The Galty closes

Emotional closing night at The Galtymore

Country Roads
Michael Commins

MAYO native Jack Flannery from Bushfield, Hollymount, captured the essence of the occasion on the closing night of The Galtymore ballroom in Cricklewood, London.
“It’s like cutting off my right arm. This has been a home away from home to me for close on 40 years since I came to London. I’ve always loved The Galty and meeting the people from every part of Ireland. You can sense the emotion here tonight.”
When over 2,000 joined Big Tom and the Mainliners for the singing of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ at the end of the night, tears glistened in many an eye. There was no denying that we were witnessing a moment in Irish social history in the great city of London.
Earlier in the day, I had flown out from Shannon airport to be present for the historic night. In Moran’s Crown Hotel closeby, I joined Big Tom and his wife Rose and friends from Monaghan and other counties as they watched the Monaghan v Fermanagh match on the big screen. For Tom, Monaghan’s exit from the Ulster championship came as a surprise. But he was first to concede that Fermanagh fully deserved the laurels on the day.
The queues formed early outside The Galty, the venture established by the Byrne brothers from Kerry back in 1952. They may have been from Kerry, but they settled on a proud Tipperary name to honour their famous ballroom. Brian O’Connell from RTÉ and Aine Lally from TG4 were among the television news journalists present to record the ending of an era.
Singers of the calibre of Theresa Rodgers from Arranmore island off the Donegal coast are rare, and the now-London-based entertainer, along with her brother John, delivered a lovely set for the early arrivals. She is a superb singer and a charming lady as well.
In keeping with the tradition of The Galty, a céilí interlude was held as some dancers took the floor to the Siege of Ennis and a few other sets. The Galty was always famous for its ceili dances in former years.
And soon it was time for Big Tom and the Mainliners to take the stage. They had been invited over specially for the two closing dances of the last weekend, a truly special honour in itself. Several hundred supporters had also made their way over from Ireland, adding to the atmosphere of the occasion.
The years were rolled back as Big Tom and the band went down memory lane with a succession of their hit songs. From ‘Lonesome at Your Table’ to ‘Going Out The Same Way You Came In’, the dancers loved every minute of it. They could do no wrong as the night rolled gently towards another day.
Even Big Tom, a man of few words on stage, could not but reflect on the momentous occasion. Holding the audience in the palm of his hand, he recalled how he and the band had been coming to The Galty for 40 years. It was the ‘bread and butter’ of many bands who came across from Ireland over the decades. They would all miss it. “We had some fantastic nights in The Galty. Other places were big and good, but The Galty was special. We all loved playing here.”
Even big men are allowed to shed a tear on nights like this. And they did. Was there ever a song in the history of the world that can pull the heartstrings like ‘Auld Lang Syne’? Robbie Burns knew a thing or two about the Celtic soul.
For this emotionally charged final few minutes in The Galty, I was in the company of two Mayo girls, Elaine Ryan from Foxford and Gabrielle Hegarty from Belmullet. Both are nursing in London and had to be away for work at 7am in the morning. But they wouldn’t have missed this night for the world.
Michael Faherty from Renvyle, who had also come over specially for the final dance, was nearby. If a show of hands was asked for from the stage in relation to the county of origin of the people in the hall, Mayo would have won by a country mile.
Dawn had broken over London and the rain was pouring down as I headed back to Moran’s Hotel down the street. And even at that hour in the hotel, they still talked about the momentous night they had enjoyed in The Galty. A piece of history etched in the souls of all who made the journey. Truly can it be said that there is a roaming spirit in the heart of the Irish psyche.
I will feature some requests and dedications from the big night in The Galty in next week’s column.