Remembering the popular Maytime Festival in Dundalk

My answer in Question Time about the name of the first Dundalk Festival back in 1964 has brought back many memories of the early days of the Maytime Festival which was so popular here fifty years ago and lasted for the best part of forty years. The Festival itself changed greatly in character over the latter part of the last century but, for me at least, the most exciting time was in those early days of the 1960s when it began, mostly, with street events, dramatic productions and competitions in local halls and sport grounds.

The one novel idea that with which I was most associated was what was euphemistically called 'Radio Dundalk' which was located in the basement of the Town Hall and purported to be a sort of local radio station but was nothing more than a public address system with loud speakers strategically located around the town's main streets. The 'Radio' mostly, broadcast popular music of the time, gave details of events that were happening that day, with result of competitions afterwards.

The 'station' was under the control Ronnie Soraghan who had a music store in Clanbrassil Street at the time and later moved to Park Street. He supplied all the records free of charge. The presenters were the late Gerry 'Birdie' Quigley and a young David Humpheries. I had charge of news bulletins which was nothing more that local gossip, something, I suppose, like the social media of today but of a much more naive character.

I had been asked to do this job by my friend from schooldays, Richard Martin, whose cousin Paddy was the President of the Festival that year 1966. We were a great team that got on very well and I do not recall an argument or even a harsh word but we did get into trouble on one occasion with the local clergy who complained, or so we were told, at the Festival head office in the Imperial Hotel, Park Street, for broadcasting too loud music at inappropriate times, particularly when funerals were taking place at the nearby St. Patrick's Church. The ever diplomatic Ronnie, however, managed to smooth things over but we were restricted to broadcasting for much reduced periods.

The thing that amazed me about the playing of music was how popular it was in the requests we had handed to us from various shops and offices around the town, particularly from younger people. I suppose it had something to do with the Showband Era that was in full swing at the time and, perhaps, young people were beginning to feel more 'liberated' by cultural restrictions that had held sway in Ireland for so long. I can recall the bundles of hand-written notes that came in, not just with the music requested to be played, but also the many dedications to friends and relatives around the Town. Gerry Quigley was adept at sorting them out and, somehow, managed to please most of our audiences, in spite of the limitations of the records available.

The Maytime Queen

Another thing I recall fondly about the early Maytime Festivals was the excitement surrounding the selection of the Maytime Queen! The very first Festival Queen was Margaret Gallagher from Donegal. She had been selected at a Gala Dance held in the Adelphi Ballroom on the Friday night before the Festival began with a parade through the streets of the Town crowded with spectators on the Saturday. Margaret was most popular and played her part to perfection on her 'Royal' visits to various functions over the following week. Sadly she died not very long afterwards at an early age. The Festival Queen event continued to grow in popularity in the years that followed and attracted many entrants from far and wide. An entry I have come across in the Dundalk Democrat review of happenings in the year I was mentioning relating to the 'Festival Radio' 1966, states --- 'Miss Marie Mullen of Drogheda was elected Festival Queen, while the runner-up was Miss Noleen Kenny, Ardee and third was Miss Patricia McDonagh, Dundalk.'

I wonder are these ladies still around and do their children and grand-children ever ask them about their experiences?

My memories of the early days of the Maytime Festivals have been saddened recently by the realisation that many people who were involved with the organisation of the annual event have passed away over the past twelve months. It is not all that long ago the Breege McBride (nee Kelly) who was President of the Festival Council for many years, as was Alf Dwyer and Sean Casey also did a lot to promote those early Festivals. These are just three who spring to mind as being persons who did much to make the Festival such a great success and I am sure there are many more who have slipped away but left a great legacy to Dundalk! There is much more I could write about early and even latter days of the Dundalk Maytime Festival when it transformed into and international theatre competition but I do not have the space to include these recollections in this issue. However, I hope to return to subject when I have gather more information from my friend Richard Martin and others who are still around!