Jigs to Jacobites explores 4000 years of Irish history through the lens of 40 traditional set dances. Set dances form a small but unique repertoire of tunes within the larger Irish traditional music repertoire. They are also a core dance within Irish dance tradition. Some set dances feature dance steps and choreographies that have been handed down from one generation to the next. Other set dances are open to personal interpretation by a dancer or dance teacher.

Many set dances have associated songs, poems and stories that link them to key points in history. From the Tuathe Dé Danann, to Bonnie Prince Charlie, to the Italia '90 World Cup, themes from Irish world history provide a narrative for each set dance.

Jigs to Jacobites is an engaging presentation of music and dance history. The story of each set dance is told from a general history, music history, and dance history perspective. Each set dance title is illustrated and music notation is also provided.