First, lets talk a little about Craig Coussins, the man.

What is your background?

I was trained as a dancer in my mother's school. I studied Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Highland and Irish. I wanted to become a professional dancer and at 18, I tried it. Although I loved the discipline and the daily classes, I was eager to do something else. During this period, I got married to a dancer and we had two kids. My son who is now 33 and my daughter , 19, both studied dance.

So what made you stop dancing?

Battling the bulge was always a problem for me and I soon had to find another outlet for my creative dance energy. I was not sure what that was but I was always fitting other dancers shoes and recommending solutions to their constant problems.

As a former dancer did this lead you, like most of the Costume suppliers, into working with Irish Dance shoes, as you just happened to be a foot specialist?

In a way, yes it did. I went to work for a London Dance Shoe manufacturer, Gamba of London, the UK's oldest shoe making company and there I learned the art of shoe making as well as fitting. . The first shoe I designed was the Split Sole Jazz Shoe, which is now used as a base for Boys soft shoes.

Gamba of London, are one of Europe's oldest Ballet Shoe manufacturers and I became the senior fitter to 167 Ballet Companies all over the world and started designing shoes from 1987. That was the year of the split sole Jazz Shoe.

So you were originally a foot specialist who saw too many damaged dancers feet?

Yes, that is exactly right. I studied this on my own as there was nowhere to study the dancers anatomy and sports medicine was in its extreme infancy at that point. My main interest was in the anatomy and physiology of the foot. Fitting such a huge number of dancers made me aware of the many problems a dancer has, and more importantly, how they can be avoided. I knew that I could do this. I started to design Ballet shoes that helped dancers. Up until then most Pointe, shoes were short vamped and would not support the dancer on Pointe. These dancers needed lateral support; side support and I designed shoes with a longer side to stop them from damaging their toe joints. The toes are not designed to support the body weight without some side support.

Unfortunately, Gamba would not fund the patent of the Split sole Jazz shoe. They were making around 10,000 pairs of shoes a week at that stage and although selling many Split sole Jazz, other manufacturers were soon copying my design.

I was disillusioned and I left Gamba, having been there for many years to 'go it alone'. I quietly worked on the Hullachan and worked as a freelance consultant to many companies around the world to make enough money to pay for the research, patents and of course my family. I wanted to make sure that if anyone else copied my designs I could stop him or her unless they licensed the design of me.

After all, why should I spend years designing something just to let someone else steal that design off me? For that is what it is. Theft.

So what have you done to protect yourself from that happening this time?

I made a promise to myself that I would take such matters very seriously in future, to protect my designs and my family's interest. I not only patented the design but the various working elements of that design. Patents and Intellectual Property Registration were taken out on all designs. I now have six different patents and patent applications in force and all are covered by a hefty Insurance that allows me to pursue any infringers at any cost. These patents are in force in many countries including the UK and Eire.

It was not possible to work full time for a company in case they assumed that my designs were theirs. It was a very tough period without regular money coming in to the family and only my complete and utter faith in the shoe I was designing kept me going. I was very alone over this period and really became my own best friend. I had faith and the belief that the Lord would guide me.

I know that telling you this may, perhaps, sound a little corny. I just want to say this to you. When I was very low and desperate, I put my faith on the line and felt that I was told to go on, that it would be better, and that even if I suffered now, that dancers all over the world would get the benefit of my designs. My faith never wavered after that. I am not a complicated man but one that has belief and that is the core of my creativity. The Lord was helping me to go on and do this because no one else had even thought about it before. I always felt that what I was doing was absolutely right and that dancers would benefit from my efforts. So, what if I did experience a few years of difficulty.

Things seem to have worked out okay for you now.

Yes, In the end I was right, the dancers approved of the shoe, and the thousands of testimonials show that the years in the wilderness were necessary. Years that sharpened my faith and developed my creativity. In the end, it cost me over £25,000 to tool up, in addition to the £20,000 that I had spent on Patents and Patent Insurance.

It is also a reflection on the dealers that came on board to sell my design. They were mainly parents of dancers and the Hullachan was to become the start of a business for them. All over the world many such dealers are joining us in the promotion of this unique shoe. Its a belief and a desire to improve the lot of Irish Dancers and stop injury.

Was the Hullachan Pro your first Irish dance shoe, or is it just the latest version?

You see I had this idea that I could design a Celtic dance shoe range that would reduce injury in Irish and in Scottish Dancers. Hullachan Pro was the first and in the early 90's, it was an innovation. Indeed, I won many awards for the design and the innovation of the Hullachan. So much, so that my outlets were complaining that I should spend more time on making shoes than winning prizes. It was not an issue as the shoe was being judged when I was making the product. I was just slow as I was hand making this complicated shoe.

When did you start production?

1997

How many shoes do you make, and where are they sold?

Originally I started to make the Hullachan myself. I could make 10 pairs in a 15-hour day but I needed to make 50 pairs a day to meet the almost immediate demand. I grew the company slowly as I was reinvesting all my money into the business. I did not make any money for the first four years. We reached the 50 pairs a day by 1998. The production requirements were now nearly 75 pairs a day however. It was always hard to keep up with demand.

I was diagnosed with a Hodgeskins Lymphoma Cancer in my eye socket at the end of 1999 and I had to either reduce my involvement with the business or find another way. I needed the time to recover through treatment and that would take another year at least.

I set up a new production unit near Manchester and took on a new partner who now runs all the production. That will mean we can increase production but also allows me to take a less involved position in that area.

Do you oversee all production?

I used to but my partner looks after that for me now, although I am still actively involved. He is an experienced dance shoemaker with over 30 years behind him. We now make between 200 and 400 pairs a week depending on demand. They are still all hand made and shipped to our customers in countries all over the world.

Do you work with dancers when designing your shoes?

Yes, always.

Have you supplied any of the shows or top dancers?

We were supplying Dancing on Dangerous Ground through Jean Butler and many dancers in a number of the touring companies use our shoes.

You have recently handed control of distribution to two other companies. What was the reason for that? Was it purely a business decision, or partly due to your illness?

Because of my illness, I split the business up into two areas. North America and the rest of the world. I needed time to make a recovery. Thank the Lord that has taken place and it seems that I am clear now. (Amen to that!)

The two companies are independently owned. HProNA is at www.hprona.com and HProUK is at www.hullachanpro.com I now design and act as consultant to these two independent companies that now handle Hullachan Pro Limited products. I also look after the Patents and any infringements, using our extensive Patent Insurance that covers me against primary (companies copying my designs etc) or secondary infringement (companies selling copies of our designs). That is an ongoing matter right now as we are, in fact, preparing an action.

We have just heard that you are going to be at the Gaelic Roots summer Camp. Is it the first time you've been involved?

It's my first time there. I was supposed to appear last year but that was right in the middle of my Chemo and was not possible to travel. (For more info click here)

What will you be doing there?

I am talking about Anatomy and Physiology of the dancer and how to watch for problems and how to avoid them. The North American Operation will also be there fitting dancers under my supervision. After that, I hope to be attending the North American Nationals to do fitting as well.

Have you been involved in anything similar?

Yes, when I worked for Gamba, I spoke at dance organisations all over the world. I have also written many articles, some of which can be read on either of the two web sites

What do you hope to achieve at the event?

I have a great deal of respect for Irish Teachers and the reason is that they are very concerned with the health and the safety of their charges. I am there as a specialist to open up the knowledge for both teachers and dancers. You are never too old to learn and as my ongoing research produces new material, I wish to share that with the people who really care. Many might already know what I will say but hopefully there will be enough new material to make attending my lectures worthwhile. I am doing this voluntarily.

What other projects are you working on now?

I wanted to design the safest hard shoe for Irish Dance. It uses space age materials and still complies with regulations. It will be safe and answer the problems that dancers have yet to ask. I am always trying to improve the Irish Dance shoe and felt that some shoemakers simply do not understand the requirements of the dancers foot. I am also making a new range of inserts to protect the dancer foot in various sections such as bunions and toes etc.

When will the shoe be tested and why did you feel a new hard shoe was necessary given the range of shoes already on the market?

I wanted to do it last year but I was physically unable to do that of course. It's a year late but I believe well worth the wait. It will be called the Creagh?

Why did you choose the name Creagh, and what does it mean?

It's pronounced as Creag or Craig and It means crag or rock. It's a Scots Gaelic spelling for my own name. I am half Irish, and I am also half Scottish so it seemed appropriate!

Have you worked with An comisiun in designing them? (Do they comply with the dress regulations? etc.)

I will of course hope that An Comisiun will approve them and I would not present such an innovatory shoe without their approval or input. However, I will not present such a shoe until I have completed the testing and done the final design. An Comisiun are far too busy to respond to anything other than a final design that they may wish to alter or suggest alteration at that stage before production. They will have to decide that what I am doing is acceptable to them and good for the dancer. They will comply with the current dress regulations.

In trials what has been the reaction?

I will answer that later on, as the shoe is presently in trial.

We'll certainly look forward to that! (check here for updates)

Thanks very much Craig, we look forward to seeing the new shoes in 2001.

We also would like to wish you well personally and hope you have a continued recovery

Hullachan Pro can be found through the following Web Sites.North America is www.hprona.com and everywhere else is www.hullachanpro.com