About

Our mission

The Murray Irish Dance School offers an authentic Irish cultural experience for dancers of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Our goal is to help our students reach their full potential in a supportive, fun and inclusive environment.

We strive to keep our Irish Dance culture alive and thriving in the Pacific Northwest as a unique way for students to strengthen physical and mental development, increase coordination and musical understanding while having fun and making friendships that last a lifetime.

We welcome students of all levels of dance experience and from all cultural backgrounds to join the Murray team!

Director and Teacher

Geraldine Murray, TCRG

Geraldine Murray, TCRG, is an accomplished and well-known Irish dance teacher and traditional Irish musician. She has been involved in Irish dance and music for over 50 years and is Oregon’s longest certified Irish dance instructor. In 1995 she became Oregon’s first certified teacher receiving her TCRG through An Coimisiun le Rinci Gaelacha (The Irish Dance Commission) in Dublin, Ireland.  She’s a member of the Irish Dance Teachers Association of North America and the Western US Region of Irish Step Dance Teachers where she served on the board of directors for more than seven years and and is also a former member of the Portland Ceili Society board of directors.

Originally from Pennsylvania, her Pittsburgh-area family is known for its dedication to keeping alive the traditions of Irish dance, music and culture. Geraldine’s mother and paternal grandmother emigrated from County Donegal, Ireland. Similarly, she was fortunate enough to spend some time living in Ireland. Since moving to Portland over 40 years ago, Geraldine has continued that dedication to fostering Irish music, dance and culture in Oregon and southwest Washington, Idaho and the Pacific Northwest. 

Geraldine studied Irish dancing as a child with The Burke School at The Irish Centre of Pittsburgh under the direction of Theresa Burke TCRG, ADCRG. She competed all over the East Coast of the US and Canada and assisted with The Burke School classes. She has also studied many other forms of dance including Modern, Ballet, Jazz, Dunham, African and Cuban Dance and holds a BA in Honors Philosophy from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon. Geraldine studied tin whistle under Irish tin whistle master, L.E. McCullough, Ph.D. and spent much of her formative years learning and playing Irish music with her uncle, Peter Shovlin, fiddler from Ardara, Co Donegal.

Our Dancers

Murray School dancers have competed and placed among the top Irish dancers at competitions in Oregon, Canada, Western US, The Western US Regional Championships (Oireachtas,) at the North American Irish Dance Championships and the World Irish Dance Championships. Our dancers dream big, and they're ready to support tomorrow's Murray School champions.

Murray Irish Dancers have held: 

• Top 5, top 10 and top 30 solo placements at the World Irish Dance Championships

• Three 1st place solo championship titles at the Western US Regional Oireachtas (Regionals)

• First place, top 3 and top 10 placements in team competitions at the Western US Regional Oireachtas (Regionals)

• Top 5, top 10, top 20 and top 30 solo placements at the North American Irish Dance Championships

• Recall medals in solo rounds at Oireachtas Rince na Cruinne (All Irelands) and The North American Feis Commission Belt Championships

• Numerous top 3, top 5, top 10, top 20 and top 30 solo placements at the Western US Regional Championships

• Numerous dancers who have qualified to compete in the World Irish Dance Championships, the North American Irish Dance Championships, the North American Feis Commission Belt Championships