British Army Farewell Concert 1922.
On Monday 30th January 1922 the 1st Battalion of the Royal
Northumberland Fifth Fusiliers travelling in "motorised transport"
were escorted by the Irish Republican Police from the Military
Barracks to the Deighton Memorial Hall in Burrin Street to attend
and perform at two Farewell Concerts. The Deighton Hall was packed
out for the performances and a crowd assembled outside. Years later
Archie Breen and Alfie King liked to recall how the people from "the
Lanes" gathered outside the Hall and sang along with the St.
George's Minstrels and the Army Band such old Music Hall favourites
as "Don't Dilly Dally on the Way" "Down at the Old Bull and Bush"
"Hello Hello" "It's a Long Way to Tipperary" "A Mother's Lament" and
a selection of Operatta and Percy French songs and finally " Come
Back to Erin Mavoureen, Mavoureen". Mr. Governey kindly supplied a
few dozen crates of beer which was shared by all inside and out.
This was among the last "official" acts of the British Army in
Carlow until twelve days later when they would formally hand over
Carlow Military Barracks to the Irish Free State Army.
The Nationalist 4th February 1922.
Farewell Concerts in Carlow
On Monday night a Farewell Concert was given in the Deighton
Memorial Hall, Carlow, to the 1st Battalion of the 5th Fusiliers,
who are leaving the town under the terms of the Treaty. There was a
good attendance and a very enjoyable evening was spent.
Farewell Recital.
On Thursday night a Farewell Recital was given in St. Mary's
Protestant Church to the same Battalion. Mr. J.A. Craig presided at
the organ. There was a large congregation and the well arranged
programme was highly appreciated by everybody present.
[Note
added by Michael Purcell 2010. It must have been some sight to
witness a battalion of the British Army in convoy travelling through
the streets of Carlow protected by I.R.A. men!]
Carlow Cinema
That Old Failing
SOME amusing tales are recounted about
the early days of the cinema in Carlow. I remember one film in the
old Assembly Rooms called "The Lad From Old Ireland." It
dealt with an Irish man who emigrated to America. He worked hard and
made his fortune, and when that was done he decided to come home and
rescue the old home from the burden of debt.
Some members of the audience were
entranced by the realism of the silver screen in those early days,
and watched the exile with absorption. On his way home he went in to
“have a few for the road”. He met the first barrier to his
ambitions, and never stopped until he drank his fortune. Pitched out
into the gutter of New York he sobered up, realised his mistake and
started to redeem has substance. Again about to leave for home he
was once again waylaid by companions only too ready to relieve him
of his hard-earned fortune. As the tempter sidled up to him, one of
the audience realising too realistically the peril of the moment,
cried out in a loud voice: "If that toucher gets him he'll never see
Ireland again."
Dan Hosey
I remember another remark passed by a
Carlovian after attending a professional performance in the old
Assembly Rooms of "The Bohemian Girl." Having previously attended an
amateur performance, he was accustomed to hear one of the
principals, Don Jose, pronounced according to English phonetics.
The professionals, of course, went better
than this and gave the name the Spanish pronunciation. Now, J in
Spanish is pronounced like our H.
What did he think of the show? a friend
asked. "Not bad at all," replied our friend, "but I couldn't
understand why they kept on calling that fellow Dan Hosey."
The above is a true and
accurate transcript of the original document.
- Transcribed by M. Purcell c2010.
- Old newspapers in the PPP.