History
Sweyn's Ey Morris started life in 1966 in Llanmadoc, and was then known as the Mighty Men of Madoc. At the time, the side only danced the rapper sword dance, but when we moved to Swansea in 1968 we added Morris dancing to the repertoire. In 2021 we changed our name from “The Men of Sweyn’s Ey Morris and Sword Dancers” to “Sweyn’s Ey Morris and Sword Dancers” to reflect the fact that we are now a mixed gender side.
Sweyn was a Dane who founded a settlement on an island ‘ey’ off the mouth of the River Tawe. This was then called Sweyn’s Ey which later became Swansea. He also founded Sweyn’s town (Swindon) and in 1015 was considered the uncrowned king of England.
No one really knows why it's called Morris Dancing. Maybe it came from North Africa and was called Moorish dancing or maybe the blackened faces of some dancers looked like Moors or maybe it came from the Latin “moris” meaning “of custom”. There are written records referring to Morris dancing as far back as the fifteenth century, by professional or semi-professional performers.
Sweyn was a Dane who founded a settlement on an island ‘ey’ off the mouth of the River Tawe. This was then called Sweyn’s Ey which later became Swansea. He also founded Sweyn’s town (Swindon) and in 1015 was considered the uncrowned king of England.
No one really knows why it's called Morris Dancing. Maybe it came from North Africa and was called Moorish dancing or maybe the blackened faces of some dancers looked like Moors or maybe it came from the Latin “moris” meaning “of custom”. There are written records referring to Morris dancing as far back as the fifteenth century, by professional or semi-professional performers.
Music
Most of the tunes we play are now almost exclusive to Morris dancing but were the ‘pop’ tunes of two or three hundred years ago.
Morris tunes were traditionally played on the three-hole-pipe and tabor. Fiddles then started to be used, followed by concertinas. The melodeon and accordion are popular now, but a wide selection of instruments is used.
Some of our musicians also play in ceilidh bands and enjoy a music session in the pub once the dancing has finished. If you fancy joining us, whatever you play, come along and give it a try!
Morris tunes were traditionally played on the three-hole-pipe and tabor. Fiddles then started to be used, followed by concertinas. The melodeon and accordion are popular now, but a wide selection of instruments is used.
Some of our musicians also play in ceilidh bands and enjoy a music session in the pub once the dancing has finished. If you fancy joining us, whatever you play, come along and give it a try!
RAPPER
The original side “The Mighty Men of Madoc” danced only the rapper sword dance. This dance style comes from the North East of England and was danced by the coal miners of Durham and Northumberland. It is a fast, exciting dance with five dancers in a set. A rapper sword is a 20 inch long strip of spring steel with a wooden handle at each end.
This is a great dance style for the winter as rapper can be danced inside in fairly small spaces.
This is a great dance style for the winter as rapper can be danced inside in fairly small spaces.
mumming and charitable causes
At Christmas time we keep alive another old tradition – Mumming.
Mummer plays are folk plays with a handful of characters, a battle between two Heroes from the past, and a miracle cure called ‘Elecampane’ administered by a crazy Doctor who wears a Top hat! There are several local variations which were performed until the 1940s and we started performing them in the 1970s.
Currently we perform the 'Gower Christmas Sport' (various versions) and the 'Crwmpyn John' play from the Swansea valley.
We usually perform at several pubs in an evening and donate our collection to a different local charity each year.
Some of the charities we have given to previously include the following:
2023- Air Ambulance Wales (£800)
2022 - RNLI (£627)
2021 - No mumming due to Covid
2022 - No mumming due to Covid
2019 - Shelter Cymru (over £1040)
2018 - Breast Care Cymru (£725.82)
Epilepsy Wales
Ty Olwen
Salvation Army
British Heart Foundation
McMillan Cancer Support
Multiple Sclerosis
Cystic Fibrosis
Maggie’s Cancer Care
Morriston Hospital Renal Unit, Cardiac Unit, Liver Unit and Special Care Baby Unit
The Play and Leisure Opportunity Library