ARE YOU DANCING

Welcome to the February issue of the Slaney News where I'll be giving you all that's going on in the dancing scene around the southeast and beyond.

I suppose the biggest and saddest news to date is the closing of Harney's of Ballyedmond. A venue that was up to recent times the hub of social dancing. With three very successful nights every week and going back a bit further their Irish nights that were packed to capacity. Hopefully it won't be permanent and someone with new and fresh ideas might give it a new lease of life. We wish Anna and Ned Harney all the best as they have put so much of their time and effort into running the dances at their venue. And to give Anna every credit she tried everything she possibly could to turn things around.

So why the closure when so many new people are taking up dancing as a pastime? Well, there is definitely a shift toward bigger bands and singers associated with them. People new to dancing are not just into traditional quickstep and waltzing. They love jiving and line dancing as well. But it's frowned upon in a lot of social dance venues. That's fair enough if the people there don't want change. But the writing's on the wall then.

I've written on more than one occasion here in the Slaney News that dance venues that were prepared to accommodate not just young people, but all new people to dancing, were going to capitalise. And the proof of the pudding was when John Molloy played in Oulart Community Hall last Saturday 28th January, over 150 people turned up. John was due to play five minutes up the road where he would have been lucky to get half that amount. The difference being, old and new were welcome. It was a right night according to all reports. Unfortunately, I had to miss it over our staff Christmas party.

And on the subject of the dance in Oulart, Tommy Sinnott who organised it is hoping to have more dances there in the future all going to plan.

Bree has announced a dance in June and I'm super excited about the lineup. Olivia Douglas, Stuart Moyles and The Tumbling Paddies who I wrote about here in a previous issue saying to keep an eye out for them as they were going to be making big waves in the music scene. Tidal waves as it turns out. Expect a huge turnout for this and I have tickets available at all classes if you're interested in going.

Sad news: Harneys of Ballyedmond is closing. Right: Gavin Gribben ticks all the right boxes.

And on the subject of singers to look out for, Gavin Gribben is the man. He played recently in the Ardattin Inn and he ticked all the boxes as far as the dancers were concerned. Song choices, stage presence and a great personality all make for a new kid on the block which is so badly needed. And he's only 21 with a big smile and a talented musician. He hails from Mayobridge at the foothills of the Mourne mountains in County Down. And also keep a look out for my good friend Alister Fingleton who after a long absence due to illness is very much on the mend and raring to go.

Please support the parish dances as every person in the door is the difference between keeping going or having to throw in the towel. You don't have to dance. Live music is so different than just listening to records, tapes or laptop tracks. Kiltealy, Askamore, Drumphea, Camross, and now hopefully Oulart, run monthly dances. Enniscorthy's Southeast R'n'R Club have great authentic Rock 'n' Roll bands in the Bailey and the IFA centre. Des Willougby runs fortnightly