Willie Keane (1927-1998)

I moved to Ireland in 2016 to study the dancing of some of Clares most influential dancers. As a result, I wrote my MA dissertation about the late Willie Keane of Doonbeg. His dancing will forever be a great influence on me. Below is an excerpt from my dissertation. If you’d like to watch more about Willie, I suggest you watch Caitlín’s informative tribute to him here: Caitlín Nic Gabhann: Drawing from the Well

Willie Keane was born to Patrick and Ellen Keane on May 16th, 1927 in Doonbeg, a small coastal town in the South West of County Clare. One of four children, Willie spent his childhood living on the family farm where he fostered a deep love of the outdoors that continued throughout his life as a fisherman and farmer. During the time of his childhood and even early adulthood, country-house dance practices would have been common in the area, so despite never attending formal dance classes, Willie’s dance education was one of experiential immersion from a young age. The country-house dance tradition made it possible for dancers of all ages to find movements performed by others that they liked and create their own interpretation of those movements, thus allowing for a balanced perspective that is both personal and akin. 

As a young adult, Willie moved to London in search of work but returned home less than a year later as a result of his father’s ailing health. His other siblings had either moved abroad or were unable to manage the family farm, leaving the role for Willie to fill. In the 1960s, Willie married Susan Linnane from Kilkee, about 12 kilometers South West of Doonbeg, and they had two sons, John and Packie. 

While Willie had been dancing his whole life, it was in the late 1960s, in the midst of the revival of Set dancing in Ireland, that Willie helped form the well-known dance group known as the Mullagh Set dancers. The Mullagh Set dancers performed and competed all over Ireland and even abroad. They were featured as a half set (4 dancers as opposed to 8) on the television program Ag Deanamh Ceoil in 1973, which to this day remains an iconic recording of the style and musicianship of the dancers. Indeed, Tony MacMahon, the host of the program even concludes their segment by saying “And that is how they dance sets in West Clare”. (Come West Along the Road)

Willie remained a prominent representative of Clare Set dancing, being featured in several recordings for television and even an audio recording of Noel Hill, Tony MacMahon, and IIarla Ó Lionáird in 1993 titled Aislingí Ceoil. He was also a regular teacher at the Willie Clancy Summer School, attempting to pass down his way of Set dance battering to others. An encouraging tutor, many have told me that he used to tell his students, “If you can walk, you can dance”. 

However, Willie was not only known for his talent as a dancer, but also as an actor. When speaking with those who knew Willie, everyone made sure to mention his brilliance in the role of Bull McCabe in the local production of The Field. 

In 1995, Willie was diagnosed with jaw cancer, nevertheless he returned to dancing when he was able to. Willie died tragically on December 6th, 1998 when he was struck by a vehicle while entering his home at night.

Beginning in 2000, Willie’s sons John and Packie began a festival in memory of Willie that is held each year in Doonbeg. For the start of this weekend, a small booklet of articles written by the friends and family of Willie was released for the festival. This booklet is abounding with wonderful stories and quotes of Willie’s prominence and individuality within the Set dancing community. Frank Whelan shares that Willie Keane “brought the art of Set dancing to a new level” and he was also “instrumental in bringing the Clare Style to a national audience”. (Whelan, p.4) 

Distinctiveness of Willie Keane’s Dancing

“One lady told me she could commit sin with him[Willie Keane], from the ankles down.” -Mary Brogan, p.14

Willie Keane’s dancing is one that is remembered fondly by many. Percussive battering in Sets has become synonymous with County Clare, but Willie Keane’s unique interpretation of that battering has become worthy of the status of ‘icon’. His appearance with the Mullagh Set Dancers in 1973 launched him into national prominence. Over the next several decades, Willie Keane’s reputation only grew as he became a frequent guest on many other television programs through the country.

When speaking to those who knew and danced with Willie, one of the first things they mention is his ability to carry himself with such grace, particularly when you consider his height. After looking through many video clips, it’s clear that he was a highly adaptable dancer, matching whoever he was dancing with. This was made clear when seeing footage of him dancing with a 8 year old Caitlin Nic Gabhainn in the early 1990s. His footwork was much lighter and torso much more free, acknowledging his partner was well under half his height. Others told me that he was the quintessential Set dancer and someone they looked up to, no pun intended, as he had the balanced strength and grace of posture. Remembering his footwork specifically, Beannacht De Oraibh explains that Willie “developed a unique style of dancing and battering in the Caledonian Set”. (De Oraibh, p.6) This unique battering went beyond the general low and gliding movements that have also become associated with Clare dancing, and incorporated stepping that articulated the heel and toe, creating an additional layer of rhythm to the music. Willie’s dancing is particularly notable for his use of heels, dropping to place weight on each one in succession as though he were playing a drum with his heels. 

Not only were his movements unique, but his placement within the context of the music he was dancing to was exceptionally tasteful, following the general structure of each tune he danced to. Several people are noted as commenting on his musicality and ability to cross that divide between dancer and musician. Mick Mulkerrin, the well known Sean-Nos dancer, said “He was an interesting, humble, and gracious man who understood how to interpret the music with his feet.” (Mulkerin, p.17) While Martin Hayes, of international fame as a fiddle player from East Clare, said “It is often said that in order to be a good dancer, one must first understand the music. But in my opinion, to be a good musician, it is equally important to understand the dancer.[...] Willie Keane was a true master from whom I learned much about the internal rhythms of this music.”(Hayes, p.22) Indeed, bridging the gap between dance and music was one of his many skills as a dancer.