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Does anyone remember the last of the dance halls in Ireland?

  • 17-07-2019 9:50pm
    #1
    Ubbquittious
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,256 ✭✭✭


    What was it like at the time these were closing? Were people sad to see them go or well sick of it when they went? Did some stay open much longer than others?


    I wonder if it will ever make a comeback because everything is cyclical and the generation growing up now have never seen them, even some of their parents never frequented them and therefore the concept would appear as entirely new to them


Comments

  • #2
    _blaaz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,646 ✭✭✭_blaaz


    By all accounts of ould lads i known that frequented them in the 50s.....there used all sorts of riding and shifting go on in fields areound em


  • #3
    GarIT
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    _blaaz wrote: »
    By all accounts of ould lads i known that frequented them in the 50s.....there used all sorts of riding and shifting go on in fields areound em


    My grandparents tell me that never happened, pre-marital sex is an invention of the 90's apparently :pac:


  • #4
    branie2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    It was a long time ago


  • #5
    BuboBubo
    Registered Users Posts: 927 ✭✭✭BuboBubo


    Ubbquittious wrote: »
    What was it like at the time these were closing? Were people sad to see them go or well sick of it when they went? Did some stay open much longer than others?


    I wonder if it will ever make a comeback because everything is cyclical and the generation growing up now have never seen them, even some of their parents never frequented them and therefore the concept would appear as entirely new to them

    Before my time I'm afraid :)

    However - a resurrection of sorts is possible given the amount of young wans listening to Nathan Carter and similar dross nowadays. Cant see it being a tea only/no alcohol and the parish priest supervising it, but ya never know...


  • #6
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,548 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    There's still a few extant and operational, Glenfarne for instance. The local one to me - demolished now - opened surprisingly late and last renewed its dance licence in 1989; may not have actually had a proper night for a year or two before then but they thought there might be one.


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  • #7
    yaguhu cloud
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭yaguhu cloud


    GarIT wrote: »
    My grandparents tell me that never happened, pre-marital sex is an invention of the 90's apparently :pac:

    when did Gay Byrne come on the scene?


  • #8
    branie2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    yaguhu cloud wrote: »
    when did Gay Byrne come on the scene?

    1962


  • #9
    L1011
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 69,548 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    As for what killed them - the music stayed popular long after the halls started fading. "Roadhouse" pubs/motels/hotels with huge function rooms killed them, because they could sell drink.


  • #10
    yaguhu cloud
    Closed Accounts Posts: 20 ✭yaguhu cloud


    branie2 wrote: »
    1962

    he's looking well for it


  • #11
    branie2
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,305 ✭✭✭✭branie2


    He sure is


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  • #12
    bazz26
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 51,289 ✭✭✭✭bazz26


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKwO1aB1W3I


  • #13
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,888 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    I don’t think the OP will be getting all that many posters with first hand memory of the dance halls as they were at their zenith in the 1950s, two decades before I was born (and I’m on the older cohort of posters here).

    Nightclubs, on the other hand...


  • #14
    tigerboon
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 726 ✭✭✭tigerboon


    L1011 wrote: »
    As for what killed them - the music stayed popular long after the halls started fading. "Roadhouse" pubs/motels/hotels with huge function rooms killed them, because they could sell drink.

    They used to sell drink. Any photos I've seen there was drink on the tables (not the mountain of glasses you'd see now). There was a bar in the local one. A relation of mine was the barman.
    I think they just didn't change with the times. Kids started to listen to hippy stuff or metal or prog rock or something and were just too "cool" for the auld showbands. Also more people were getting cars than ever before so could travel. They had more choice so the local dancehall couldn't compete with the big nightclubs


  • #15
    Allinall
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,824 ✭✭✭Allinall


    I saw The American Drifters in the Unyoke back in the day.

    At the time I thought they were the real thing.


  • #16
    olestoepoke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,391 ✭✭✭olestoepoke


    I danced in the Olympic Ballroom in the early 90s, does that count?


  • #17
    whisky_galore
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,517 ✭✭✭✭whisky_galore


    L1011 wrote: »
    As for what killed them - the music stayed popular long after the halls started fading. "Roadhouse" pubs/motels/hotels with huge function rooms killed them, because they could sell drink.

    Drink driving laws killed off most of those in turn.


  • #18
    Princess Consuela Bananahammock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,634 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Still around. They're called "clubs" now I believe, but essentially it's the same thing. Pre-post-marital shagging.

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • #19
    OldGoat
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,637 ✭✭✭✭OldGoat


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    I don’t think the OP will be getting all that many posters with first hand memory of the dance halls as they were at their zenith in the 1950s, two decades before I was born (and I’m on the older cohort of posters here).

    Oulwans and Oulfellas forum -->>>
    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=1480

    I'm older than Minecraft goats.



  • #20
    Hamsterchops
    Registered Users Posts: 3,278 ✭✭✭Hamsterchops


    The Top Hat

    Dun laoghaire/Monkstown


  • #21
    topper75
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,942 ✭✭✭topper75


    Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »
    ... Pre-post-marital shagging.

    Ha ha - brilliant phrase! and accurate.


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  • #22
    Princess Consuela Bananahammock
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 33,634 ✭✭✭✭Princess Consuela Bananahammock


    Hamsterchops wrote: »
    The Top Hat

    Dun laoghaire/Monkstown

    Wasn't that a roller skating disco?

    Everything I don't like is either woke or fascist - possibly both - pick one.



  • #23
    riclad
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,184 ✭✭✭riclad


    i think they have been replaced by the local nightclub , disco .
    When the dance halls were big there was not strict enforcement of drink driving laws as there is now .
    People expect to have a drink when they go out now .


  • #24
    Bobblehats
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,707 ✭✭✭Bobblehats


    Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »
    Wasn't that a roller skating disco?

    Not on live concert nights that’s for sure. People still went skating but it was usually on beer sweat and vomit


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