Why is Irish dancing now all fake tans and vulgar outfits?
It’s a time of year which shines an international spotlight onto what is possibly the most embarrassing and grotesque bastardisation of traditional Irish culture in existence. No, not the That Lot versus Them Over There pre-election grill — I refer, of course, to the exploitative sham that is the modern Irish Dancing competition. The World Irish Dancing Championships were held in Glasgow last week, representing a “unique, valuable and visible part of our rich Irish heritage” according to the event organisers. A Scottish journalist friend of mine went along to report and was utterly bemused when he was confronted by rows of what looked like identical mini-transvestites decked out in 80s rave style acid fluorescents and Lily Savage bubble-perm wigs. Could it be that some of the little girls — for those are what his investigation revealed were underneath the Widow Twanky costumes — were wearing fake tan, he asked me innocently? I nodded grimly. And their faces, he said, with trepidation —
