COMPETITION RULES 2025

• • • The Feis will run in accordance with the Rules of An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha.
    • Entries will only be accepted from persons currently registered with CLRG.

    GRADE COMPETITION RULES

    1. Beginners Grade competitions are confined to dancers who have never won 1^st, 2^nd or 3^rd prize (please refer to the grid) in any competition for that particular dance.
    2. In Beginners Grade competitions only basic steps may be performed.
    3. Primary Grade competitions are confined to dancers who have never won 1^st 2^nd or 3^rd prize (please refer to the grid) for that particular dance other than in Beginners Grade.
    4. Intermediate Grade competitions are open to all dancers who have not previously won 1st or 2nd prize (please refer to the grid) for that particular dance in Intermediate under the same or higher age limits. If a dancer in Continental Europe and Asia wins in Intermediate, they advance to the next level for the rest of the calendar year. Teachers can move dancers back at their own discretion at the start of the next calendar year.

     

    Grade	Number of Entries	Number of Dancers to progress
    Beginner	5 or less	0
    Beginner	6 to 10	1st & 2nd Place
    Beginner	+ 11	1st, 2nd & 3rd Place
    Primary	5 or less	0
    Primary	6 to 10	1st Place
    Primary	11 to 20	1st & 2nd Place
    Primary	+ 20	1st, 2nd & 3rd Place
    Intermediate	5 or less	0
    Intermediate	6 to 10	1st Place
    Intermediate	+ 11	1st & 2nd Place

     

    5. For all Beginner, Primary and Intermediate competitions (excluding trophy competitions) the 32 bar method will be applied.

    Two and three hands are danced to 40 bars of music.
    Ceíli and figure dances are subject to the rules applied at Oireachtasi.
    All Premier Championship dancers will be required to dance to 48 bars of music in the reel and heavy jig and 40 bars in the slip jig and hornpipe.

     
    MUSIC SPEEDS

    Dance	Beginner	Primary	Intermediate/Open
    Reel	121/123	116/118	113
    Light Jig	116	116	116
    Single Jig	124	124	124
    Slip Jig	121	118	113
    Heavy Jig	89	79	73
    Hornpipe	142	130	113

     
    TROPHY & CHAMPIONSHIP RULES

    6. Beginner, Primary and Intermediate Trophy Competitions, will be a choice of light and heavy dance. Dancers will dance 16 bars down the line in their chosen dance(s).
    7. Traditional Set Dance competitions, dancers will have a choice out of 7 traditional dances:

    St. Patrick’s Day, Blackbird, Job of Journeywork, Garden of Daisies, King of Fairies, Jockey to the Fair & Three sea Captains. If a dancer wins a first place in any traditional set dance competition, that dancer moves on the next level in all 7 traditional set dances.

    8. Premier Championships Comp. 100, 101, 102, 103 & 104 will be judged by one adjudicator, as two solos and then an overall result. Dancers will be required to dance 48 bars of music for the Reel & Heavy Jig, and 40 for Slip Jig & Hornpipe, plus a Modern Set in the third round. If there are more than 10 in the competition there may be a recall for the Modern Set round.
    9. Adult Championships Comp. 105, 106, 107, & 108 will be judged by one adjudicator. Dancers are required to dance to 32 bars of music and will dance a choice of soft shoe (Reel or Slip Jig for ladies and Reel for gentlemen), heavy shoe (Heavy Jig or Hornpipe) and a Traditional Set. The competitions are open to dancers of Intermediate and above level who have never won a 1st, 2nd or 3rd place in an Open Championship and are not participating in a full Open Championship at the same Feis.
    10. Where there are five or less dancers in any Championship placement will not affect grading.

    OFFICIAL CLRG RULES

    11. The lodgment of an entry will be taken to mean that teachers and pupils understand these rules and undertake to abide by them.
    12. Objections must be lodged in writing within one hour of the announcement of the result of a competition accompanied by a fee of 40 Euro, which will be refunded if the objection is upheld.
    13. The Adjudicators’ decisions are final.
    14. Only Feis officials may approach the adjudicators during competition sessions.
    15. Age will be taken as on 1st January 2024 (whatever age you turn this year, in 2024, you dance under that age all year long, e.g. if a dancer’s date of birth is 29 May 2002, he/she dances under 10 in the year 2012). Evidence of age may be requested, therefore dancers should have a valid ID with them in the event of a query as to their age.
    16. Competitors must be in costume and ready to dance 30 minutes before their competitions are scheduled.
    17. The dress code in accordance with An Coimisiún rules will be strictly observed. For the sake of modesty and in the interest of safety to young people, dancers will not be permitted to walk around the Feis scantily dressed.
    18. All Beginners and Primary dancers of all age groups may only wear a class costume, simple dancewear or appropriate attire (skirt and top/blouse, simple dress for girls and ladies, trousers and t-shirt/shirt for boys and gents. Make-up is not permitted for any dancer in the first two grades up to and including the Under 12 age group worldwide.
    19. The Costume Rules of An Coimisiún, as amended, also apply in Continental Europe and Asia; it can be found in the “Rules” section on www.clrg.ie for reference. Female adult dancers participating in competitions entitled ‘adult competition’ and/or ‘adult grade competition’ (both solo and team) are required to wear tights of a denier not less than 70.
    20. Team dances (four hands and upward) must be performed as per the Coimisiún handbook “Ar Rinci Ceili”.
    21. By entering in competitions, dancers (or their legal representatives, in case of minors) consent to their names being stated in the feis results and in the public Internet archives or any other feis entry/results system as may replace it.
    22. Provided that dancers are not disturbed by flashlights or the like, photography and video recording by persons other than official feis photographers is allowed during Beginners and Primary competitions and during all award ceremonies.

    During Intermediate and Premier competitions, ONLY the official feis photographer is permitted to take photos.
    Those who do not wish to be photographed should make themselves known to the Feis Organisers.

    23. An Coimisiun has ruled that from 1st January each year, no block, en pointe, stationary or moving, be allowed to be performed for all ages up to and including the under 12 age group worldwide. The Under 12 Age Group will be allowed to toe walk from September 1st.
    24. Within the limits specified in the Rules of An Coimisiún, the Organisers may at their discretion cancel or combine competitions with insufficient entries.
    25. Order and quiet must be kept in the hall, particularly while competitors are dancing.
    26. The Feis organisers cannot accept any liability for injury or loss or damage to property while on the premises.
    27. No refunds will be made.

    EXTRA FEIS RULES

    28. Dancers competing in the Treble Reel Competitions will dance 16 bars down the line Free Style.

    Therefore, the use of hands and non-traditional dance wear are permitted.

    29. Treble Reel Competitions nr. 26, 26a, 36, 36a, 36b, 36c, 44, 44a, 52, 52a, 52b, 52c will have the theme “Videogames”. However, it is not mandatory to wear a themed costume.
    30. Ceili Club competition 58 is a choice of any of the dances included in the An Coimisiún handbook “Ar Rinci Foirne”. The Competition is open to all ages and to all dancers who DO NOT participate in Solo competitions. However, as a special concession two persons per team who participate in Solo competitions may be included in the Ceili Club Team (after informing the local Organiser).
    31. Only the first seven dancers participating in each competition will be awarded, except for the Reel competitions of each level as well as the Trophy, Traditional Set and Treble Reel competitions.