The Isca Morrismen, Traditional Morris Dancers from South Wales performing Welsh Border and Cotswold Morris dances together with local Mumming Plays, Wassailing ceremonies and the Mari Lwyd custom.

Welcome to the Isca Morrismen Website - Home of the Traditional Morris Dancers from South Wales performing Welsh Border and Cotswold Morris dances together with local Mumming Plays, Wassailing ceremonies and the Mari Lwyd custom

Newly Updated:

2008 Tours - May Day: Thursday 1st May
5.30 a.m. Dancing at Dawn at Caerleon Ampitheatre with Visiting Sides Sweyns Ey Morrismen and Cardiff Ladies

Isca Morrismen dancing at dawn in Caerleon Ampitheatre this year

Dancing to welcome in the dawn this year at Caerleon Ampitheatre Dancing at The Gladiator on May morning after the dawn session in the Ampitheatre

Yes we really do dance at this hour on May morning, starting at around 5.30 a.m. - a tradition that dates back for many many years. The longest dancing session of the year and we dance until dawn breaks, finishing at around 6.40 a.m.

Isca Morrismen performing during Henllys Fete Isca Morrismen on tour with Seyns Ey Morris and dancing in Twyn Square recently

Along with many other sides in the country, we have kept to tradition by dancing at dawn since the formation of the side and even at this time we get an audience. Indeed, so moved are some of them, that we quite often get written compliments on the atmosphere and dancing. None can quite compare to the poem receive with thanks and written in our honour last year:

First of May Two Thousand and Seven

Creeping from night into day, the treetops sing
Carolling the dawn of this new day, this special day of all days
No rays of sun to warm us yet, we rub our hands and blow on them
We gather in this ancient place almost furtively
Our soft jingling steps making our way down between the old stones
And across the dewed grass as if flocking to prayer
We wait in solitude, it is a dark time.
No one hears us, no one else comes near.

A fiddler, playing as he walks in his black leather shoes,
Fills the air with merry expectation
He silences the birds; it's as if they know their job is done
Now is the time for ritual, a time for Men, the Morrismen

The pipes join the fiddle, the accordion wheezes out a tune
With swish of coloured rags the men begin the dance
Dance the old pagan ritual in the only way they know how
With abandon, with jollity and with acorn caps askew
With ringing from their knees and toes, whirling all around
Waving their sticks for strength and their rags for persuasion
With such exuberance and energy how can the sun refuse to show?
Come you beautiful golden globe, you dazzling yolk of gold
The sun is shy, but it peeks out to bathe the dancers
Come on lads skip, make merry; make it worthy of the day

The music rises with the sun,
The Morrismen rise with the sun
We rise with the sun,
All hail, the sun is risen

© Cathy Roberts May 2007

The Isca Morrismen preparing for a night of singing and merriment start off by fetching the traditional carved wassail bowl ready for the action at the Ostrich Inn during their recent wassail. Dancing at the recent Tredegar House Festival

Afterwards we retired for breakfast to The Gladiator, on the end of the lane running from Caerleon across to the Malpas area of Newport, where you may glimpse another dance or two at around 8.15 a.m.

8.15 a.m. The Gladiator, Malpas, Newport

The Gladiator was a large and very friendly pub situated on the edge of the beautiful woodland of Grove Park which sadly closed down at the end of May 2009. There were two large bars and three patios scattered around the building and a large function room which catered for a variety of functions, including our weekly practices during the winter.

A good selection of Beers, Wines and Spirits was kept to satisfy most tastes and they were known for their real ales.

Isca Morrismen dancing in Usk recently on a warm summer evening

Isca Morrismen dancing recently at the Spring Fair in Magor

Do come and see us at some stage and if you have a liking for tradition then you will be made very welcome. For those males amongst you who enjoy a pint or two and would like to keep fit then you will be ideal as a dancer.

If you are a musician of either sex who enjoys folk music, then again you will be well received, so whatever instrument you play, provided that it is portable, come and join us and learn our music. Come along and we'll ensure that you enjoy yourself and hopefully come back for more as we tour our area over the summer months.

If you require any more information then please check our Contact and Feedback page for our current officers telephone numbers or email us at our address: Enquiries 'at' Isca-Morrismen.com. We are a lively bunch and travel a fair bit with our activities, both in the UK and Overseas, so come on - contact us today and join in the fun, you'll not regret it!

Click here to visit the website of the Otley Brewing Company

Click here to visit the website of Tomos Watkin Welsh Ales

Click here to visit the website of The Mount Pleasant

This year we are delighted that our traditional dancing programme is being sponsored by local Welsh Breweries, producers of excellent real ale to whom we are grateful for their wholehearted support.

Please enjoy their real ales and visit their websites to learn more by clicking on the pictures.

We also acknowledge the support and encouragement of The Mount Pleasant in Old Cwmbran, our after-practice venue during the winter.