Pantomimic dances were accompanied by music, Lox -The Planting Stick, The Butchers'March ,Droghedy's March etc .


Writing in 1944 in the first chapter of A Handbook of Irish Dances, the authors O'Keefe and O'Brien have this to say under the heading Modern Dance :

"Generally speaking ,step-dances are danced much quicker than they should be.No dance ,no matter how accurately the step may be performed or the time marked, can possibly look beautiful if it is danced -as frequently happens - twice as rapidly as it should be."

At no stage do O'Keefe and O' Brien blame the musicians for playing too quickly .Their criticism is levelled at the dancers alone( If musicians were paid to go slower at the time they surely would have done !)