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Addisons, like other mining towns in the early days, ran what are known as the dance houses. Some of the publicans would erect a large dancing room at their hotels and would employ from four to 10 girls as dance girls, and every night in the week a dance would be held. Crowds of miners would gather every evening at the dance rooms, as that was the only enjoyment they had. The price of admission was “nix,” but after every dance that a man had with a dance girl, he would have to take her to the hotel bar and “shout” for her, which meant 2s every time. One of the largest dance housese was erected by Tim Sheahan, and was known as Sheahan’s Casino, and it was built at the back of the Church of England, on the Skibireen road, leading up towards Neight’s Gully. (This part of the country has long since been worked away by Tom Neil’s and Morgan’s parties.) The Skibereen was then the main street of Addisons. It got its name from Cork, Ireland; at Ballemore Bay.

One of the greatest and most notable of balls ever held in the history of Addisons was held in Sheahan’s Casino. The price of admission was £1 a head, and the net profits of the hall were to go to Hokitika to fight the case of the Rev. Father Larkin, who got into serious trouble with the police in a celebration of protest against the hanging of the Manchester Martyrs in England. £500 was taken at the ball room door that evening. Inside and outside the hall was crowded. The music was supplied at that notable ball by Mr D. Stanton, cornet, and Patsy Mulqueen, clarionet.

The young generation can talk about their fancy fox trots, one-steps and veletas, etc., of to-day, but they could not hold a candle to the Irish jigs, hornpipes, reels, etc., that were danced on the evening of the grand ball. Dandy Pat put his heel through a flooring board that night in the finishing-up step of a Connaught Jig.

As years rolled on a State School was built, then the Irish Land League dances were held in the schoolroom. Hughie Moran would act as M.C. and was assisted by Bob Flynn, of Charleston. Mrs Barker, of Westport, would preside at the piano, with Mr Rosenberg, of Charleston, cornet, and Tom McNeight and Jim McQuinn at the fiddles.

The McEnroe’s built a public hall in the heart of the township and all socials and dances were carried out in the new hall. Paddy Galvin would be the M.C. and Miss Katie McEnroe would preside at the piano. I must also mention that on a fine Sunday evening in the latter years of Addisons just after church services, all the aged men would go up and squat on the Shamrock Hotel verandah. The old women would all gather at the crossroads by Maurice Foley’s place, and while the old men were talking about the week’s work done in the claims, and the women telling each other the latest scandal, and the bad color of the washing put out on washing day on Mrs So and So’s clothes line, then the young lads and lassies would go helter skelter down to Dirty Mary’s Creek bridge. Manuka brooms would be got to work to sweep the decking of the bridge. Then Charlie Cates would pull and push the very life out of an accordeonaccordion [sic]. Jim Galvin would call out the figures and a half a dozen sets of the youth and beauty of Addisons would dance the first set,