Mayo's Dance Hall Days & Irish Showbands. Radio Documentary

A unique and special radio documentary on the dance halls and ballrooms located in Mayo, on the West coast of Ireland . First broadcast back in 2006, it features some great interviews and stories from the many characters - past and present, including showband members and promoters . Presented and produced by Tommy Marren and Ronan Courell

[@leonolanofficial4581]

From a young man of 16 it makes me have an odd feeling of happiness and sadness listening to this!

[@aerirec4832]

My father, rip 58yrs old, brain tumor, lived for this music. I watched him while growing up with sweat filled shirts! Lol

[@angelarogin6015]

Just fantastic times ,.Very innocent indeed.

[@Mairin486]

Looking at the picture of Pontoon Ballroom, memories of the late John McNally from Lanesborough come flooding back. John was the man, who put Margo into the big time. R.I.P. Old friend.

[@berragorman637]

Margo? is that Daniel O'Donnell's sister? fabulous singer herself🎵🎵

[@Mairin486]

Indeed yes. Margo is Daniel's big sister. A great Irish ballad singer, but less so as a pure Country singer. A nice Dame into the bargain. Still chanting.

[@berragorman637]

@@Mairin486 Slainte a chara...thank God Father Callaghan wasn't about when the Glaswegians were in Dungloe town🎵🎵😁😁😂😂

[@Mairin486]

You loose me here Berra. Explain.

[@berragorman637]

Sorry for the late reply Kevin, during the Mary from Dungloe festival there were many Glasgow Irish on holidays to the oul farmsteads and were rather boisterous shall we say😁 from memory Fr Callaghan was the parish priest in St Peter's Dungloe and maybe thought the Glaswegians were too rowdy around the festival, they were just loving the craic😁🎵🎵

[@jackyboi8743]

My grandad Michael o hara would have attended this dance hall lived down the road a bit

[@noragilhawley1312]

Great days

[@caroleyre9144]

Thankyou…loved this…My Paternal Granny Katie Kelly was from County Mayo borne around 1910 but they had to migrate to Scotland …but …I’m not even sure if it was my Grandparent’s or their parents who migrated to Scotland cs I wasn’t raised wae ma Da’s family …I grew up in Scotland then mostly in England with my Mum from West Coast of Scotland and my Step Dad from East Coast of Scotland 👍😅🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@berragorman637]

Ahaahhhh .. Great listen .. the marquee in Dungloe Co Donegal during the Mary from Dungloe festival was something else .. Big Tom McBride and the Mainliners and the Magnificent Indians Showband 🎵🎵😀😀

[@themadfarmer5207]

Incredible times. Younger generation do miss a lot. The world has moved on, they have other forms of entertainment. Wondering if there was a need for planning permission for the ballrooms, invironment impact studies,?

[@jimbanda]

"Club Cola" , not quite but close lol... I missed the hayday of the showbands but I caught the tail end of the 70's Dances. The Royal Ballroom , Club Crystal , Beaten Path , Pontoon Ballroom (Why was it levelled?).

[@maureenmartin4730]

They were great nights., no bars. Until years later., but alcohol was served at the carnival dances unti quite late and then the odd fisticuffs😂

[@caroleyre9144]

Oh Aye great times but oh the fisticuffs sometimes 👍😅 🇮🇪🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@noelfleming3567]

Pontoon u couldn't miss a Saturday nite no matter who was playing u pass by now not a sign of d Hall great times and good memories