March 27, 2024 By Paige McManus
On Friday, step dancers from Clann Lir Academy brought the luck of the Irish to Linden Ponds! Eight dancers from the Irish dance academy based in Hingham performed for residents and staff to celebrate the start of St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Dancers performed in both their ghillies (soft shoes) and hard shoes, including music from Riverdance as well as traditional Irish jigs and reels.
The afternoon ended with a presentation from a mother of one of the dancers, Hingham resident Kate Sullivan, who shared her family’s special recipe for Irish soda bread. Kate grew up making soda bread with her grandmother and great aunt and has traveled to Ireland at least 13 times. She explained one of the secrets of making the bread is to cut a cross into the top. Legend says that the cross was to bless the bread and “let the devil out” although Kate learned later in life that slitting the bread let the heat escape in the cooking process! Guests enjoyed warm homemade loaves of soda bread that Kate prepared and served with Kerrygold Irish butter.
After the performance, the dancers were lucky enough to visit with Linden Ponds residents and share their love of Irish dancing and culture. “The residents of Rose Court were overjoyed with the performance! The entire presentation from talented dancers to the delicious soda bread made it a St. Patrick’s Day to remember,” said Elizabeth Shanahan, Continuing Care Manager at Linden Ponds.
With studios in Hingham and Middletown, RI, Clann Lir Academy enrolls approximately 100 students ranging from beginners to champions. Over the past two weeks, they performed at over 20 venues including parades, churches, schools, restaurants, breweries, senior living facilities and private celebrations. Erin Go Bragh!
