By any standard Paddy Queally was the dancing master not just of Clare but I suggest Ireland. In 25 years of dedicated devotion to the teaching of set dancing he brought over 20 All-Ireland titles to the parish. There is a strong view that the best set-competition is in fact "Scòr'' and Co.Clare has won 5 All-Ireland "Scòr na n-òg'' titles, all trained by Paddy. He also trained one of the teams to win one of the two senior titles to come to Co.Clare. Paddy will of course always be identified with "Slogadh" and for some years had no less than 20 sets in the competition, eight of these sets from the parish. For the record he won up to 10 titles.

Success came as well with All-Ireland in Fleadh Nua and Oireachtas as well as numerous Munster titles. Wherever set dancing was danced, the reputation and quality of the "Barefield Maestro'' was hailed and well recognised. It all started in the winter of 1975 when he introduced young people to the art of set dancing. His first and a biding love was the "Craobh Rua Set", not least because it included his children Raymond and Stephanie. While bringing extra-ordinary success to the parish, the set included no less than 7 pupils of Barefield national School, with Raymond and Stephanie were, Nollaig Mc Mahon, Carol Talty, Anthony O'Halloran, Michael Flanagan, Michael McInerney and the 8th member was Anette Mc Namara from Knockanean school.

Craobh Rua were unbeatable in Clare winning a record of 4 "Scòr" titles from 1977 to 1980 inclusive. Munster and All-Ireland titles were added in 1977 and 1980, the first for the County. The winning combination and was recognised when Mr. Frank Burns had them dance an exhibition half set.

Endorsing the excellence of this Craobh Rua team was the winning of 3 Fleadh Nua All-Ireland titles in junior competition and 3 titles in senior competition. The success of Craobh Rua was quickly followed by the emergence of another all conquering in Saint Joseph all of whom attended Barefield National School, They won 3 County titles in 1983,1984, and 1985. This was the only team to win 3 successive set dancing Munster titles in 1983 and 1985. This Saint Joseph's set won 10 All-Ireland titles during their reign.

While Craobh Rua as mentioned dominated the Fleadh Nua Saint Joseph's were supreme in Slogadh winning 5 All-Ireland titles. The recognition of their excellence was the awarding to them of no less than 4 Gradam awards by the Slogdh Council.

Another set to win an All-Ireland title in Slogadh had all the team members from Barefield National School. The team members were Diarmuid O'Sullivan, Noel Purcell, Colin Cosgrove, Alan Doolaghty, Ann Maria Cloran, Angela Meaney, Aisling O'Sullivan and Margaret Mc Namara.

Another set under the title of St. Finbar's achieved great success winning Slogadh All-Ireland's and County Scòr honours. The group who danced in this set were Gillian Loughnane, Colette Cloran, Ann Maria Burke, Laura Kelly, Sean Griffin, Brendan Bohannon, Sean Moroney and Cormac O'Sullivan.

All-Ireland winners too were a set comprising of past pupils of the school Colin Cosgrove, Fergal O'Sullivan, Ailish O'Shaughnessy, Aisling O'Sullivan, Ann Griffin and Louise Loughnane.

The parish rarely entered Senior Scòr, but Paddy formed a team in 1993 of Craobh Rua and St. Joseph's dancers and they proudly marched through Clare and Munster. The high light of their year was the winning of the All-Ireland Senior Scòr title before 3500 spectators at the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet.

It was indeed a special occasion and entirely fitting that Clare's senior hurling All-Ireland success was preceeded by a set-dancing exhibition in the centre of Croke Park. This was a new departure and a first time for the G.A.A to introduce set dancing prior to an All-Ireland final.

Very many of Paddy's dancers travelled on tour with musicians and singers giving concerts throughout England, France, Germany, Switzerland. Included in a group 1984 were Denise Synnott, Aileen Coote, Therese Fenniman, Ann Maire O'Callaghan, Nollaig Mc Mahon, Stephanie Queally, Carol Talty, Raymond Queally, Josephine Nugent, Michael Mc Inerney, Seamus O'Sullivan, Padraig O'Sullivan, John Cosgrove, Muiris O'Sullivan and Michael Flanagan, all being past pupils of Barefield National School.

The dancers of Barefield and the reputation of Paddy Queally has enthralled audiences in the great halls of Ireland, The Gaeity, Dublin; Green Glens, Millstreet; Savoy, Limerick and Leisureland, Galway to mention but a few. It would be remiss not to mention the woman behind the man, because Phil Queally was central to all of Barefields success.

St. Flannan's Set. All Ireland Slogadh Winners

The pupils of Barefield School and their parents owe eternal gratitude to the unspecified, dedicated and loving work of Paddy Queally.