When I was a teenager in the 60s I worked selling soft drinks and cigarettes on Sat nights at the Mayfair ballroom in Clondalkin, and saw some great bands, I really liked the Chessmen, Platters, Airchords and Pacific. I also saw the Searchers, Tremeloes, Honeycombs and Applejacks. I remember too, the Black Eagles with Phil Lynott used to do the warm-up spot, he always looked very smart but you'd never guess he was destined for stardom, the band were nothing special, they played Elvis's Hound Dog and John Lee Hooker's Dimples. There were lots of fights, they weren't too fussy who they let in and the place changed it's name and was "under new management " - yeah ? several times. It was called El Morrocco and a few others I forget. If we weren't taking much money the owner would go round with a long pole and close the roof windows, then say to the band "play some rock'n'roll ! What am I paying you for ?" So they'd all be leppin' and in 10 minutes time there'd be a big queue of hot sweaty dancers all wanting to buy a drink to cool them down....Protestant church socials were calmer affairs where the punters didn't batter each other, they came from miles around looking for a partner. No fighting was good but we had to endure the rather staid Jimmy Dunny band who played "proper" dance music, not much rock/n/roll, but on the plus side, you got a sandwich and a cup of tea made by the parish ladies, which was much better than fizzy orange and a packet of crisps. Halcyon Days !
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