Sean McLaughlin recalls the carefree dance hall days of the 1960s and the worldwide stars who visited Derry. The Embassy Ballroom on Derry’s Strand Road was formerly one of Ireland’s top dance halls, hosting some of the most famous names in show business.The Derry venue was in the vanguard of a musical revolution in the 1970s, hosting 1960s icons such as Lulu or Helen Shapiro as well as Irish rockers Thin Lizzy.
The Corinthian, Memorial Hall, Criterion, Cameo/Stardust, Borderland, Plaza, and Fiesta were some of the best dance halls in the North West back then.
However, when it came to wooing high-profile guests, the Embassy always seemed to go all out. Willie Deery, a local author who has written an acclaimed book about Derry’s dance halls, describes the city as a remarkable place to live in the 1950s and 1960s.
“Families were only just coming out of post-war poverty,” he told me. “For the first time in who knows how long, many had a few shillings in their pockets. Some were to feel the comfort of a new suit, blouse, or dress on their back for the first time.
According to Willie, after a long week of working in factories, construction sites, shops, or offices, the dance halls became the focus point for young people’s expectations.
“On a Friday, the ‘Derry Journal’ entertainments pages were scoured from corner to corner to see what bands were playing that Friday, Saturday or Sunday night,” according to him.
“In Derry, back then, the dance halls – along with the picture houses – provided the main entertainment for the young people.” Willie believes the Embassy Ballroom was the most luxurious of Derry’s dancing halls.
“It had soft carpets throughout, and the dance floor was always very polished. The balcony has modern chairs and tables, and the facilities were always clean.
“Patrons could sit and have a mineral and watch the dancers below or just listen to the band in great comfort.”
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