Both terms are used Joe but I think your experience was maybe untypical. It is just as likely. probably more likely, to be called simply a "ceilidh" than it is a "ceilidh dance" For the simple fact that for most Scots if they were going to a ceilidh (certainly an organised public event) they would expect there to be some dancing. Likewise anyone calling themselves a 'ceilidh band' would expect, unless in a concert situation, to be normally playing for the dancing.

If you were having a more informal party or gathering in your house then you might say "come round for a wee ceilidh" and you wouldn't necessarily expect dancing just entertainment. People would certainly expect music and the use of said word suggests there is likely to be fiddle, pipes or accordians present. The word like many words is flexible though so others may feel different.

I think further up the thread some people are forgetting that English isn't just spoken in England. Many Scottish Gaelic words have found their way into Scots and then into Scottish Standard English and then into English. So it is possible that the word 'ceilidh' was introduced into the English language by English speaking Scots in Scotland and not directly into England by Scottish Gaelic or Irish speakers. Though much less common than the other way round you can still see speech in England being influenced by English speaking Scots. The Scots word "minging" which has long been a common enough word here in the Borders means something has a bad smell. I've noticed in recent years on English based youth TV this word being used to mean "ugly, unattractive" so a common enough Scots word making its way into England and changing its meaning in the process. The same no doubt happened from Scottish Gaelic into Lowland Scots with certain Gaelic words. Though I'd say the original meaning in the Gaelic exists in Lowland Scotland too re the paragraph about informal parties above.