Murphy’s Town Hall Athenry 16 3.30 a.m. to the strains of the full Empire band, Galway. Over 60 couples took part, and the dancing was enjoyed by everybody.” 24th November 1929 – Athenry Golf Club held their Second Annual Dance in the Hall. Music by the Empire Dance Band, Galway (source: advertisement in Connacht Tribune 9th November 1929, page 11). 26th & 27th December 1929 – Connacht Tribune 4th January 1930, page 9, reported that Athenry Dramatic Club performed in the Hall on these dates: “On two successive nights, December 26 and 27, the members of the Athenry Dramatic Club gave a very enjoyable entertainment in the Town Hall, Athenry. The programme consisted of a play and comedy sketch, which were preceded by a concert. The main feature, entitled Andy Blake or The Irish Diamond, was an interesting production, depicting scenes of the middle of last century... The popular comedy, The Coiner, concluded each night’s performance and served to crown a wonderful performance. The proceeds of the entertainment were devoted to the building fund for the new Temperance Hall...” 30 2nd March 1930 – Athenry Rugby Club Dance in the Hall (source: Connacht Tribune 22nd February 1930, page 11): ATHENRY RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB WHIST DRIVE AND DANCE IN THE Town Hall, Athenry, On SUNDAY, MARCH 2nd, 1930 VALUABLE PRIZES: MUSIC BY MISS CORRIGAN’S DANCE BAND Tickets: WHIST 2/6 DANCe 3/6 16th & 17th March 1930 – Athenry Dramatic Club performed The Rebel Chief in the Hall (source Connacht Tribune 15th March 1930, page 11): “NEW SCENERY, NEW COSTUMES, AND SPECIAL LIGHTING EFFECTS. PLAY PRECEDED BY SHORT VARIETY CONCERT” 26th December 1930 – Athenry Dramatic Club performed a play in the Hall called The West’s Awake or The Dawn of Freedom by Malacha Muldoon, Ballaghadereen (source: Hall Journal & Notebook). 2nd to 4th January 1931 – Dorothy Grafton Repertory Company performed 4 nights (source: Hall Journal): Napoleon & Josephine, historical drama (Dorothy Grafton played Empress Josephine) Sonny Boy, adapted by GP White from The Singing Fool (1928) starring Al Jolson The Face at the Window, a play by F. Brooke Warren (French Detective P Goufett) 6th January 1931 – Our Boy’s Club Athenry performed Right O’Way in the Hall (source: Hall Journal). 29th to 30th January 1931 – Jack Downes Imperial Scots Concert Party performed their Concert (source: Hall Journal). 4th February 1931 – Father Prendergast CC of Athenry parish booked the Hall for a Concert on this date (source: Hall Journal). 16th to 17th February 1931 – Richard & Lillian Carrickford Dramatic Company performed 2 nights in the hall performing Madam X and also, The Desert Song (source: Hall Journal). 9th to 15th March 1931 – The Bowyer Westwood Company performed their Variety Concert & Opera on 7 nights in the Hall (source: Hall Journal). NB: The legendary Brendan Bowyer (Do The Hucklebuck and the Royal Showband etc.) was a grandson of Albert Bowyer and Olive Westwood. Page 30 of the Christmas Supplement to the Waterford News and Star, 9th December 2008 carried the following in a piece about Brendan: 31 30 Andy Blake or The Irish Diamond is a Two Act comedy by Dion Boucicault. The Coiner was a One Act comedy by Bernard Duffy first performed in 1916. 31 The Beatles, in their pre-fame days, played support to Brendan and the Royal Showband at Liverpool’s Pavilion Theatre, Lodge Lane on 2nd April 1962.
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