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Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Michael Flatley, Lord of the Dance and now Lord of the Manor -- Dance king plays host to 200 from American Ireland Fund in Cork

Posted on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 08:13 AM

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Michael Flatley and wife Niamh at Castlehyde

It was a perfect Irish summer’s night, the longest of the year and the Castlehyde County Cork mansion of Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley never looked better.

Once upon a time the palatial mansion and grounds had been host to some very different occupants, the antecedents of Princess Diana, the Spencers of Fermoy, who lorded it over the locals.

Doubtless they would have exhaled in horror at the visitors to their old surroundings on this very special night. Flatley no doubt would get a kick out of that.

Flatley, the Chicago-born dance genius, played host to 200 top Ireland Fund members from all over the world.

Driving through the lush Irish countryside en route to Castlehyde, which borders the Blackwater river, you could be forgiven for thinking that this part of earth is God’s acre.

Then came the thunderous rains of course, and you might indeed have second thoughts about how wonderful the visit really was.

At the mansion however, fate was restored and good work was afoot. The Ireland Fund has soared past its stated target of $100 million raised since Ireland’s downturn and will easily surpass that record.

Present to mark the occasion was co-founder US Ambassador Dan Rooney, who pronounced how moved and proud he was at the incredible progress of the organization he and Tony O’Reilly started back in 1974 with high hopes.

Michael Flatley accepted a Pittsburgh Steelers football from Rooney and made as if to launch it into outer space. Asked to speak, he was the master of brevity, merely intoning the immortal words that the bar was open and good time was being lost.

He could not have been a greater host. Like with his dance creations, the emphasis is on perfection, and the mansion, with its beautiful foyer, soaring ceilings, Irish bar - what did you expect - and exquisitely decorated rooms fitted the bill.

Michael and wife Niamh, herself a principal dancer, stood at the door and personally greeted everyone who entered. There was no sign of little Michael, the son and heir, but his influence was obvious from his playground set to the many photos on display in the house.

Exhibits throughout the mansion frame Flatleys’career from the heights of Madison Square Garden sellouts and White House appearances to the early days when he mixed some boxing, some flute playing, some dancing and some construction work before he made it big.

And made it big he has. As he stares out over his manse, Flately must sometimes pinch himself as to how far the humble son of Irish emigrants has come.

And he has done it with class, as his mansion readily attests to. Flatley has given back to Ireland as well as Irish America.

Next year he will likely be one of the ambassadors for the Gathering, the effort to bring the worldwide Irish home. No one has greater star power or willingness to help than the Lord of the Dance. We are lucky to have him.

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ciaradexy | Jun 27, 2012, 02:46 PM EDT

CasualMBA, brilliant! 'Flatley is disgusting'. I can say it again if you like it that much!

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Bythebay | Jun 27, 2012, 01:43 PM EDT

Lord Flatley and his servanted estate is not what James Connolly and the heroes of 1916 fought for -- replacing one set of Lords/landed gentry with another. They fought for equality, public ownership of lands and the working class. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and Lord Flatley personifies it. He's a British landed gentry/aristocrat wannabe. His family just couldn't achieve it during the British Empire with his lineage.

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oaklongan | Jun 24, 2012, 03:09 PM EDT

Thank You Niall for this inspiring report which made by heart sing! Love Michael Flatley! My mom was an Irish-American dancer (long yeas of training) from Chicago. Dance is in our blood...

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casualMBA | Jun 23, 2012, 10:57 PM EDT

ciaradexy, your last three words about sums up you comment

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ciaradexy | Jun 23, 2012, 05:41 PM EDT

CasualMBA, some of us ARE Irish and proud so we dont need to keep waffling on about heritage. I have plenty of Spanish, Polish and catalan mates who dont constantly go on about heritage. That just seems to be something Americans go on about. Is something missing from peoples lives that they feel the need to adopt their great/grand/parents homeland as their own when theyre completely different from the natives? Flatley is disgusting.

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casualMBA | Jun 23, 2012, 02:32 PM EDT

Character assassination or not, Irish born or not, Flatley put Irish dance on the map worldwide. For that alone, yes, that alone, he deserves our gratitude. If you take a shred of pride in Irish heritage, you must recognize as much.

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audreybolton | Jun 23, 2012, 12:08 PM EDT

Niall, Flatley does not live in Ireland. He lives in TAX HAVEN MONACO where spends nine months of the year and then Los Angelus and Barbasdos! He only comes to Ireland and Castlehyde for publicity. He has a house in London and intends to send his son to Eaton where in his opinion he will "mix with the right people". An Irish eductation is not good enough for Mick Jnr. it appears. Most Irish people can't stand his arrogance making out he's more Irish then the rest of us. RIVERDANCE WAS WELL RID OF HIM IN 1995 WHEN HE TRIED TO TAKE OVER THE SHOW FROM JOHN MCCOLGAN AND MOYA DOHERTY (WHO CREATED IT). He treated his first wife Beata and his fancee Lisa Murphy very badly claiming they were not good enough for him. What sort of "gentleman" is he? Please Flatley stay away you're not needed here!

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johnshiel | Jun 23, 2012, 09:57 AM EDT

nope, dingle, never heard of debacle of cliffs of moher concert. Care to elaborate?

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Realist | Jun 23, 2012, 05:43 AM EDT

PhlutiePhan "James Connolly would be thrilled to see how far the Irish have succeeded. Even though he was a socialist and lived in the time of much Irish suffering,in his wildest dreams he never thought to see a Michael Flatley in the castle of those who lorded it over the Irish. To me that is payback."? Yes, I'm sure Connolly would be both thrilled and proud to see the state of the Republic of Ireland at present....especially its economy. I have no doubt he would beam with pride at the £7 billion loan accepted from the British Government. The interest payments on that to the British economy....to me that is payback. Don't you agree? Lol.

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dingle999 | Jun 22, 2012, 11:22 PM EDT

"No one has greater star power or willingness to help than the Lord of the Dance. We are lucky to have him." Good God I want to puke... remember the debacle of the Cliffs of Moher concert ?

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PhlutiePhan | Jun 22, 2012, 10:34 PM EDT

Riverdance is indeed a phenomenon. I have seen it innumerable times including New York. Michael F is a bit on the arrogant side. Nevertheless, he is an "Irish" genius even if he is from Chicago. Read it and weep.

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manhattan | Jun 22, 2012, 03:55 PM EDT

Bythebay, James Connolly would be thrilled to see how far the Irish have succeeded. Even though he was a socialist and lived in the time of much Irish suffering,in his wildest dreams he never thought to see a Michael Flatley in the castle of those who lorded it over the Irish. To me that is payback.

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alisaann | Jun 22, 2012, 03:51 PM EDT

@Bythebay: Flatley is an IRISH-AMERICAN....BOTH of his parents are FROM ireland....and i'm happy he was host to this thing...and if you can't be nice, keep it to yourself. alisa

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Bythebay | Jun 22, 2012, 02:50 PM EDT

Lord Flatley, another English wannabee taking on the mantle of Lord of the Manor in true British fashion. Quite a sight to see all these so called nationalists embrace the British way of life with such ease and aplomb. James Connolly turning over in his grave at what they've become, little British clones.

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TisEyerish | Jun 22, 2012, 11:50 AM EDT

What a man! Michael Flatley has more than proven what a kind, generous man he is, in addition to being one of the greatest showmen and dancers ever to grace the earth. God bless you and your family, Michael! Wish I could attend The Gathering next year!

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