Damhsóir



Damhsóir is a portrait series following the young girls of a West Belfast Irish dance group, exploring the culture and quiet intensity behind the competition. Set within the studio of Niamh Murray’s Dance Class, beside West Belfast’s peace walls, the project reflects a city marked by its history yet moving forward.

These dancers are more than gifted athletes. Their world extends beyond the stage and the precision of a two-minute reel. It lives in details, personalised dolls styled with identical curls and dresses, custom-made shoes softened through hours of practice, carefully packed dance bags, ritualised hair preparations, and early morning journeys to competitions.The preparation embodies a discipline and devotion to a lifestyle.

Damhsóir seeks to document the sisterhood, labour, and cultural identity that shape these young dancers long before and long after they step onto the stage.