Ray McBride from Galway combines Tennessee clog dancing with traditional Irish dancing.
Ray McBride from the Claddagh in Galway is an actor and former world championship Irish dancer.
During his time studying at East Tennesse State University in the United States he proved himself to be an excellent athlete and attended speech and drama lessons. A career in the media was on the horizon as he majored in journalism, but acting was his true calling and he returned home to Galway and auditioned for the recently formed Druid Theatre Company.
His most recent role was Mossy Linehan in the Druid production of Louis D’Alton’s 'Lovers Meeting’ which has been touring for the past six weeks.
His style of dancing he describes as a mix of Tennesse clog dancing, Connemara set dance, and the Irish dancing that he learned.
This episode of ‘The Pure Drop’ was broadcast on 12 November 1990. It was the second of two programmes on set dancing. The presenter is Iarla Ó Lionaird.
The Pure Drop' was an Irish traditional music programme produced by musician and broadcaster Tony MacMahon. The first series was filmed at the height of the summer festival season in 1987, with six of its nine episodes presented by fiddler James Kelly from Óstán Dún an Óir in Ballyferriter, West Kerry. It was first broadcast on 07 January 1988. Singer Iarla Ó Lionáird took over as presenter for the second, third and fourth series, which were filmed in Cultúrlann na hÉireann, the headquarters of Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann, Monkstown, County Dublin. Fiddler Paddy Glackin presented Series 5 - 9, while fiddler Martin McGinley presented the tenth and final series in 1996. The last episode was broadcast on 25 February 1996.
