Tir Nan Og

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Strathspey
1- 8 1s and 4s set, 1M and 4L cast 1 place (M down, L up) to face partner in diagonal line, 1s and 4s set to partners, turn 2H to end in diagonal line
9-16 1s+4s dance a diagonal reel of 4 ending in original places

Reel
17-24 1s and 4s set, cast in 1 place and dance RH across
25-32 1s and 4s set, cast back to places and dance LH across with 2s/3s

Strathspey
33-48 1L and 4M repeat bars 1-16

Reel
49-56 1s+2s set, dance ½ RH across, 1s+3s set and dance ½ LH across
57-64 1s+4s set, dance ½ RH across, all set and cross to own sides Ladies pass under arches made by Men

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)

Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams

Tir Nan Og - Full Size And Key To Symbols

Dance Information

The difference in spelling between "Tir Nan Og" and "Tír na nÓg" is due to linguistic conventions and the use of diacritical marks in Irish Gaelic:

"Tír na nÓg" is the correct Irish Gaelic spelling. It uses:
 "Tír": Meaning "land" in Irish, with the accent (fada) over the "i" to indicate a longer vowel sound.
 "na": The genitive form of "the."
 "Óg": Meaning "young", with a fada over the "O" to indicate a longer vowel sound.

So, "Tír na nÓg" translates literally to "Land of the Young."

"Tir Nan Og": This version is a more anglicised form. It often appears in English texts where accents (fadas) are dropped for simplicity, or it reflects Scottish Gaelic conventions, as the concept appears in both Irish and Scottish mythologies. In Scottish Gaelic, it would be written as "Tìr nan Òg", where "nan" indicates "of the" and "Òg" means "young."

In short, "Tír na nÓg" is the precise Irish spelling, while "Tir Nan Og" reflects anglicisation or Scottish Gaelic.

In Irish legends, Tír na nÓg is often reached by heroes or mortals who are guided by supernatural beings, such as the fairies or godlike figures like Niamh, who famously takes the hero Oisín there. However, time moves differently in Tír na nÓg, and returning to the mortal world can have drastic consequences, as shown in the legend of Oisín. Upon returning, he rapidly ages as centuries have passed in the real world.

The concept is part of the broader Celtic Otherworld tradition, a place where the gods and fairies reside, similar to Avalon in Arthurian legend.

Tír na nÓg
"They Rode Up To A Stately Palace" The High Deeds Of Finn And Other Bardic Romances Of Ancient Ireland, By T. W. Rolleston, Et Al, Illustrated By Stephen Reid

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