Tirl The Sneck

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

Tirl the Sneck
Maggie and Duncan Keppie Gaelic College SCD Book 9: A Dozen in Hand
5x48 bar Strathspey
5-couple dance in Square set, 5th couple in centre

1-8 SET, ½ WHEEL, TWIRL AND CHASE: 5th and 1st couples set on diagonal, dance right hands across halfway, twirl (all pull into the centre of the wheel, pull right shoulder back and dance out to position as at end of Bar 4), and chase clockwise to original places ending with 5th couple (man on right of partner) facing 3rd couple;

9-16 SET, ½ WHEEL, TWIRL AND CHASE: 5th and 3rd couples set, dance left hands across halfway, twirl (all pull into the centre of the wheel, pull left shoulder back and dance out to position as at end of Bar 12) and chase anticlockwise to original places, 5th couple (man on left of partner) facing 1st couple;

17-24 HAND-IN-HAND REEL OF 3: 5th couple with head couples dance Hand-in-Hand Reel of 3 switching hands with partner at each end of the reel: end with 5th couple facing 4th couple;

25-48 REPEAT Bars 1-24 WITH SIDE COUPLES: on bars 47-48 5th woman followed by 5th man dance anticlockwise ¼ around the periphery into 1st couple's place as 1st couple dance into the middle to face next couple on the left (i.e. 2nd couple).

Repeat with each couple in the centre.

(Dance crib compiled by the devisers, Maggie and Duncan Keppie)

Dance Information

"Tirl the sneck" is a Scottish idiom that means to turn, or twirl, the latch or knob on a door. The word "tirl" refers to the action of rattling or shaking, and "sneck" refers to the latch or lock mechanism on a door.

In a literal sense, "tirl the sneck" means to jiggle or turn the latch to open a door. However, the phrase can also be used metaphorically to suggest probing or investigating a situation. For example, someone might be encouraged to "tirl the sneck" to find out more information or to uncover the truth about a matter.

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