Saturday Night Past the new Hall in Clonmore saw a return too some of its famous days of old when, Ceili Dancing came back after many absent years. Ceili Dancers from all over Ulster, from North Tyrone, Gortin, Greencastle and Pomeroy, Nearer Tyrone neighbours from Aughnacloy, Ballygawley, Carland, Coalisland and Clonoe, and our closest Parish neighbours in Moy, Killyman, Dungannon and Edendork, from all over Co. Monaghan and Co. Armagh was well represented in the form of people from Ballymacnab, Granemore, Armagh City, and again locals form Blackwatertown, Collageland, Annaghmore and Clonmore itself well represented and all who came brought their energetic spirit, enthusiasm and love for Ceili dancing to make what turned out to be a most enjoyable night for all in the small townland of Clonmore in Co. Armagh.
One of Clonmore’s oldest residents Mrs Peggy McGeown Nee (Miss McDowell) herself a native of Clonmore was there on the night enjoying the entertainment and music recalled that the old Clonmore Hall was the place to be in bygone days and did herself enjoy many great nights of dance in the old hall decades ago.
One old News Paper clipping dug up during recent research for the book, Clonmore Through the Years, was from May 1937 acknowledging the very successful Ceili Mhor to raise funds for the local Emmett’s GFC, M.C on that night was the late Mr W.J. McAlinden R.I.P. and the music was reported to be by the Clonmore Ceili Band and Mrs McGeown recalled the Clonmore Ceili Band was two of Clonmore’s finest musicians at the time, the Late Jimmy Farrell R.I.P on accordion and Mr John Grimley R.I.P on fiddle father of 2 local men still living in Clonmore J.G. and Kevin Grimley. So nearly 80yrs on in the new hall enthusiasm for Ceili dance is very much alive in Clonmore.
Clonmore Regeneration Group who were hosting the event, offered their thanks to everyone who turned out on the night to support the Ceili, through Hugh McAlinden (whose father W.J. hosted the 1937 Ceili), from the stage, thanked everyone who went the extra mile, to those who helped prepare the hall for the night, the former Foye sisters now, Liz Donnellan, Jody Sutton and Sheelagh McCrudden who went the extra mile to get the event to Clonmore in the first Place. To all who brought food for refreshments our guests are still raving about it, to those who helped on the night brought gifts for the raffle and to all who promoted the event and sold tickets to get the people there.
M.C. for the evening was Peter Loughran who did an excellent job calling and directing the dances while matching the experienced dancers with the much less experienced and the fantastic music on the night was conducted brilliantly by Raymond Lonny and really enjoyed by everyone in attendance. It is now hoped that this will be the first of many Ceilis’ to come for the new Hall in Clonmore.
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