The old tradition of dancing at crossroads at Laharn Cross, Lombardstown, Mallow, Co. Cork, continues to delight on the Sunday nights of the summer months.
Laharn is an active rural community at the foot of Baelic mountain in the heart of north Cork.
With a population of less than 100, it has become renowned in recent years for its involvement in the revival of the country’s most traditional and cultural events.
Laharn Cross has a proud tradition of crossroads dancing, with evidence of the custom going back to the early 1900s.
At that time local musicians would play for scores of people who either walked or cycled to to gather at Laharn Cross, with a little bit of matchmaking said to have taken place.
In the 1950s, the tradition faded out with the introduction of ballroom dances. However, crossroads dancing at Laharn Cross was revived by the local community in 1990.
Large crowds now step it out from 8:00p.m to 10:00pm on Laharn’s raised timber platform to dance the night away to live bands.
Waltzes, quick steps, fox trots, polkas are among the dances that feature, as are ‘Shoe the Donkey’ and ‘The Siege of Ennis’.
Mary P. O’Sullivan who chairs Laharn Community Action CLG, said that the custom of dancing at the crossroads is alive and well at Laharn Cross.
Participants are asked to donate a few euro towards the cost of the live bands.
A busy programme is scheduled for this summer, with the bands taking part listed on the Laharn website.
Pat Daly will entertain on Sunday, June 2 while Liam Cantillon will perform on Sunday, June 9.
Wet summer nights don’t spoil things as the Laharn Heritage Centre allows the dancing to continue.
The centre transforms into a ‘rambling house’ one night every month where people gather as in years gone by to sing a few songs and share their stories and experiences around the fireside.