Isca Morrismen 2003 Events
Our programme for 2003 included a large number of events around a variety of real ale pubs where we brought entertainment to the community and provided the men themselves with the opportunity to enjoy good ale! We danced throughout the old county of Gwent, now spread across the City of Newport and the county boroughs of Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire and Torfaen. A repeat trip was made to the Czech Republic and a variety of trips were also made to parts of England to dance with other sides. Our full programme over the year was as follows:-
Period up to May 2003:-
Over the winter practice season our events were:
January 2003
Monday 6th - 12th Night Mari Llwyd
7.00 p.m. Starting from the Star Inn, Llanvihangel Tor-y-mynydd with performances in the village during the course of the evening. A chance to enjoy this traditional Welsh folk custom, re-enacted and revived by the community with joviality, banter, music and dancing helped along by the Isca Morrismen. Around 9.00 p.m. the Mari returned to the Star Inn after it's perambulation around the parish.
Saturday 18th - Wassail at the Ostrich Inn
A new innovation this year with the Isca Morrismen participating in a traditional cider wassail evening based on the Ostrich Inn at Newland, just to the south of Monmouth. The wassail began at around 8 p.m. and the side had a specially commissioned spalted cherry 4 lipped wassail bowl made for the occasion.
March 2003
Saturday 1st - Lassington Oak Ale
Fri 7th to Sun 9th - Morris Ring Annual Reps Meeting
The side ran the annual meeting on behalf of the Morris Ring based at the Bridges Community Centre in Monmouth. Visiting dancers rounded off their weekend with some public dancing in the grounds of the Community Centre on the Sunday lunchtime. The Morris dancers were also joined by a local Welsh dancing group.
Dancing Programme for the Summer Season
May to September 2003:-
May 2003
Thu 1st - May Day - Dancing at Dawn
| 5.15 a.m. - 6.40 a.m. |
Caerleon Amphitheatre and afterwards at Maggie May Restaurant, Caerleon |
Mon 5th - May Bank Holiday Tour with Mendip and Sweyns Ey Morrismen
| 9.30 a.m. 11.00 a.m. 12.30 noon 1.15 p.m 3.30 p.m. 4.15 p.m. |
St Woolos Cathedral, Newport Beaufort Hotel, Chepstow St John’s on the Hill School, Tutshill, Chepstow Fountain Inn, Trellech Grange Magor Spring Fair Wheatsheaf Inn, Magor |
Wed 14th - Pontypool Valleys
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
The George, Pontypool Globe Inn, Talywain |
Sat 17th - Folk Festival
| 1.00 p.m. onwards | Tredegar House Folk Festival, Newport |
Wed 21st - Cappers Joint Tour with Lassington Oak Morrismen
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Punch House, Monmouth Ostrich Inn, Newland |
Wed 28th - No Risk Tour
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Tredegar Arms, Rogerstone Exchange Inn, Risca |
June 2003
Wed 3rd - Archenfield Triangle
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Hen & Chickens, Abergavenny Crown Inn, Pantygelli |
Sunday 8th - Garden Party, Monmouth
| 2-3.30 p.m | Bridges Community Centre, Monmouth |
Wed 11th to Wed 18th - Pisek, Czech Republic
The Isca Morrismen were delighted to be invited to return to the Czech Republic in association with the Friends of Pisek Twinning Association. Whilst there they danced at the Pisek Festival and at various sites within the Czech Republic.
The map choice above is interactive and will bring up as much (or as little) detail as is required. To look at some photographs and articles covering our visits, please visit our Pisek pages and then view a selection of pages.
Sun 22nd - Trellech Village Festival, Trellech, Monmouthshire
| 1.00 p.m. onwards | Lion Inn Beer Festival |
Wed 25th - Joint Tour with Cardiff Morrismen
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Angel Inn, Caerphilly Swan Inn, Taffs Well |
July 2003
Wed 2nd - World Heritage Sites
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Cordell Country Inn, Govilon Cambrian, Blaenavon |
Wed 9th - Joint Tour with Forest of Dean Morrismen
| 8.30 p.m. 9.15 p.m. 10.00 p.m. |
Butchers Arms, Clearwell Wyndham Arms, Clearwell Lamb Inn, Clearwell |
Thu 17th - Joint Pub Tour with Mendip Morrismen
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Boars Head Inn, Aust Swan Inn, Tockington |
Sat 19th - 2 p.m. Henllys Village Fete, Henllys, Cwmbran
| 1.00 p.m. onwards | Henllys Village inc Doralt Inn and Cwrt Henllys |
Wed 23rd - Busking in Usk - Joint Tour with Clocs Canton
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Kings Head Hotel Greyhound Inn |
Wed 30th - Isca Silurum
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Red Lion, Caerleon Wheatsheaf Inn, Llanhennock |
August 2003
Sat 16th - Pontardawe Festival with Sweyns Ey Morris
| 1.00 p.m. onwards | Pontardawe Town Centre |
Wed 20th - Newport Explorations
| 8.30 p.m. 9.30 p.m. |
Oddfellows & Foresters, Baneswell St. Julians Inn |
September 2003
Wed 3rd - Winding Down
| 9.00 p.m. | Wheatsheaf Inn, Magor |
Sat 6th - Tamar Valley Railway Tour with Plymouth Morris Men
| 11.00 a.m. 1.00 p.m. 2.30 p.m. |
The Old Plough Inn, Bere Ferrers Calstock Quay Boot Inn, Calstock |
Wed 10th - The Cwmbran Brewery End of Season Tour
| 8.30 p.m. | Bush Inn, Upper Cwmbran |
Sat 20th - Talywaun Carnival and Beer Festival
| 1.00 p.m. onwards | The Isca Morrismen danced at various times during the afternoon at the Beer Festival and at the following times during the Talywaun Festival: |
| 2.30 p.m. 3.15 p.m. |
Talywaun House St. Thomas Court |
Fri 26th to Sun 28th - White Rose Morrismen 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend - Huddersfield Area
Saturday 27th - Joint Tour with East Suffolk Morrismen, The Britannia Coco-nut Dancers and Mortimers Ladies
| 10.15 a.m. 11.30 a.m. 12.45 p.m. 2.00 p.m. 4.30 p.m. |
Albion Street, Halifax Station, Haworth St. Georges Square, Hebden Bridge Stubbing Wharfe, Hebden Bridge Head of Steam, Huddersfield |
Sunday 28th - Performances from all 6 Tours from 12.00 noon onwards at the Head of Steam, Huddersfield
October 2003
Mon 17th - St. Woolos Cathedral, Newport
| 8.00 p.m. onwards |
The side performed the Chepstow Mumming Play dressed as the Isca Mummers in aid of a childrens' charity. |
November 2003
Fri 21st - Cardiff Morrismen Winter Ale
| 7.30 p.m. onwards |
Penarth Conservative Club - A convivial evening spent with the Cardiff Morrismen at their Winter Ale just outside Cardiff. |
December 2003
Sat 13th - Isca Mummers Charity Tour
The side performed the Chepstow Mumming Play dressed as the Isca Mummers in aid of a childrens' charity.
| 6.30 p.m. 8.00 p.m. 9.15 p.m. 10.00 p.m. |
Frost Fair, Magor Square, Magor Chepstow Historical Society, Cavill Hall, Chepstow Sloop Inn, Llandogo Ostrich Inn, Newland Note - press the venue name for a detailed map |
For more details on the Mumming Play, it's historical background and pictures of Isca Mummers in action please see the following web pages on the Isca site:-
| Historical Background Folk Mumming Plays |
The Chepstow Mumming Play Isca Mummers in Action |
Wed 17th - Isca Mummers Charity Tour
The side performed the Chepstow Mumming Play dressed as the Isca Mummers in aid of a childrens' charity.
| 8.30 p.m. 9.15 p.m. 10.00 p.m. |
Fountain Inn, Trellech Grange Star Inn, Llanfihangel Tor y Mynydd Lion Inn, Trellech Note - press the venue name for a detailed map |
Fri 19th - Mendip Morrismen Ale
| 7.30 p.m. onwards |
The side attended the Mendip Men's ale evening in Wrington in the countryside between Weston super Mare and Bristol. |
Fri 26th - Boxing Day at the Ostrich Inn
| 12.15 p.m. onwards | Our traditional one pub outing for Boxing Day at the Ostrich Inn in Newland, just to the south of Monmouth. Performances were at around 12.45 p.m. and 2.15 p.m. This year the side managed to field some 17 members, including 14 dancers. |