To understand the relationship between the Gaelic music of Ireland and Highland Scotland (fiddle and stepdance especially) one should look to Cape Breton. Here the people of the clearances settled in mass and they brought their music with them. They became the dominant culture so the language and music survived intact for several generations. At the same time the culture changed through much of Highland Scotland. Today the music of Cape Breton shares with Ireland a drive that was lost in Scotland, but the world has become a smaller place and that is being regained in Scotland. The Gaels, be they Scot or Irish, were one culture as recently as 300 years ago and share many more similarities than differences.
                         Slainte,
                              Obie