "Johnny's Far Away", on his 2007 album Sweet Warrior, describes a couple who are unfaithful while the husband travels with a cèilidh band.

Richard Thompson

The band song "Ceilidh" from the album Clash of the Tartans (1998) describes the practice.

Real McKenzies

The word "Ceili" in the name of the band is explicitly meant to invoke the céilí spirit.

Ceili Rain

The is a music organisation known for its traditional Irish music and dance festivals.

Philadelphia Céilí Group

In the 2011 movie , the main character takes his dying mother to see a céilí band.

The Guard

In the British television series , part of the Masterpiece series, there are multiple references to ceili and multiple scenes set at céilí in the fictional Northern Irish town of Moybeg.

My Mother & Other Strangers

holds an annual Cèilidh Weekend which serves as the university's homecoming celebration.

Carnegie Mellon University

The lyrics of 's song "Galway Girl" (2017) mention "dancing the céilí, singing to trad tunes".^[15]

Ed Sheeran

Hootenanny

Troyl

Feis

Fest noz

Nos lowen

Noson llawen

John Cullinane: Aspects of the History of Irish Céilí Dancing, The , Clontarf, Dublin 3,(1998), ISBN 0-9527952-2-1

Central Remedial Clinic

An Coimisiún le Rincí Gaelacha: Ár Rincí Fóirne-Thirty Popular Céilí Dances, Westside Press (2003)

J. G. O' Keeffe, Art O' Brien: A Handbook of Irish Dances, 1. Edition, Gill & Son Ltd., (1902)

[1]

Helen Brennan: The Story of Irish Dance, Mount Eagle Publications Ltd., 1999 0-86322-244-7

ISBN

The Sweets of May; Aoibhneas na Bealtaine: The céilí band era, music and dance of south Armagh. Ceol Camlocha (Tommy Fegan, chairman; book accompanied by 2 CDs and a DVD)

O'Keeffe & O'Brien