I used to be a member of Blithfield Sailing Club. Back in 1987, I took my Thai wife to see this. She loved it. And on Boxing Day the meeting of the Hunt and the drinking of the Spirit Cup, outside the pub in the village. The days before woke, whatever that means, and political correctness. Happy days.
Hornpipes originate in England… like, jigs, Morris dancing and much more. Remember, Ireland was for a very very long time under the influence of England… like so much of the British Isles… but with Ireland even more so.
Quite a few Irish folk tunes are called Irish,when they were from England!Even step dancing began with a step dance that the continent name the English step!
I came here after mention of the Abbots Bromley Horn Dance in this video m.ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hGhicZSYq20.html You have a truly ancient ritual there. Obviously, it's gotten changed up A LOT.
And yet these folks are up to doing it on this very specific day in September for a very long time they say, so, that must also be accurate! it certainly is Real!
The dance is not a 'fertility rite' or pagan or any such nonsense. The antlers are old but the earliest mention of the dance from the late 1500's describes it as a 'hobby horse dance' with no mention of the antlers - they only appear in written records in the 1600's.
Can't believe they've canceled it this year. It's all outdoors, for goodness sake. I suppose if it was in aid of Black Lies Matter or Exstinktion Rebellion, the Council would let it go ahead. Sheer hypocrisy and a genuine shame.
They play like they are integrated whilst small minority. As the size of their pop grows, they show their colours. When they reach approx 20% in coming decade or so, the tipping point will occur and the whole place will go up.
