From the archives: Church objected to granting of dance licence for Plaza Ballroom

By Tom Gillespie

IN September 1942 an application was made before Castlebar court for a licence for a new dance hall in the town - the Plaza Ballroom, Spencer Street - a move which was opposed by the Church, who ran dances in the Town Hall, and the Guards.

The Connaught Telegraph carried a report of the court case, before District Justice W. Coyne, on October 3 of that year. The applicant was Mr. James Barrett, Spencer Street, Castlebar, and he was represented by Mr. P.J. Durcan, solicitor.

Mr. Barrett told the court that he was the owner of a garage in Spencer Street (now Tommy Robinson’s), which he had converted into a dance hall. The premises, he said, were being altered at the moment and he was installing lavatories.

He said he was not at present looking for long hours, only 8.30 p.m. until 11 p.m., but he would like liberty to hold dances on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights of each week.

As far as he knew, at the present time in Castlebar there was no licensed dance hall, and the dances which clubs held in the Town Hall had to be asked for before the court.

Cross-examined by Supt Heydon, witness said he had only the ordinary accommodation for vehicles, but he did not expect many cars as he was only catering for short dances.

Replying to Mr. A.V.G. Thornton, who opposed the application on behalf of the Ven. Archdeacon John Fallon, P.P., the applicant said the place was not an ordinary garage as he had made certain changes. - You have only a cement floor and you don’t expect people to dance on that? - I cannot get timber. - Do you know of any other hall in the county with a cement floor? - There must be several all over the county. - Don’t you appreciate that at the moment it is not a place adapted to dancing, that there are no dressing rooms or lavatories? - The lavatories and dressing rooms will be ready soon. - Where are you going to park the cars? That is a dangerous corner, you know. - Nobody’s going to bring a car there for the sake of two hours. It is mostly ceilidhes I will have. - The floor is quite good enough for a ceilidh, but it is not good enough for a tango, is that it?

Re-examined by Mr. Durcan, the applicant said that his dances would not be held for the benefit of strangers. He did not intend catering for outsiders at all, and he was quite satisfied to have such a proviso inserted in the licence.

Mr. Durcan said it was a fact that the Town Hall was not a licensed dance hall. As to ownership of the garage, every solicitor in town knew that Mr. Barrett was the owner in fee simple of the place and of the grounds there for some distance towards the station. There could be no objection to the character of the applicant.

Sergeant Joseph Cahill, Castlebar, gave evidence as to the dimensions of the hall as 54 foot by 37 foot. He found that alterations were being made, lavatories and cloakrooms being erected, but they were not exactly in readiness.

Asked by Mr. Durcan if the place would make a most ideal dance hall, the sergeant said he thought it would and that it would be more suitable than the Town Hall. - And would it not from the point of view of the Guards be very easy to supervise? - It would. - Is it in other words a very good hall, sergeant? - It is with the exception of the floor.

Mr. Durcan: I submit that that is a matter for the dancers, and if people prefer to dance on concrete surely they are entitled to dance on it? - Yes.

Mr. Durcan: If they want a wooden or a maple floor they can go elsewhere. You would not hold the concrete floor against the applicant? - No.

The lighting and ventilation, you will agree, are most suitable? - Yes.

Sergt. Cahill said counting those in the hospital there would be a population of about 5,000 in Castlebar and the only facilities dancers had were at the Town Hall.

Mr. Durcan: And you will agree with me that the Town Hall is in a wretched state of repair? - Yes.

Isn’t the entrance to the Town Hall the worst in the county? - I don’t know other parts of the county.

Asked by Mr. Thornton if it would be to the ‘benefit’ of the young people of Castlebar to have this extra hall and short dances, the sergeant said it would.

Mr. Thornton: How often in fact is the Town Hall engaged for dances? - Some weeks they might have a few and other weeks none at all.

Though it is available for whoever wants it? - Yes.

The witness said he thought the permission of the Ven. Archdeacon Fallon had to be got to secure a dance in the hall, and as far as he knew that permission had never been refused. He said he did not remember there being an accident at the point in Spencer Street where the new hall was situated and he would not agree that it was one of the most dangerous places in town.

Mr. Durcan said he was going to ask that the licence be granted subject to the final repairs being completed. The Justice adjourned the application for a week.

The licence was granted and as can be seen from the advertisement in The Connaught Telegraph in January 1943, the official opening took place on January 27.