Welcome to BostonIrishDance.com

The cyber home of the O'Shea-Chaplin Academy of Irish Dance.

We are one of the longest established Irish dancing schools in the country. Founded by Rita O'Shea-Chaplin in Galway Ireland 50 years ago, the school has been located in the greater Boston area since the early 1960's. Rita and her instructors teach children and adults of all ages.



Our students have won many local, regional and national championships and their ceili and choreography teams have captured many North American titles.

The O'Shea-Chaplin dancers have performed all over the U.S.A., and have conducted tours in Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Russia.

They have performed with

  • Michael Flatley, of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance fame
  • Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops
  • Tenor John McDermott and Ronan Tynon
  • Pop/Rock acts such as The Push Stars, Solas, and Black 47.
  • They have captivated the audiences at the Fleet Center at the St. Patrick's Day Boston Celtics game.
  • The dancers have been featured on local television during their performances at First Night Boston, as well as the Discovery Channel and Country Music TV.

Their combination of traditional and contemporary dances and costumes is truly exciting to watch.

Upcoming Events...
Come out and see us perform.
Take a look at the Events Page



Photos from the November 2006 Oireachtas. Photo albums

Irish Dancing
"The Thread which kept the Irish Spirit alive in times of oppression. Through their strong belief in religion, music, and dance, the Irish people were able to keep their rich cultural heritage alive despite tribulation. Certainly our forefathers would smile to see the wealth of interest and enthusiasm for Irish Dance. While teaching us the wonderful values of our Celtic background, Irish music and dance is food for body and soul." - Rita O'Shea




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