SAY HI!

SMILE!

WE'RE AT THE FEIS!

MICKELA MALLOZZI: I'M A DANCER... AND I'M A TRAVELER.

AND WHEREVER I GO, I EXPERIENCE THE WORLD ONE DANCE AT A TIME.

I'M MICKELA MALLOZZI, AND THIS IS "BARE FEET."

FÁILTE IRELAND.

WELCOME TO IRELAND.

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COUNTRIES TO VISIT IN THE WORLD, AND I AM SO EXCITED TO DIG DEEPER INTO MY OWN CELTIC ROOTS RIGHT HERE IN THE EMERALD ISLE.

IRELAND IS THE MOST NORTHWEST THAT MY DNA TAKES ME.

WITH A HUMAN HISTORY THAT DATES BACK OVER 12,000 YEARS, THE ISLAND OF IRELAND HAS CELTIC, VIKING, ENGLISH, AND SCOTTISH CULTURAL INFLUENCES.

I'M HERE TO EXPLORE THE MUSIC AND DANCE TRADITIONS THAT THE IRISH ARE SO WELL KNOWN FOR FROM IRISH STEP DANCING TO THE FAMOUS IRISH TRADS OR TRADITIONAL SESSIONS TAKING PLACE IN PUBS AROUND THE COUNTRY.

MY FIRST STOP HERE IN IRELAND IS TO THE COUNTRY'S CAPITAL CITY OF DUBLIN.

I MEET WITH THE CAST MEMBERS FROM "RIVERDANCE," THE ICONIC, AWARD-WINNING THEATRICAL SHOW THAT PUT IRISH STEP DANCE ON THE GLOBAL MAP OVER 25 YEARS AGO.

"RIVERDANCE" IS STILL GOING STRONG, TOURING THE WORLD WHILE CONTINUING TO LIVE ON IN DUBLIN CITY.

I MEET WITH ELLEN BONNER, "RIVERDANCE" LEAD DANCER AND DANCE CAPTAIN, WHO WILL GIVE ME A CRASH COURSE ON THE ICONIC "RIVERDANCE" STEP.

BONNER: SO I'VE BEEN WITH THE SHOW NOW 6 1/2 YEARS.

WOW!

UM, YEAH, SO IT'S BEEN--IT'S BEEN THE QUICKEST 6 1/2 YEARS OF MY LIFE, UM...

I STARTED IRISH DANCE WHEN I WAS 4 YEARS OLD.

WOW!

AND THEN I COMPETED RIGHT THROUGH SCHOOL, RIGHT THROUGH COLLEGE, AND THEN ONCE I GOT MY DEGREE, THEN I STARTED TOURING PROFESSIONALLY WITH THE SHOW.

WOW.

NOW "RIVERDANCE" IS SO--LIKE I SAID, IT'S SO ICONIC.

WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF IRISH STEP DANCE, THEY THINK OF "RIVERDANCE."

YEAH.

GROWING UP, WERE YOU, LIKE, "I WANT TO BE IN 'RIVERDANCE'"?

YEAH.

I THINK IT'S NEARLY EVERY IRISH DANCER'S DREAM... YEAH.

TO BE IN "RIVERDANCE."

DID YOU WANT TO LEARN THE "RIVERDANCE" STEPS?

YEAH!

THAT'D BE GREAT!

OK.

SO YOUR RIGHT FOOT'S IN FRONT.

UH-HUH.

SO YOU'RE GONNA STAMP ON 8, OK?

SO IT'S GONNA GO 5, 6, 7, STAMP.

GOOD.

YOU'RE GONNA BRING OUT YOUR LEFT FOOT, OK?

AND YOU'RE GONNA GO TREBLE, TREBLE, TREBLE, CUT, AND YOU'RE GONNA DO 3 TREBLES AND A LEFT.

THAT'S IT, AND THEN WHEN YOU BRING THAT CUT DOWN, THERE'S A TREBLE THERE, TOO.

THAT'S IT.

AND A TREBLE'S A NICE, LITTLE SHUFFLE.

YEAH.

TREBLE'S JUST LIKE--YEAH.

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT, CUT, TREBLE.

GOOD.

NOW YOU'RE JUST GONNA DO 4 JUMPS.

JUMP, JUMP, JUMP, AND JUMP.

THAT'S IT.

MAN: AND 1, 2, 3, 4.

AND THEN.

OK. ♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ BONNER: THAT'S IT!

♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ ♪ DA DA DA DA ♪ OH, I DID IT BACKWARDS.

YOU JUST BRING-- THE LAST ONE, YOU JUST SWITCH YOUR FEET.

MMM.

OK.

SO LET'S TRY IT FROM THE STAMP, FROM THE TOP.

OK.

SO YOU GOT TO STAMP ON THE RIGHT FOOT ON 8.

7, 8.

TREBLE, TREBLE, TREBLE, CUT.

TREBLE, TREBLE, TREBLE, CUT.

TREBLE, TREBLE, TREBLE, CUT.

JUMP, 2, 3, HALF CUT.

YAY!

AHH!

VERY NICE!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: BEFORE "RIVERDANCE," OPPORTUNITIES TO BE A PROFESSIONAL IRISH STEP DANCER DIDN'T REALLY EXIST, BUT THE SUCCESS OF THE SHOW HAS CHANGED THAT.

TODAY, "RIVERDANCE" IS CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL DANCE PRODUCTIONS IN THE WORLD WITH OVER 25 MILLION PEOPLE HAVING SEEN THE SHOW LIVE.

MALLOZZI: I GREW UP WATCHING "RIVERDANCE."

YEAH.

IT'S TRADITIONAL.

VERY TRADITIONAL, BUT I HAD THE VHS, AND I WORE IT THROUGH, LIKE, TOTALLY WORE THAT TAPE THROUGH, BUT IT'S SO IMPRESSIVE.

BECAUSE OF THE LINES, EVERYONE IS SO PRECISE.

YEAH.

SO WE ACTUALLY DO THIS STEP IN A LINE, SO WE'RE ACTUALLY HOLDING HANDS.

WE'LL ALL DO IT IN A LINE.

OH, COOL!

YEAH?

OH, NO PRESSURE HERE NOW.

HA HA!

5, 6, 7, STAMP.

TREBLE, TREBLE, TREBLE, CUT.

WHOO!

WHOO!

THANK YOU!

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR LETTING ME LEARN THE "RIVERDANCE" STEP.

MAYBE YOU CAN JOIN US ONE DAY.

I HOPE SO!

YEAH.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: DUBLIN IS THE CAPITAL CITY OF IRELAND, AND IT IS THE ECONOMIC EPICENTER OF THE COUNTRY.

NOT ONLY IS IT HOME TO "RIVERDANCE," THE CITY'S REPUTATION FOR LITERATURE AND EDUCATION DATE BACK STARTING IN THE 16th CENTURY WITH THE FOUNDING OF TRINITY COLLEGE BY QUEEN ELIZABETH I. IRELAND IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE COUNTRIES TO VISIT, AND DUBLIN IS A BEAUTIFUL, WALKABLE CITY.

THAT IS ONE OF THE BEST PARTS, AND IF YOU GET A BEAUTIFUL DAY LIKE THIS, IT IS SPECTACULAR.

THE SPIRE ON O'CONNELL STREET MARKS THE CENTER OF THE CITY JUST NORTH OF THE FAMOUS RIVER LIFFEY, WHICH SPLITS DUBLIN IN HALF.

SOUTH OF THE LIFFEY IS THE TRANQUIL ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN, BORDERED BY THE CLASSIC GEORGIAN HOMES OF THE 18th CENTURY, KNOWN FOR THEIR COLORFUL DOORS.

TUCKED AWAY IN THE CORNER OF ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN, YOU CAN FIND THE STATUE OF OSCAR WILDE, ONE OF THE MOST PROMINENT IRISH POETS AND PLAYWRIGHTS OF THE 19th CENTURY, AND OF COURSE, WHAT WOULD A VISIT TO DUBLIN BE WITHOUT HAVING A PINT AT THE FAMOUS TEMPLE BAR, WHERE YOU CAN FIND LIVE TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC EVERY SINGLE DAY?

FROM DUBLIN'S BUSTLING CENTER, WE HEAD SOUTHWEST TO COUNTY LIMERICK.

I'M HERE TO EXPERIENCE THE FAMOUS FEIS, OR IRISH STEP DANCE COMPETITIONS, THAT ARE HELD THROUGHOUT ALL OF IRELAND AND NOW THE WORLD.

FROM EXPENSIVE OUTFITS TO WIGS TO SPRAY TANS AND MAKEUP, THERE'S ALWAYS STILL THE MAIN THING THAT THESE KIDS ARE COMPETING ON, AND THAT'S DANCE.

I MEET WITH MARY HONAN, FOUNDER OF THIS PARTICULAR FEIS THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ALMOST TWO DECADES.

MARY, WE ARE AT--TELL US-- SAY IT PROPERLY BECAUSE I KNOW I'M GONNA BUTCHER IT.

IT'S FEILE RINCE COIS SIONNA.

FEILE RINCE COIS SIONNA.

THERE WE GO.

THERE YOU GO.

YOU WERE A DANCER, RIGHT?

I WAS A DANCER.

I STARTED DANCING-- I WAS BORN IN ENGLAND BUT CAME TO IRELAND, AND MY MUM WAS VERY IRISH AND SENT ME TO IRISH DANCING, AND IT'S AN ADDICTION.

IT'S WONDERFUL.

THE KIDS ARE SUPEREXCITED, THEY'RE VERY TALENTED.

EVERYONE IS DOLLED UP.

I LOVE IT.

OH, YEAH.

THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT THOSE CHILDREN PUT IN AND THEIR TEACHERS PUT INTO-- HOURS AND HOURS AND DAYS, SOME OF THEM DANCING 7 DAYS A WEEK.

OH, MY GOODNESS.

MALLOZZI: VERY NICE!

[CLAPPING] LOVEY TO MEET YOU LADIES.

YOU LOOK ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.

CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT ALL OF THESE CUPS ARE FOR?

I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE WON A BUNCH OF THINGS.

IS THAT RIGHT?

GIRL: YEAH.

AND WHAT'S THIS GIANT ONE RIGHT HERE FOR?

FIRST.

WOW!

ELOISE, HOW OLD WERE YOU WHEN YOU STARTED DANCING?

3.

3 YEARS OLD?

AND HOW OLD ARE YOU NOW?

I'M 10.

YOU'RE 10.

HOLY COW.

WHAT DO YOU LOVE THE MOST ABOUT DANCING AT A FEIS.

I JUST LIKE DANCING.

AND WHEN YOU'RE UP THERE, DO YOU GET NERVOUS?

NO.

NO?!

THAT'S WHY YOU WIN FIRST PLACE.

HA HA!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT BEING AT THE FEIS?

UM, JUST DANCING, MEETING MY FRIENDS.

[MUSIC PLAYING] HONAN: THEY MAKE LOTS OF FRIENDS, AND THEY DO LOTS OF TRAVELING BECAUSE MANY OF THEM TRAVEL TO ALL CORNERS OF THE GLOBE COMPETING.

[APPLAUSE] THE CHILDREN HERE IN IRELAND KNOW CHILDREN IN AMERICA AND IN AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND ALL OVER THE WORLD, THEY KNOW EVERYBODY, SO THEY HAVE FRIENDS ALL OVER THE WORLD... OH, THAT'S FANTASTIC.

BECAUSE AS BIG AS IRISH DANCING IS GLOBALLY, IT'S ACTUALLY QUITE SMALL BECAUSE WE SEE THE SAME PEOPLE AT MAJOR COMPETITIONS EVERY YEAR, SOMETIMES SEVERAL ODD TIMES A YEAR.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: JOHN LONERGAN, FORMER "RIVERDANCE" DANCER, IS A DANCE COACH HERE AT THE FEIS.

HE EXPLAINS TO ME WHY THESE COMPETITIONS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO BUILDING THE SKILLS OF AN IRISH STEP DANCER.

LONERGAN: A FEIS IN OUR LANGUAGE IS COMPETITION BASICALLY.

RIGHT.

SO, YOU KNOW, DANCERS OF ALL AGES COME IN FROM ALL OVER IRELAND.

THEY DANCE 3 DANCES.

IT'S BASICALLY FOR EXPERIENCE FOR EVERY DANCER, YOU KNOW, TO GET A RUN AT THEIR DANCES AND THEIR CHOREOGRAPHY OUT BEFORE A MAJOR COMPETITION.

YOU KNOW, IT'S ONE THING DOING CHOREOGRAPHY IN CLASS, BUT WHEN YOU GO AND DO IT ON A STAGE IN FRONT OF AN AUDIENCE... OH, YES.

AND YOU KNOW OTHER COMPETITORS AROUND YOU, IT CAN GET A BIT DAUNTING, SO IT'S GOOD TO GET THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND ALSO, WE SEE THESE GIRLS AND BOYS, YOUNG BOYS, DECKED OUT.

THEY HAVE THEIR WIGS, THEY'VE GOT THE TANS, THEY'VE GOT THE DRESSES, THEY HAVE THE MAKEUP, AND THEY'RE ADORABLE.

MM-HMM.

VERY EXPENSIVE, TOO.

OH, I BET IT IS.

VERY EXPENSIVE.

I MEAN, EACH DRESS IS CUSTOM-DESIGNED FOR EACH PERSON.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE SWAROVSKI DIAMONDS.

OH, MY GOSH!

YOU HAVE THE BEST OF THE BEST.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO EXPENSIVE.

HOLY COW!

THEY START FROM ABOUT 7.

IT'S BECOME SO INTENSE NOW.

YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE KIDS AT 10 OR 11 HAVE PERSONAL TRAINERS.

HOLY COW!

YOU KNOW, AND IT'S EVERY SINGLE DAY DURING THE WEEK.

IT'S BECOME THEIR LIFE AS OPPOSED TO JUST A HOBBY.

WHEN I STARTED, IT WAS MORE OF A HOBBY OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND WE WENT TO SOCIALIZE WITH FRIENDS AND STUFF, BUT NOW, IT'S ACTUALLY PEOPLE'S LIVES.

YOU KNOW, IT BECAME MY LIFE, TOO.

WHEN I REACHED ABOUT 15, 16, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO KIND OF SAY TO MYSELF, "OK. MY PARENTS ARE PUTTING SO MUCH MONEY INTO THIS.

WHAT DO I WANT FROM IT?"

AND IT WAS TO BE IN "RIVERDANCE."

THAT'S AMAZING.

SO LUCKILY, MY DREAM CAME TRUE, BUT IT'S NOT THAT EASY FOR EVERYBODY.

NO.

OF COURSE NOT.

IT'S A HARD ROAD TO GO DOWN.

YEAH.

MAYBE YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THESE DANCERS TRAVELING THE WORLD AS PROFESSIONALS SOMEDAY.

I'M SURE WE WILL.

HONAN: OH, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT THAT THEY'LL EVENTUALLY MOVE INTO THE OPEN AND INTO THE COSTUMES AND ON TO THE "RIVERDANCE" SHOWS AND "LORD OF THE DANCE" AND ALL THAT.

YEAH!

[APPLAUSE] MALLOZZI: THE BIRTHPLACE OF IRISH MUSIC LIES ON THE WESTERN PART OF THE ISLAND, STARTING IN COUNTY CLARE.

BEST KNOWN FOR ITS DRAMATIC CLIFFS OF MOHER, IRISH TRAD, OR TRADITIONAL, MUSIC GREW FROM HERE AND SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE COUNTRY.

DOOLIN IN COUNTY CLARE IS KNOWN TO BE THE CRADLE OF TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC, AND ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS PUBS FOR CULTIVATING THE MUSIC THROUGH IRISH TRAD SESSIONS IS GUS O'CONNOR'S.

[IRISH TRAD MUSIC PLAYING] I MEET WITH CHRISTY BARRY, IRISH TRAD MUSICIAN AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST, WHO IS GIVING ME A QUICK LESSON ON THE WHISTLE, WHILE ALSO GIVING ME A BEAUTIFUL LESSON ON THE HISTORY OF THIS MUSIC.

BARRY: WE CALL IT A PENNY WHISTLE... YEAH.

BECAUSE THEY WERE ONLY A PENNY ONE TIME BACK IN THE OLDEN DAYS.

WE CALL THEM PENNY OR TIN WHISTLES, AND ACTUALLY, THESE NOW ARE NOT MADE OUT OF TIN.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: TO GIVE ME AN INTRODUCTION TO IRISH MUSIC AND THE WHISTLE, CHRISTY TEACHES ME AN OLD IRISH TUNE, "THE MAID IN GREEN."

[TAPPING FOOT] THE MOST ESSENTIAL THING IN IRISH MUSIC IS RHYTHM.

IT'S THE MOST ESSENTIAL THING IN ANY MUSIC REALLY.

HA HA HA!

THE RHYTHM HAS TO BE THERE.

YEAH.

IT HAS TO BE NATURAL, DO YOU KNOW, AND ESPECIALLY IN IRISH MUSIC.

OH, OF COURSE.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE FULL OF-- YOU KNOW, OF ORNAMENTATIONS OR ANYTHING.

YOU CAN PLAY VERY SIMPLE MUSIC ON THE TIN WHISTLE BUT WITH GOOD RHYTHM, GOOD PHRASING, DO YOU KNOW?

YEAH.

AND THAT'S WHEN A WHISTLE IS MOST EFFECTIVE.

WE HAVE LITTLE THINGS CALLED ROLLS, AND WE HAVE LITTLE PULLS AND LITTLE-- DIFFERENT LITTLE THINGS THAT WE DO, ALSO, THE CREATIVE LITTLE THINGS.

YEAH.

THAT'S TO MAKE THE MUSIC HAPPEN.

YEAH.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

SEE, THE MUSIC-- THE NOTES ARE JUST STEPPING STONES.

THEY'RE GUIDELINES TO THE TUNE.

[BAND PLAYING] MALLOZZI: WE'RE HERE AT GUS O'CONNOR'S, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE EPICENTER OF TRADITIONAL IRISH MUSIC.

BARRY: IT ALL STARTED HERE IN O'CONNOR'S PUB, THE MOST FAMOUS PUB PROBABLY IN THE WORLD FOR IRISH MUSIC, AND THAT'S DUE TO GUS O'CONNOR HIMSELF AND DOLLY HIS WIFE.

THEY OPENED UP THE PLACE TO THE WORLD, BROUGHT PEOPLE IN, WELCOMED THEM, AND IF YOU CAME IN HERE AND YOU WERE WET AFTER WALKING 10 MILES, THEY HELPED YOU AND TOOK YOUR CLOTHES, DRIED THEM, GAVE YOU A PLACE, GAVE YOU A BIT TO EAT AND EVERYTHING, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT TIMES WHEN PEOPLE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH MONEY IN IRELAND.

RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW IT STEMMED.

THE WHOLE OF DOOLIN STEMMED OUT OF THAT.

HMM.

PATRONS: ♪ CLARE TO HERE ♪ ♪ IT'S A LONG, LONG WAY ♪ FROM CLARE TO HERE ♪ ♪ OH, IT'S LONG, LONG WAY ♪ ♪ IT GETS FURTHER ♪ DAY BY DAY ♪ ♪ IT'S A LONG, LONG WAY ♪ FROM CLARE TO HERE ♪ BARRY: WE HAD A GUY HERE.

HIS NAME WAS MICHO RUSSELL.

MICHO, SIMPLE-MINDED COUNTRY MAN HERE IN DOOLIN.

HIS CASUAL WEAR LIKE ORDINARY PEOPLE.

HE WAS NO BIG SUPERSTAR, BUT HE BECAME A SUPERSTAR, AND MICHO DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

HE PLANNED NO SHOW.

HE JUST TOOK DOOLIN AS IT WAS, BROUGHT IT TO THE BIGGER STAGE, AND HE BECAME A LEGEND.

WOW.

THE PEOPLE JUST FELL IN LOVE WITH HIM.

YEAH, OF COURSE.

MICHO COME IN.

HE SAID, "I WAS IN GERMANY," HE'D SAY.

AND YOU'D SAY, "WHAT WERE YOU DOING THERE?"

"I WAS PLAYING AT A FESTIVAL," HE SAID.

IT WAS THE BIGGEST FESTIVAL IN EUROPE, AND NOW HE'S A LEGEND.

HE'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT TOURISM IS SO HUGE HERE.

HELLO.

TRAD SESSIONS ARE WHERE PEOPLE WOULD-- LIKE, MYSELF IF I WANTED TO GO TO A TRAD SESSION, I'D BE LEARNING THE SONGS AT SOME OF THESE TRAD SESSIONS, IS THAT CORRECT?

OF COURSE.

THAT WAS THE WHOLE IDEA.

SO EXPLAIN THAT.

YEAH, EXPLAIN.

YOU COME DOWN, YOU LEARN A NEW TUNE AFTER A MORE SENIOR GUY, YOU KNOW.

HE WOULD SHOW YOU.

HE'D SAY, "NOW.

THAT'S NOT GOOD ENOUGH.

NOW YOU HAVE TO DO THIS LITTLE PIECE HERE."

IS THAT HOW YOU LEARNED?

YEAH, THAT'S HOW I LEARNED MY MUSIC.

YEAH.

WE WOULD LISTEN TO OLD PEOPLE, WHO WERE VERY HARD ON THEMSELVES ABOUT MUSIC.

THEY WANTED TO BE GOOD.

THEY WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE GREAT, AND YOUR BEST HAD TO BE GIVEN.

THERE WAS A LOT OF VALUES ON THE OLD PEOPLE.

THEY HAD AWFUL RESPECT FOR THEIR MUSIC AND AWFUL RESPECT FOR DANCING BECAUSE THAT WAS THE LIFE AND SOUL OF THE PEOPLE.

RIGHT.

YEAH!

THANK YOU!

YAY!

[PLAYING IRISH TRAD MUSIC] WE'RE HERE IN LISDOONVARNA AT THE ANNUAL MATCHMAKING FESTIVAL TO SEE HOW THIS AGE-OLD TRADITION IS STILL KEPT ALIVE.

THIS 160-YEAR-OLD FESTIVAL PRIDES ITSELF ON MAKING LOVE CONNECTIONS ON THE DANCE FLOOR.

I HEAD TO THE SPA WELLS, THE ORIGIN OF THIS ENTIRE FESTIVAL, TO JUMP IN ON THE DANCE FLOOR AND LEARN A BIT MORE OF THIS FESTIVAL'S HISTORY.

MAN: ♪ SAY GOOD-BYE ♪ ♪ UNTIL YOU TOLD ME ♪ TO MY FACE ♪ ♪ THAT YOU HAD FOUND ANOTHER ♪ ♪ IT NEVER CROSSED MY MIND ♪ MAN: SO THIS CENTER WAS BUILT IN 1867 BECAUSE OF THE SULPHUR WATER.

MM-HMM.

THE WATER WAS FIRST DISCOVERED IN 1750.

BY 1751, PEOPLE WERE ALREADY COMING TO LISDOONVARNA FOR THE BENEFITS OF THE WATER.

RIGHT.

SO IT WENT ON FOR A FEW YEARS OF DEVELOPMENT, AND THEN IN 1867, THE CENTER WAS OPEN.

HUH.

CAN WE TRY THE WATER?

YOU CAN OF COURSE TRY IT, YEAH.

THAT LITTLE SPOUT THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, IS THAT-- THAT LITTLE SPOUT, THAT'S HERE SINCE 1867, SO IT'S STILL PUMPING OUT THE WATER.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: THE SPA WELLS QUICKLY BECAME A MEETING PLACE FOR THE WEALTHY ENGLISH LANDOWNERS TO MARRY THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS INTO THE UPPER-CLASS FAMILIES.

OH, I DO SMELL IT ALREADY.

I SMELL IT ALREADY.

DON'T SMELL.

JUST SWALLOW.

HOO!

OOH!

CHEERS.

CHEERS.

SO WE SAY DON'T SMELL.

OK. JUST SWALLOW.

JUST SWALLOW.

[WHEEZES] SMELLS LIKE ROTTEN EGGS.

MM-HMM.

BUT IT FEELS GOOD.

STINKY.

STINKY WATER'S THE BEST.

STINKY WATER.

HA HA HA!

BUT GOOD STINKY WATER.

GOOD STINKY WATER.

GOOD STINKY WATER.

GOOD STINKY WATER.

GOOD STINKY WATER.

McEVOY: ♪ PICK A BALE A DAY ♪ ♪ JUMP ON MY KNEES, ♪ GONNA PICK A BALE OF COTTON ♪ ♪ JUMP ON MY KNEES, ♪ GONNA PICK A BALE A DAY ♪ ♪ OH, LORDY ♪ THE SPA WELLS IS THE HOME OF MATCHMAKING IN IRELAND.

McEVOY: ♪ OH, LORDY ♪ IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE, WHAT YOU ARE, YOU'LL GO OVER, YOU'LL JUST SEE SOMEONE WITH A GLINT OF AN EYE, AND YOU'LL HAVE A BIT OF COURAGE, YOU'LL ASK THEM OUT TO DANCE, AND IT'S ALL THANKS TO WATER BECAUSE WHAT'S IN THE WATER IS LITHIUM.

WON'T SAY NATURAL HIGH, BUT IT'S A NATURAL CALMER, SO IT CALMS-- CALMS THE BODY DOWN, AND IT WORKS WELL.

THEN YOU HAVE A BIT OF-- A CHAT?

BIT OF A CHAT, HAVE A DANCE, AND WHO KNOWS?

YEAH.

YOU GET LOVE, AND THAT'S WHAT THIS ENVIRONMENT IS ALL ABOUT.

EVERYBODY FINDS LOVE IN THIS ENVIRONMENT.

AW.

THAT'S GREAT.

McEVOY: ♪ WALKING BACK TO YOU ♪ OH, SO MUCH.

NOT AT ALL.

I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: NOT ONLY DOES THE MATCHMAKING FESTIVAL PROMOTE LOVE CONNECTIONS BEING MADE ON THE DANCE FLOOR, BUT IT ALSO KEEPS THE JOB OF A GOOD, OLD-FASHIONED MATCHMAKER IN HIGH DEMAND.

I DRIVE A FEW MILES TOWARDS THE COAST TO MEET WITH THIRD-GENERATION TRADITIONAL IRISH MATCHMAKER, WILLIE DALY.

DALY: THE NAME OF THE SONG IS "MAIDS, WHEN YOU'RE YOUNG, DON'T MARRY AN OLD MAN."

GOES LIKE THIS.

♪ WELL, AN OLD MAN ♪ CAME COURTING ME ♪ ♪ HEY, DING DOORAM ♪ AHH ♪ ♪ THIS OLD MAN ♪ CAME COURTING ME ♪ ♪ ME BEING YOUNG ♪ MY GRANDFATHER, WHO WAS A MATCHMAKER, HE DIED IN 1901.

YOU KNOW, HE PROBABLY DID DO MATCHMAKING FOR 30, 40 YEARS, YOU KNOW?

I STARTED AT 24.

I SUPPOSE I DID MAKE MY FIRST MATCH AT 15, BUT IT'S A BIT OF A LONG STORY, SO MAYBE I WON'T GO INTO THAT.

♪ YOUNG ♪ ♪ WELL, AN OLD MAN ♪ CAME COURTING ME ♪ ♪ DAMN NEARLY ♪ SMOTHERED ME ♪ ♪ MAIDS, WHEN YOU'RE ♪ YOUNG ♪ ♪ NEVER WED ♪ AN OLD MAN ♪ ♪ BECAUSE HE'S GOT ♪ NO FALOORUM ♪ ♪ FADIDLE EYE-OORUM AHH ♪ ♪ HE'S GOT ♪ NO FALOORUM ♪ WHAT IS THIS MASSIVE BOOK?

IT'S A LUCKY LOVE BOOK.

MM-HMM.

NOW IF YOU TOUCH THE BOOK WITH BOTH HANDS, CLOSE YOUR EYES FOR 7, 8 SECONDS, YOU'LL BE IN LOVE AND MARRIED INSIDE OF 6 MONTHS, AND THIS WORKS, BUT IF YOU'RE MARRIED AND YOU TOUCH THE BOOK, YOU RESTART YOUR HONEYMOON PERIOD AGAIN.

SO BOTH HANDS?

YEAH, BOTH, AND CLOSE YOUR EYES AND THINK ABOUT THE FIRST NIGHTS OF YOUR HONEYMOON.

OH, WOW.

OK. HA HA HA!

WE'RE GETTING PERSONAL HERE, WILLIE.

HA HA HA!

OK.

THIS MATCHMAKING FESTIVAL, IT'S VERY MUCH A TRADITIONAL AUTUMN FESTIVAL.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN THE AUTUMN, IN THE FALL OF THE YEAR, AND IT'S WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY AS A MATCHMAKING FESTIVAL FOR BOYS AND FOR GIRLS, FOR MEN AND FOR WOMEN TO COME LOOK FOR A PARTNER, FIND A PARTNER, AND MAYBE GO HOME VERY HAPPY HAVING MET SOMEONE.

UH-HUH.

SO MANY MATCHES ARE MADE BY FELLAS JUST WALKING UP TO GIRLS AND SAY, "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY, "MY NAME IS YOUNG JOHN FALL OR YOUNG PATTY CAREY."

YOU JUST ASK THEM "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

AND GIRLS WILL SAY, "WHAT WILL I SAY?

WHAT WILL I SAY?"

AND I ALWAYS SAY, "OF COURSE, JUST SAY YES."

IT'S A GREAT CONVERSATION STARTER-- "WILL YOU MARRY ME?"

YEAH.

WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO KIND OF SAY, "WELL, ARE YOU ENJOYING THE MUSIC?

"ISN'T THAT NICE?

WHAT A LOVELY NIGHT.

LOOK AT THE LOVELY STARS UP IN THE SKY."

YOU CAN LEAVE THAT TILL LATER.

RIGHT, RIGHT.

TILL YOU'RE MARRIED.

YEAH, I GUESS SO.

[ACCORDION AND DRUMS PLAYING] MALLOZZI: MY LAST STOP BRINGS ME TO VAUGHAN'S IN KILFENORA, COUNTY CLARE, HOST TO ONE OF THE LAST REMAINING WEEKLY IRISH SET DANCES.

EVERY SUNDAY EVENING, THIS OLD BARN IS FILLED WITH SET DANCE ENTHUSIASTS KEEPING THE TRADITION ALIVE, LED BY THE FOUR COURTS CEILI BAND.

MAN: SQUARE DANCING AND SET DANCING HAVE THE SAME RULES.

OK. YOU HAVE 4 COUPLES IN A SET.

THEN YOU HAVE THE MOVEMENTS OR THE FIGURES IN THE SET.

EVERY SET HAS 5 OR 6 FIGURES.

THIS IS THE BASIC SET NOW.

YOU LEAD WITH YOUR RIGHT, I LEAD WITH MY LEFT.

OK.

SO IT'S 1, 2, 1, 2.

YOU GO BACK WITH YOUR LEFT.

I GO BACK WITH MY RIGHT.

BACK, 2, AND THEN ADVANCE AND RETIRE AGAIN.

1, 2, 1, 2, 3.

1, 2, 3.

NOW I GO FORWARD WITH MY LEFT, AND YOU GO BACK WITH YOUR RIGHT.

SLIDE 1, 2, 3, SIDE 1, AND THEN YOU GET ADVANCE AND RETIRE.

1, 2... 1, 2, 3.

THAT'S IT.

I WISH THEY WERE ALL AS EASY AS YOU TO TEACH.

HA!

SLIDE 1, 2, 3.

[MUSIC PLAYING] ANOTHER MOVEMENT IS A SWING.

WITH YOUR RIGHT FOOT BESIDE MY RIGHT FOOT.

PROPEL YOURSELF WITH YOUR LEFT FOOT.

THAT'S IT.

THAT'S THE SWING?

THAT'S THE SWING.

YOU'LL BE SWINGING.

OK. WHOO!

YOU SWING--WE CALL THIS WALTZ HOLD.

WALTZ HOLD.

NOW WITH YOUR LEFT HAND UNDERNEATH.

THIS IS CALLED A CEILI HOLD.

THAT'S IT.

THERE ARE YOUR 3 BASIC MOVES.

3 BASIC MOVES.

WE GOT IT!

YOU'VE GOT IT!

IT'S NOT BAD.

NO.

YOU'RE VERY GOOD.

AH!

I'M NOT SAYING IT BECAUSE THE CAMERA'S AROUND NOW.

AW.

NO.

THANK YOU.

RIGHT.

RIGHT 2, 3, AND BACK.

RIGHT 2, 3.

NOW WE DANCE AROUND.

1, 2, 3, ADVANCE.

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: IRISH SET DANCING DATES BACK TO THE 18th CENTURY WITH INFLUENCE FROM THE FRENCH QUADRILLES AND COURT DANCES.

EACH SET CONSISTS OF 4 COUPLES DANCING IN FIGURES THAT CREATE WEAVING SHAPES AND PATTERNS WITH REPETITION IN THE STEPS TO GIVE EACH COUPLE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ROTATE THEIR POSITION.

EACH SET MAY INCLUDE VARIOUS NUMBERS OF COUPLES DANCING AT ONCE, AND THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT OF SPINNING AND TWIRLING, ESPECIALLY FOR THE WOMEN.

AAH!

AAH!

HA HA HA!

WHOO!

WHOO!

WHOO!

HA HA HA!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: JOHN VAUGHAN, OWNER OF THE PUB AND MY DANCE PARTNER, RENOVATED THIS LIVESTOCK BARN SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSE OF HOSTING SET DANCES STARTING IN 1991.

HE AND THE FOUR COURTS CEILI BAND HAVE BEEN HERE EVERY WEEK SINCE.

IRISH AND SCOTTISH SET DANCES ARE A PRECURSOR TO AMERICAN SQUARE DANCING AND CONTRA DANCING.

WHOO!

HOO!

FROM LEARNING IRISH STEP DANCE IN THE COUNTRY'S BUSTLING CENTER OF DUBLIN TO UNDERSTANDING THE TRADITIONS OF IRISH TRAD MUSIC IN ITS BIRTHPLACE OF COUNTY CLARE, I GET MY FIRST TASTE OF THE BEAUTIFUL AND FRIENDLY IRISH CULTURE, FILLED WITH JOY AND LOVE ALONG THE WAY, AND I STILL HAVE MORE TO EXPLORE.

THIS IS JUST THE START OF MY "BARE FEET" DNA ADVENTURE IN IRELAND, AND I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOU TO JOIN ME ON OUR NEXT ADVENTURE THROUGH THE WILD ATLANTIC WAY AS I CONTINUE TO DISCOVER THE AGE-OLD DANCE AND MUSIC TRADITIONS FROM THE BREATHTAKING EMERALD ISLE.

AND I'LL SEE YOU ON MY NEXT "BARE FEET" ADVENTURE...

WHEREVER IT MAY TAKE ME!

HO!

[APPLAUSE] WHOO!

MALLOZZI, VOICE-OVER: YOU CAN STAY CONNECTED WITH US AT TRAVELBAREFEET.COM, WHERE YOU'LL FIND EXTRA BONUS VIDEOS, JOIN OUR "BARE FEET" SERIES CONVERSATIONS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, AND STAY UPDATED WITH OUR NEWSLETTER.

BARACK.

ANNOUNCER: "BARE FEET" IS FUNDED IN PART BY... ANNOUNCER: THE ISLAND OF IRELAND.

YOU SHOULD ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOUR HEART.

FILL YOUR HEART WITH IRELAND.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING WAS PROVIDED BY KOO AND PATRICIA YUEN THROUGH THE YUEN FOUNDATION, COMMITTED TO BRIDGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES IN OUR COMMUNITIES; AND BY THE ANN H. SYMINGTON FOUNDATION.

DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: THE FARMERS AND PRODUCERS AT LANDCRAFTED FOOD IN GRAYSON COUNTY, VIRGINIA, ARE DEDICATED TO SUSTAINING AND SERVING OUR FARMS AND COMMUNITY WITH A GOAL OF PRODUCING FOODS THAT ARE AS GOOD FOR THE LAND AS THEY ARE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO EAT THEM.

LANDCRAFTED FOOD-- STUBBORNLY REAL, FARMER OWNED.

DIFFERENT ANNOUNCER: TAUCK--GUIDING TRAVELERS AROUND THE WORLD SINCE 1925 BECAUSE WE BELIEVE ONCE IN A LIFETIME ONLY HAPPENS ONCE.

HOW YOU SEE THE WORLD MATTERS.

[CHILD BABBLES]