'How We Danced', an engaging show by Kevin O'Neill

Have you supported or attended any of the recent events in Athy’s Community Arts Centre? It is a question I put to many acquaintances as I attempt to gauge the level of support for the Arts Centre which has been run by volunteers for more than fifteen years. Last year the Community Arts Centre was open for two hundred and fifty days showcasing a variety of concerts, events and exhibitions. Last week Athy’s History Society hosted an unusual lecture/musical event as part of it’s winter series of lectures. “How We Danced” was the title of Kevin O’Neill’s engaging lecture which he interspersed with musical performances. The evening event was a celebration of local pride and identity which was hugely enjoyed by a capacity audience. Kevin, a master of many musical instruments and our own Joe Byrne opened the evening’s proceedings with both playing marching tunes on bagpipes as they paraded through the hall to the stage. It was a treat to see two first class musicians who at various times during the evening played bagpipes, violin, tin whistle and saxophone. Athy’s musical tradition gave Athy from the 1880’s onwards, marching bands, the first of which I have noted was the C.Y.M.S. Band. That band appears not to have lasted for very long. It’s successors, the Leinster Street Fife and Drum band and the Barrack Street Band were representatives of two different sides of Irish political life during the Home Rule period. Folklore would have us believe that the ex-soldier members of the Barrack Street Band fought many a battle on Crom-a-boo Bridge with the Leinster Street Band members. Memories of the legendary Casey Dempsey were revived when the Dempsey Ceili Band comprising Casey’s nephew Patsy, his two nieces Mary and Liz and Patsy’s wife Paula played on stage. Kevin spoke of the Ceili band era when Molly Cully’s Ceili Band from Levitstown blazed a trail, later travelled by the Gallowglass and the Ardellis Ceili bands. Kevin spoke of the South Kildare pipe band tradition which gave us pipe bands in Castledermot, Narraghmore, Kilberry, Churchtown, Castlemitchell and Athy. Dances in the Town Hall and from the mid 1930’s in the Social Club in St. John’s Lane featured performances by Earnest O’Rourke Glynn’s Cabaret Band. I have for many years searched without success for a record made by Ernest in a Dublin studio in the 1930’s. Another band of the early 1940’s was Mona Sylvester’s Ivy League Band. I recall Sylvester’s Sweet Shop in Emily Row presided over by Mona and her elderly mother. The Ivy Band was gone by the 1950’s, however, Mona played a significant part in the musical training of Joe O’Neill who would go on to lead the Stardust Band for many years. A songster of a later period, her voice was heard during Kevin O’Neill’s talk was the late Maisie Dooley. Maisie’s record of Irish Ballads was released in America and thanks to Bill Giltrap the record, purchased in Boston many years ago, was played to the Arts Centre audience. He was also able to play for the interested audience a hitherto unknown record made by the St. Joseph’s Fife and Drum Band in or around 1954. That youth band and it’s successor, the St. Joseph’s Brass and Reed Band was founded and trained by Joe O’Neill and his associates from St. Joseph’s Terrace. As Athy’s musical story extended into the 1940’s and 1950’s, that story was taken up by Joe O’Neill’s Stardust Band, Padden’s Murphy’s Sorrento Orchestra and Alex Kelly and the Four Aces. The band members while working locally in day jobs travelled the length and breadth of Ireland fulfilling dancehall engagements several days a week. On the opening night of Dreamland Ballroom, the Sorrento Orchestra was the support act for Victor Sylvesters Orchestra. On stage at the Community Arts Centre, Paddens Murphy’s son Paul and Joe O’Neill’s son Kevin played duets and solos on saxophones reminding us of their late fathers contribution to a never to be forgotten local musical tradition. The nights entertainment ended with a roll call of local showbands of the 1960s and the 1970’s with pride of place going to the Adelaide Showband whose members comprising John Kelly , Pat O’Keeffe, John Scully, John Lawler, Robert Eston, Denis Chanders and Jim Leigh are remembered with affection. “How We Danced” was a wonderful night of music and reminiscences provided and presented by Kevin O’Neill whose father Joe contributed so much musically and otherwise to the town “he loved so well”. The Irish Patchwork Society’s national exhibition which takes place every two years will this year be on display in Athy’s Community Arts Centre from the 6th to the 20th April. It will showcase the creativity and talent of the Society’s members from all around Ireland and abroad. This years exhibition theme “A Common Thread”- St. Brigid “ challenges the patchwork society members to explore what it is about Brigid that continues to resonate with people across the world. Admission to the Exhibition is free.