Breandán de Gallaí
Breandán de Gallaí was born and raised in the Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht in Donegal. As one of the principle dancers with Riverdance, he performed in front of thousands of people in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and China. He participated in the first public performance of the show, during the interval in the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin in 1994, and started working with Riverdance on a full-time basis in 1996. When three separate companies were formed by the producers of Riverdance in 1997, Breandán was appointed principal dancer of the European company.

Excelling at Irish dancing from a young age, Breandán captured numerous national and international titles and has four World Championship medals to his credit. After his Leaving Cert, he spent a year studying in the famous Gus Giordano School in Chicago where he learnt jazz dance, ballet and modern dance. On his return to Ireland, he attended the O’Shea School of Irish Dance in Blanchardstown, while studying Applied Physics in Dublin City University. On leaving university, he taught in an Irish language school, Coláiste de hÍde, for several years, before becoming a full-time dancer.

Breandán left Riverdance in 2003 and began work on his own show, ‘Balor’. This €2m production will feature a cast of between 25 and 30. The producers plan the international launch of ‘Balor’ at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival in August 2004, after an initial run in Dublin.


Rugadh agus tógadh Breandán de Gallaí i nGaeltacht Ghaoth Dobhair i dTír Chonaill. Mar dhuine de na príomhdhamhsóirí i Riverdance, bhí sé ar an stáitse os comhair na mílte duine san Eoraip, san Astráil, sa Nua-Shéalainn, sa tSeapáin agus sa tSín. Bhí sé páirteach sa chéad léiriú poiblí den seó, le linn an tsosa i gComortás Amhrán na hEoraifíse i mBaile Átha Cliath i 1994, agus thosaigh sé ag obair leis an seó ar bhonn lánaimseartha ó 1996 ar aghaidh. Nuair a bhunaigh cuid léiritheoirí Riverdance trí chompántas éagsúla, cheap siad Breandán mar phríomhdhamhsóir ar chompántas na hEorpa.

Ba dhamhsóir den scoth é Breandán agus é fós an-óg, agus bhuaigh sé go leor comórtas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta, ceithre bhonn i gCraobh an Domhain san áireamh. Tar éis na hArdteiste, chaith sé bliain ag staidéar i scoil cháiliúil Gus Giordano i Chicago, áit ar fhoghlaim sé damhsa jazz, bailé agus damhsa nua-aimseartha. D’fhreastail sé ar Scoil Damhsa Uí Shé le linn do a bheith ag déanamh céime san Fhisic Fheidhmeach in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath. Tar éis na céime, mhúin sé i scoil lán-Ghaelach, Coláiste de hÍde, ar feadh roinnt blianta, sula ndeachaigh sé leis an damhsa go lánaimseartha.

D’fhág Breandán Riverdance sa bhliain 2003 agus thosaigh sé ag obair ar a sheó féin, ‘Balor’. Beidh foireann de 25 nó 30 duine páirteach sa léiriú seo. Tá sé i gceist ag na léiritheoirí an seó a sheoladh go hidirnáisiúnta ag Féile Amharclannaíochta Dhún Éideann, tar éis dó a bheith le feiceáil i mBaile Átha Cliath i dtosach.