Alfie's Story

John Gibbons owned a dance hall in Mullagh. Everybody called it “Teds Johns Dance Hall”. Every Sunday night at nine o’clock people travelled from as far as Leacanvy and Killeen to these dances. The most common method of transport was to cycle. People usually left their bicycle behind my granny’s house. The dances were usually over at twelve o’clock but sometimes an “all night” dance would go on to one a.m. It cost six pence to go into a dance, and one shilling for an “all night” dance. The Creggan Bawn band played there most Sunday nights. People danced to sets and waltzes at the “all night” dances. Kathleen Gibbons Johns wife would have often brought tea and sandwiches. People usually gathered for a chat outside Bryan Banes shop next to Granny’s. Eventually Teds Johns closed and some years later my Granny and Granddad (Breege and Alfie Kelly) bought Teds Johns dance Hall. Granddad turned it into a cow shed. But to this day people still ask my Granny about…. Teds Johns Dance Hall!

Writer: Alfie Morrison 4th class

Teller: Fiona Morrison

The original hand written story is available below