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Dress, Irish stepdancing costume, 1980
Ann P. Horkan (b. 1936)
Osterville, Massachusetts
Maroon velvet, cotton, satin embroidery
37 x 20 x 3 in. hanging, skirt open wide
Collection of the artist
Photography by Jason Dowdle
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Ann Horkan made this costume for her daughter, who competed in annual Irish dance contests or feis. Ann grew up on the Aryan Islands off the coast of Ireland and immigrated to Boston in 1954. She based the dress's embroidery on patterns from the Book of Kells. Even though competition dresses can be purchased, Ann prefers the handmade ones: "These days, these costumes are all store-boughten . . . and [they are] wicked expensive. I think we need to hold on to old things."
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