From the archives: Mayo's Pavilion Ballroom was opened in 1949
By Tom Gillespie
IT was no figment of the imagination or no newspaper man’s dream to say that all roads led to The Pavilion - Westport’s beautiful and spacious dance hall - on Sunday, November 6, 1949.
From 10 p.m. until past midnight fleets of motor-cars carried contingent from all parts of Westport and from every corner of the county, and at 1 a.m. upwards of 1,000 were dancing in Mayo’s leading dance hall to the excellent music of Vic Burgoyne’s popular orchestra.
Easily a record, the huge attendance was high in their praise of the excellent hall, its management and all else. Carnival hats, confetti, balloons and all types of novelties were much in evidence. The Pavilion has come to stay, and history has again been made.
In addition to coming by car, hoards came on bicycle and on foot until not a square foot of space was available on the ideal maple-sprung floor, which was as smooth and as level as a billiard table.
The function was a most outstanding one; it was a smashing hit, and surely after Sunday night The Pavilion is easily in the lead and all others must be content to follow.
Hats off to the men who made the dance hall possible, and made such a perfect job of it. It was a colossal undertaking, but they made the grade. Good luck to their initiative and enterprise. They were worthy of a great and lasting tribute.
Excellent in every way as a dance hall, its perfect floor was a pleasure on which to dance. There were no slip-ups or easy last minute arrangements - everything was tops.
Sunday night was only the beginning of many such successful functions; the hall has established itself, and it will be a big task to take away its reputation.
In the years to come, when many if us are passing into life’s evening, it will be a grand and glorious thing to say: “I was there when The Pavilion was opened.” It will be a memory worth storing up in the corridors of time, because when other things have been forgotten and perish The Pavilion will live on and continue to flourish.
The hall was beautifully and artistically decorated for the occasion with streamers and multi-coloured electric lights, including revolving globes which have a grand effect. At 1 a.m. the official opening took place.
Prior to the opening, Mr. John Staunton, chairman, Westport Town F.A., said he wished to thank all who made the function such a success. Were he to mention names he would be sure to omit somebody, and therefore he would mention none.
Mr. J.L. Brennan, chairman, Football Association of Ireland, said it was privilege and a pleasure to be with the grand homely people of Westport. He was in the habit of speaking from behind a microphone in private, but here he was speaking in public, and he could see how the people before him would react.
He regretted that Mr. Wickman, secretary of the FAI, was unable to attend, but in his (speaker’s) party were Capt. Scully, secretary, Shamrock Rovers, and chairman of the International Selection Committee; Loe Cleary, Leinster FA delegate to the FAI; W. Ginny, chairman, Leinster FA, and Mr. Farguarson, brother of Mr. Tom Farguarson, the Irish international goal-keeper.
He congratulated most heartily Westport Town Club. They had certainly kept the west awake where soccer was concerned, and perhaps some day that might have a League of Ireland club in the locality.
He congratulated them on their initiative and enterprise in erecting such an excellent dance hall. He could not conclude without paying a special tribute to Mr. Tommie Brennan, C.F.A. secretary. Mr. Brennan was one in a million, and a find for any club.
Mr. J. McEllhinney, Connacht Senior Representative, FAI, also paid a special tribute to Mr. Brennan. He was also delighted to know that Mr. Frank Gill, pioneer Westport soccer, was present, and would officiate at the official opening of the hall. The hall would now be opened by Mr. Gill.
When the deafening cheers had died down, the crowd of over 1,000 patrons formed up in fours and, to the stirring strains of ‘Step Together’, they paraded round the hall.
Across the centre of the hall stretched a length of tape. The great moment had come: The Pavilion was officially opened.