Murphy’s Town Hall Athenry 24 Limerick Leader 13th June 1936, carried the following background note on page 12, under the heading Bruff Notes: “Mr. Billy Walsh's touring ‘talkies’ paid a three days' visit to the local hall, where interesting screen programmes were presented.” 26th February 1937 – Billy Walsh Talkies, a Travelling Picture Company, screened Over The Garden Wall in the Hall, a 1934 romantic comedy, starring Bobby Howes and Margaret Bannerman (source: Hall Journal). Southern Star 30th July 1938 carried the following background note on page 12, under the heading Snaps from Schull: “BILLY WALSH'S Talkies are at present in Schull, and are presenting a picture programme for three nights in the C.Y.M.S. Hall. Some first-class shows are being exhibited, including the Farr-Braddock Fight and the Adventures of Tarzan. Large audiences are availing of the opportunity to see these pictures.” 6th March 1937 – Unfortunately we have no info on activities in the Hall at this time but page 20 of the Irish Independent of this date reported that Athenry was about to be linked up to the ESB supply: “...On April 1 the Electricity Supply Board hopes to take over the existing undertakings at Ballymote, Belturbet and Athenry. The Town of the Kings is the latest in County Galway to be linked up with the Shannon current, although it has had a private lighting system run by Messrs. Ruane for several years. The number of private consumers on the existing system in Athenry returned up to the 31st March last was 132... Under the new system in Athenry current will presumably be sold to private consumers at the rates generally obtaining throughout the Saorstat...” 2nd April 1937 – Messrs Carron Brothers Travelling Picture Company screened Storm over the Andes in the Hall, a 1935 movie starring Jack Holt, Antonio Moreno and Mona Barrie (source: Hall Journal). 30th April to 2nd May 1937 – Wm L Dobell Travelling Company performed 3 plays in the Hall (source: Hall Journal plus a 17th April 1937 Telegram from Dobell), across 3 successive nights: Peg O’ My Heart, by J Hartley Manners On The Spot, a 1930 play by (Richard Horatio) Edgar Wallace My Wife’s Family, a comedy play by Fred Duprez Maggie Morton and her husband, William ‘Lucky’ Dobell aka Dobey, 46 ran a Travelling ‘Fit Up’ Company called La Comedie Irlandaise 47 which visited Murphy’s Hall multiple times over the years. The Company’s touring motto was Que Dieu Me Protège et La Comédie Irlandaise 48 and included Mr Dobell’s nieces, Madge Merryweather and Ethel Lydney, among its entourage. An advertisement on page 4 of the Connacht Tribune 18th October 1924 indicated that 1924 had been the 46th Year of Uninterrupted Tour, so by 1937 the Company must have been touring for over 50 years. Dobell himself had passed away in 1932 but Maggie Morton and Madge Merryweather kept the show on the road. This 1937 Athenry appearance seems to have been their last visit to Murphy’s Hall, as we have no record of a visit after this date. The Northern Standard newspaper, 3rd November 1922, carried the following on page 4: “Mr. Wm L. Dobell the popular actor manager will present his justly celebrated dramatic company at Chadwick’s Cinema to-night (Friday) and on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday next, for four nights only. On Saturday night, The Curse of the Black Pearl... See the thrilling scene with the poisonous spider... The scenery and effects alone cost Mr. Dobell the sum of £500 ...those who have seen the play are most appreciative in their praise and applause... Messrs Chadwick are to be complimented in securing such excellent comedy fare for their patrons...” 28th June 1937 – Messrs Carron Brothers Travelling Picture Company screened Sitting On The Moon in the Hall, a 1936 romantic comedy movie starring Grace Bradley, Roger Pryor and Pert Kelton (source: Hall Journal). 12th July 1937 – Messrs Carron Brothers Travelling Picture Company screened Mark Of The Vampire in the Hall, a 1935 horror movie starring Bela Lugosi, Carroll Borland, Lionel Barrymore and Lionel Atwill (source: Hall Journal). 46 His birth name was George William Dunlop Haddington Tamplin, which he continued to use alongside Wm L Dobell 47 They also ran La Comedie Anglaise, as they toured both the UK and Ireland. Maggie Morton originally formed and managed La Comedie Anglaise in 1877 48 Which translates as God Save Me and The Irish Comedy
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