Mick – The Pride of the Five Glens

Grange Mart is the brainchild of three locals, Willie Farrell, John Mc Gowan and Peter Casey. The day of the show Columb Mc Bride from the Ulster Bank presented Mick Nicholson with £50 and a grand cup. On seeing Columb, one couldn’t but reflect on the time when he, Tom Mullaney and a younger fella were given the roles of the three dancing soldiers in “The Death of Cuchulainn”, a W. B. Yeats play which Walter Mc Donagh was producing for those grand American visitors who swamp the place each summer. Columb was a great dancer, and Tom Mullaney was as nimble on his feet as he is with words. But the other youngster was terrible. The trio’s performance on the first night was bad. On the second night, again due to the rhythmless young fella, it was worse. But on the closing night it was a downright disaster. However, on coming off the stage they were confronted by a smiling Walter Mc Donagh. The guilty youngster stared at him, puzzled by the grin. “Jesus, you made so many bloody mistakes that it looked right”, exclaimed Walter.

(You’ve guessed it – the reporter was the third dancer!)

an extract from The Western Journal, September 29th, 1978, by Tommy Gorman