A reader should take note of certain things:

• This book is not set in our world, at least not exactly. After all, what sort of village in our world would be ruled by a 'Lord of the Dance'? Exactly.
• The idea of fighting with dancing may seem absurd, but in the 18th century there were men called 'dancing masters' who taught Irish Dancing to peasants. When these dancing masters met, they would have a 'dance-off' which only ended when one of them collapsed from exhaustion.
• Irish Dancing (and other forms of dancing similar) have been around in Ireland since before the year 0. What's more, the men used to wear belts, perhaps similar to that of Kian.
• Though men would probably have worn kilts to dance, I was inspired to write this by the show 'Lord of the Dance' and the image in my head was not one that fitted with kilts. (!)

Inspirations:

• Michael Flatley's "The Lord of the Dance" / "Feet of Flames"
• Ronan Hardiman's music to "The Lord of the Dance"
• Kate Thompson's "The New Policeman"
• National Novel Writing Month (Yes, it is possible to write a book in 1 month)
• Patrick and Nicholas of the Courtney McMahon School of Irish Dance (my dance school).

Thank you for reading!

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Author guidance for This story

For Spook and Elo, my editors.
And for Grandad, though you never got the chance to see this finished, let alone published.

... Glossary of Words and Passages (as suggested by Elo) ...

Names
Kian – Kee-ann
Núadu – Noo-ah-thoo
Don Dorcha – Donn Dork-ah (Meaning: Dark Lord)
Odhran – Or-ran
Niamh – Neeve
Siobhan – Shiv-awn
Oisín – Osh-een
Aodhán – Gaelic form of Aidan - Ay-dawn

Latin/Gaelic Passage in chapter 14 -The Lord’s Prayer:
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Gaelic Passage in chapter 20 - With thanks to Alipix, please excuse any errors on my part.
I banish you in the name of all that is good and right, all that is just and fair. I banish you to the Otherworld, that you be bound by the rules we agreed never to return to this place. I banish you to a hell that you must endure for all of time, a place where you cannot reach my people. They are safe from you now.

updated Jun 13 '10 by delorfinde