Mairéad Casey

Mairéad Casey hails from Newtowncashel, in the South West of Co. longford, an area surrounded by Lough Ree. She grew up in a household where the love of music was endemic; her parents, Bridgie and James (Hanley) extended huge hospitality to musicians, dancers, singers neighbours and friends.

James played the fiddle and Mairéad started dancing to his playing at a very young age - around the kitchen floor. From the age of ten, she attended the Kitty Carberry School of Dancing, where she subsequently won many championships. Her interest in sean-nós dancing began after she met Mick Mulkerrin, the greatly respected and admired teacher of set dancing from Glasgow, in 1995. Since then, she has taught both set dancing and sean-nós dancing at festivals all over Ireland, Europe and America.