Programs and Activities from IMT

In keeping with the mission of Comhaltas, we are involved in the preservation and promotion of Irish culture, including traditional music, songs, dancing and literature.

Teaching (Music) Session

If you are new to Irish music and would like to learn Irish traditional style and tunes, we offer a slow or teaching session.  This group lesson is held at the Harp Irish Pub in Roswell.  Playing by ear is encouraged, however most of the tunes presented can be found in staff notation in Foinn Seisiún, Session Tune Sets – Book 1.

The slow session will be conducted from 4-5 p.m. on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, following the Irish set dancing class (moving to new time slot, 2-4 p.m.)  Instruction is led by fiddler/flute player Mike Simpson, TTCT.  He is assisted by Joseph Mitteldorf, a talented young fiddler.

This class is not primarily for beginning musicians starting from scratch on their instruments, but beginners are welcome.  Musicians wishing to join in on a traditional Irish music session will learn about how the tunes are played and some of the cultural aspects of session playing.

After the slow session, the Roswell session occurs in the same space.  The Roswell session is a faster paced, intermediate level session from 5-7 p.m.

Literary Evening
Our Irish literary heritage is one of the richest on earth.  To celebrate that, we convene one Thursday evening a month to read from a selected Irish author.  We meet from 7:00-9:30 PM at Jim and Trudy Alexander’s home in Buckhead, call 404-266-0648 for more information.

Irish Set Dancing
Set dancing is a traditional social dance form in practice for over 150 years in rural communities in Ireland.  These “country sets” are danced for fun by four couples in a square, not unlike American square dancing, but to Irish music.  Set dancing is very much alive today in Ireland, across the United States and around the globe. Come dance with us!  (http://www.setdancingnews.net/)

NOTE:  The set dancing sessions at the Harp Irish Pub in Roswell have paused for a few weeks, will resume August 15th.

Cost?  A small free will donation to the céilí fund is always welcome.  We’ll teach/review a dance or two, then dance them – beginners are welcome, dance partner not required.

For more information, contact Sally at atl.setdancing at mindspring.com, or join us on the dance floor!