In Reply to: re: Ballrooms of Romance posted by oliver killeen on April 09, 2010 at 16:43:40:

a cara......the connaught devoted two whole pages to the dance scene way back then.......michael mulcahy and his orchestra playing in the horseshoe....whilst in pontoon ....del......was the night stealer.....mick delahunty and his brothers ....jackie and paddy.......from clonmel were playiny at the mecca in the west.......mick delahunty fashioned his band on the great glen miller....saxes taken the lead.....supported by a big brass section.....i remamber cycling to pontoon one night .....to hear del....i headed off down the pontoon road......headingpast tuckers lake.......the moon cast long shadows of the hawthorn bushes and hedges on the road.....in the fields came the sounds of crikets and corncrakes...and other night invaders.....soon clydagh bridge could be seen in the distance and the dark silhouette of palic brownes house......as i rounded the bridge ...palic was leaning on his gate....knowing perhaps the road was going to be busy....with bicycles and hackneys on their way to the shores of loch conn.......yo're heading to pontoon ...palic saluted as i rode by.....palic brown was an interesting character....a local legend.....his orchard in those days produced the nicest crop.....but it was a difficult orchard to raid because it was close to his house and his black and white sheep dog was never too far away....soon i was at ross...i passed the dispensary and vaheys......another character i enjoyed ....we got involved in the sheep wool business at one point.......now the barren wastelands ....the scents of the bog heather andbog daihl perfumed the night air........bog and barreness as far as the eye could see......how often i saw the "jobber "...my old friend johnny ruanne....cutting and saving turf in bog at ross....this long some what straight boreen....linked off the main road and served as an artery in the bog......the turf here was heavy and brown.....and burned leaving you with a grate of yellow ashes......i know because i was a fire fuel provider at one point with martin keane as my assistant........now as i said goodbye to ross.....the white mountains and the windy gap....were noticeableas i pedalled like hell....towards the dance......i passed the devanney farm....and mary mcgowans....mary was walking along the road with a bucket in one hand ...a stick in the other....and her faithful dog trotting at her side.....the bogs of the white mountain produced a different kind of turf....in these bogs the turf was down cut....and was hard and black.....like sods of coal......this was the most desired turf....passing along the road the odd rat or rabbit shot across the road......soon the monn shimmered on the lake ....and its silver dance mirrored like jewels.....not too far now......the ball alley was now visible.......as were the lights of healys pub......healys bring back many memories.....many a night ......john kenny and i supped the best of the liffey......another pint ...doctor ...john would exclaim......this particular night......i dropped by for a quick pint before the dance......and then over to the hall.....people milled around the door....and there was a buzz.....all there to hear the mighty delahunty......the hall was bright.....and side doors were opened allowing the gentle breezes of the lake freshen things up.....in the hall the format was the same .....women on one side ....men on the other.....with the odd couple....talking in the middle of the floor....the band tuned up and soon ....mick delahumty broke into his signature first number ....the american patrol......there were crowds from everywhere.....from lahardane ...and crossmolina.....from bofeenaune to....sligo....this was the pull mick delahunty had.......as the dance moved from fast to slow...to the speckles of the the big revolving ball....started to get the juices of romance flowing.....soon couples could be seeing taking a little stroll outside......influenced of course by the light of the silvery moon.......
....different eyes ......different sighs.....different girls every day ........different names....different games......took my breath away.....take me away.....from the world......take me and break me ...and make me im an island .....im yours.....
.......back at pontoon the last dance was fast approaching .....here the guys ...would make their final move......mick would start with....its almost tomoorow.........{my dearest my darling....}ahh....the lovers would cling to each other.......as they shuffled around in their finest seductive steps.......then the band would break in to.....voya con dios..........as the dance ended.....there was the shuffle out .....standing outside ....waiting and watching for ....the girl of your dreams to come out.......this was the scene way back then......when....mick delahunty......the clipper carlton.....earl gill......des fretwell packed them in from pontoon ....castlebar....toreen......to the seapoint in salthill.....when later we headed to the big smoke....london....places like the galtymore...in cricklewood....the banba ...in kilburn.....the garryowen in hammersmith......the hibernian in fulham......the buffalo....in camden town....gave us a little bit....of the heaven we left behind
.....the big band and orchestra scene ...died with the advent of ...the showband era......but this music and dance phenomenon....of the early fifties....galvanised us irish from rural ireland all over the world.....the last time i met stephen garvey....was in the bronx new york about 1958.....we talked of the days of ballroms and orchestra.....we were bith saddened by the demise of that era.....we talked about one night he played in bundoran......at the astoria.....and later going to the rafferty family....who operated a burger joint in bundoran.....of course jimmy was married to a rafferty.......i was doing my bit for the cause at finner camp.......
some years ago ......i had the pleasure of befriending sean dunphy...of ...if i could chose ....fame....when he was in toronto.....also sean fagan of the dublin corporation......we talked about what made us irish troubadors of the world....our great love for song and dance......what exiled irish person could not be touched ...by .....last night ...i had a pleasant dream......etc....i dreamt i was back again in dear old carrick town.........and the melody of lovely leitrim........in toronto johnny gilligan kept the beacon burning for many when he operated the maple leaf ballrom......
....so for all those that personally enjoyed those days when the big bands dragged us ....from town to country and back.....i know you have a treasure of soft memories....for those that never knew that experience....its a pity....
....i hear the sounds of distant drums......far away....far away......and if they call for me to come......then i must go and you must stay.....
.....tog go bog e.......