Two years ago, the Irish dancing community was rocked by a headline-making scandal, as allegations of “feis-fixing” made their way into the public domain. An internal investigation was launched, disciplinary hearings were carried out and suspensions were handed down.
But the controversy quickly spiralled out of control, as suspicion, rumour and accusations ran rife, threatening to bring a national institution to its knees.
Two years on, the world of Irish dancing is once more in disarray, with a promised investigation into the scandal abruptly collapsing, provoking chaos, confusion and considerable anger among those caught in the eye of the storm.
Fionnán Sheahan is joined on The Indo Daily by Ellen Coyne, special correspondent with the Irish Independent, to analyse the lowest point yet for the competitive cultural activity, and to ask: is the future of Irish dancing in jeopardy?