When one thinks of Stone Age archaeological sites, Stonehenge, Altamira and Newgrange may come to mind. Most likely The Céide Fields will not. But they should.

Mimi the dog has generated more than 250,00 views on YouTube with her version of Riverdance. The hysterical video shows Mimi - or at least it purports to show Mimi - tapping her way through the famed dance

Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley, the man who singlehandedly turned Irish dance into the phenomenon that it is, may be joining the judging panel of the TV hit "Dancing with the Stars."

Massachusetts tourism officials have won the bid for their capital city to host the 2013 World Irish Dancing Championships.

These celebs weren't born in Ireland, but that doesn't mean they can't call it home! From Jeremy Irons somewhat infamous pink castle, to Sarah Jessica Parker's Donegal cottage, these stars lay their heads in the Emerald Isle as often as they can.

Get ready to be up close and personal with the performers of Lord of the Dance. Michael Flatley's international dancing phenomenon is set to return to the Las Vegas Strip this summer for a special limited engagement in an especially intimate venue.

Maggie Revis, native to Putnam Valley, New York, took to the stage in Belgium this past winter for her debut as the female lead dancer in Michael Flatley’s "The Lord of the Dance." Born into a family of competitve dancers, Maggie began her dance career at the age of three and secured her first win at the Mid-Atlantic American Oireachtas (Regional) Dance Competition in Philadelphia by the age of six.

Irish dancers, Samuel Beckett and an Irish-American ogre represent the Irish theater contingent in this year’s Tony Award nominations. “Billy Elliot, the Musical” leads the entire pack of nominees with 15 nominations, including Best Musical and a Best Leading Actor in a Musical nod to the “Billys."

Connecticut’s champion Irish dancers from the Horgan Academy is set to share the stage with the “Lord of the Dance.”  The

Irish super-group Celtic Woman made a special appearance on ABC’s TV sensation “Dancing with the Stars” tonight.

Sharon Whelan, dance teacher, liaison, and organizer of The Golden State Feis, loves being an Irish Dance teacher Whelan, who has danced most of her life - even shortly after having a baby - says she loves teaching dancers from 4 to 40!

The Irish man who healed “Riverdance” star, Michael Flatley, from a mystery virus is in New York this week treating less-famous patients!

After an all-day downpour on Saturday, a sustained period of glorious sunshine greeted Philadelphia today, as the World Irish Dancing Championship drew to a close. The sunshine brought a fitting end to what has been an incredibly successful week.

After an all-day downpour on Saturday, a sustained period of glorious sunshine greeted Philadelphia today, as the World Irish Dancing Championship drew to a close. The sunshine brought a fitting end to what has been an incredibly successful week.

It’s not just the newly crowned World Champion Irish dancers who have been celebrating this week in Philadelphia; local businesses, who’ve had thousands of extra customers thanks to the competition, have also had a very good week.

Shortly before her 16th birthday, Kelly Hendry became a World Champion in Irish Dancing. That was a few years ago. On Friday, Hendry became a World Champion teacher – her team from Newcastle, England, won in the Junior Girls Ceili Under 16s.

Michael Flatley had a pretty hectic schedule at the Worlds but the mega dance superstar still found time to discuss the Flatley family dance legacy with IrishCentral.com

Irish dancing superstar Michael Flatley won the hearts of all the competitors at the World Irish Dancing Championships today when he urged them to keep the faith. 'You don’t have to win every competition every time,' he said 'and God knows I lost a lot of them.'

The pressure is on for a young New Jeresy boy. Declan Crowley from the Broesler School of Irish Dance is competing in his eighth World Irish Dance Championship.

It’s a great view from backstage at the Perelman Theater in the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, at the World Irish Dancing Championships. IrishCentral.com caught a glimpse of Sandun Verschoor of the Redmond School in Amsterdam performing his hard shoe routine – and it was breathtaking.

Dancers say that although they enjoy all the glamor they would much prefer not to have to wear a wig.

More than 6,000 Irish dancers from around the world will step into Philadelphia this weekend for the Irish Dancing World Championships. This is the first time that the event, sometimes called the Olympics of Irish dance, has been held outside Ireland or

A young dancer from County Kerry is planning on making a big impression at the 2009 World Irish Dancing Championships in Philadelphia

For every great Irish dancer, there is a usually a great set of "feis parents." These are the people who fork out the cash for the wigs, costumes and flights, who get up at 5.30 am to drive a couple of hours to the competition. They are there to congratulate - and to console.

Long Island mom Jean O’Dowd is proud of her Irish heritage. So imagine her shock when her son Patrick's school, Roanoke Elementary, left her a pre-recorded message that St. Patrick’s Day was no longer operative and instead March 17 would be “heritage day.”

Once banned by the church because it was seen as sinful, Irish dance has since flourished not only in countries with a large population of Irish immigrants like Scotland, England and America, but also in places like South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and even Russia.

A new social networking Web site for Irish dancers and musicians is proving to be a big hit on the Internet.  Diddlyi.com, the creation of two brothers from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, went live in April

Is there anyone more Irish American than Michael Flatley? The man who almost single handedly transformed Irish dancing into a global phenomenon came from a humble background – a run-down neighborhood in Chicago’s southside.

Because the world just does not have enough Irish male vocal groups wrapped in a glitzy production, Druid will be coming soon to an amphitheater near you. They are a musical and theatrical production that celebrates Irish cultural ancestry and contemporary sophistication by combining Celtic compositions old and new, as well as using the finest Irish talents in all its artistic and production values. The debut CD from Druid is called "Come Follow Me, Follow Me.

Trent Kowalik started Irish dancing at three years old. At the age of 11, he became the youngest American to be placed first at the 2006 World Irish Dance Championships in Belfast. Now he's a Broadway star, playing the lead role in the hit musical "Billy Elliot." His mother still has trouble believing it.

American radio shock jock Howard Stern likes to call himself the "King of all Media." However, Irish-American dance man Michael Flatley has a right to begin using the moniker as well. To go along with his blockbuster dance shows and TV specials, not to mention the ongoing talk of a Flatley Hollywood movie, the Chicago-born hoofer can now add "author" to his resumé.

A the Green Fields of America Ensemble finished the Banquet entertainment program at the recent Ireland in Dixie Weekend in Atlanta, the capacity crowd rose to their feet with spontaneous joy at the marvelous music they had just witnessed.

It was a highlight of the Comhaltas annual gathering in North America, whose mission statement proscribes the preservation and promotion of Irish traditional music.

There can be no contesting CCE importance in Ireland itself since 1951.

NOW you can call him Lord of the Dads - Michael Flatley's wife Niamh gave birth to the couple's first child, a boy they've named Michael St. James Flatley, last Thursday in Cork.

The little fella made his debut just after noon that day, weighing in at 8 pounds and an ounce.

MICHAEL Flatley was presented with one of the highest honors he's ever received last weekend in Cork, when the city officially named him a Freeman. He joins elite company, including President John F. Kennedy and former Irish President Eamon de Valera.

THOUGH Michael Flatley is undoubtedly enjoying the thrills of new fatherhood - baby Michael Junior was born on April 26 - there's also some business he'll have to attend to that's not so nice, as his former manager Martin Flitton has launched a lawsuit in London for unpaid fees.

Both men would undoubtedly agree that it's a shame their long-standing relationship, both personal and business, has come down to communications via lawyers and spokespeople. The British-born Flitton has been at Michael's side for years and years, and even served as a groomsman at his wedding last October to Niamh O'Brien.

The bride's favorite song is "Three Times a Lady" by Lionel Richie, so what's a daddy to do if he wants to really please his only little girl? If the father in question is billionaire J.P. McManus, one of Ireland's richest men, the answer's easy just call Lionel's people, arrange a deal and bring him over to Ireland to play the song live at the wedding.

FINALLY, justice has been served for Michael Flatley, who suffered through the indignity of having his sterling reputation dragged through the mud by a gold-digger who falsely charged that he raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2002. The rape claim never saw the light of day in a criminal courtroom, of course - the so-called "victim," Tyna Robertson, was unable to fool police - but Robertson and her pit bull attorney, Dean Mauro of Illinois, attempted to extort a pile of money from the Lord of the Dance creator/star unless he paid up.

Michael didn't get to where he is today by standing idly by, so he fought back and slapped the pair with a couple of multi-million dollar lawsuits for filing a false rape claim, attempted extortion and emotional distress.

YES, yes, all babies are cutie pies, but isn't Michael Flatley Junior especially adorable? The little cap, the pint-sized jeans, the kissable face . . .

HE owns sumptuous homes around the world and every other luxury item you could think of, and now Lord of the Dance creator and star Michael Flatley is poised to add another choice nugget to his list of holdings. Reports out of Ireland say that Michael will plunk down more than ?4 million for 56 acres on a Kerry island called Rossmore. The views are simply stunning - the Atlantic Ocean and the South Kerry coastline - and Michael has big plans to make it into what will undoubtedly be one of the most fabulous holiday homes in Ireland.

THE Celtic Tiger is dead? Not now and not ever says Lord of the Dance creator and star Michael Flatley, who electrified an audience full of Irish American business, political and cultural leaders at the first annual U.S.-Ireland Forum last Wednesday at in New York when he called for the worldwide Irish diaspora to harness its energy to elevate the Tiger to the next level.

THE Sunday Independent in Ireland published its annual list of who's making what over there, and to absolutely no one's surprise, U2 top the list of wealthiest entertainers, with a healthy bank balance of ?900 million. Nice! "The band, which has traditionally split earnings equally among Bono, Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen, the Edge and manager Paul McGuinness, has begun to divide up its vast portfolio among their respective families," says the Indo. Clearly, the relatives won't have any financial worries in the future!

Coming in second is Michael Flatley, who's said to have ?590 million to his name.

NOW that Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Bertie Ahern will be out of a job next month when he relinquishes his office, speculation is rife as to what his next move will be, considering that the sprightly leader is only 56 years old and undoubtedly has a good few innings left.

One of the first A-list friends Ahern spoke to after delivering his resignation speech last Wednesday was fellow Dubliner Bob Geldof, who has made quite a name for himself not only as a rock star, but as an advocate of Third World debt relief.

The Irish media reported that Geldof and Ahern spoke last week for more than a half hour by telephone about plans to possibly work on a new global anti-poverty campaign together.

YET another "rich list" was published in Ireland and the U.K. last weekend courtesy of the U.

OUR old pal Michael Flatley was a big hit last week during his two-night turn on Dancing With the Stars as the show's first-ever guest judge. He made such a good impression that now he's being spoken about as a new judge on the U.K.

OUR old pal Michael Flatley is expanding his real estate empire again. Though they say there's a housing slump in Ireland, Michael is taking the opposite view and building a new holiday crib that will naturally be huge and spectacular.

Last year he laid out $6 million for a 56 acre tract of land on Rossmore Island which is just off the south Kerry coast.

FORTY is definitely the new 20 - we'll vouch for that! - so Michael Flatley is perfectly right to say that 50 nowadays is the same as what 35 used to be.

One of the esteemed half century club's newest members - he hit the milestone last Wednesday - had a modest but meaningful birthday celebration with family members at his estate, Castlehyde, in Cork.

"I don't know who has said I'm 50, I'm only 35! I had only one wish and that was to spend it with my parents," Michael told the Evening Echo newspaper in his adopted home county.

Now that Michael Flatley has emerged as a network TV star thanks to his hosting the just-concluded NBC competition "Superstars of Dance," he's thinking ahead to his next big adventure - remaking "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

Quinn Mighty Irish

NEW York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn is an interesting candidate for mayor two years hence. She has been polishing her Irish credentials carefully in the past few months, leaving few in doubt about her ambitions.

She attended the Irish Arts Center star-studded awards dinner on Friday night where she was presented with an award amidst shots of her with Liam Neeson, Pierce Brosnan, Michael Flatley and others.

Thanks to the fast feet of Michael Flatley and the Riverdance crew, there was a time in the not too distant past when Irish was not only a nationality, but a brand that people slapped on anything and everything for its cool cache. The show made our culture a hot property, casting a wide net beyond the shores of Ireland to capture the imagination of the world stage.

Like most things in fickle fashion, tastes change, and Irishness seems to be as fashionable as white leather shoe/belt combinations.

If you want to start easing back into the clubs this year, might I suggest taking in the Ashley Davis show on January 17? She returns to Joe's Pub in New York after her sold-out performance this time last year.

"Real mysticism. Real romance.