Ballroom of Romance

[Twocoats]

No. Only the one living here in Vancouver. He is a great horn player. You brother probably knows him

[EllCee]

"Do you remember another Jim Armstrong who played guitar?  He was renowned up in NYC
Well I just learned to-day that he has had a stroke
Dont know if he will be playing again"

Oh no.  I spent many Saturday afternoons in the Pound Club loving his "Reeling in the Years".  A great guitarist. 

I believe he was once selected as the guitarist in the "Playboy Band".

[Mageeka]

Yes T/Coats 
My brother knows both Jims and has played with them
He asks if you have ever met a guy named Short who is from B/Fast and lives in Vancouver
I guess that is like asking for Murphys in Ireland

[Twocoats]

+Sorry I have never heard of him. I see you are in touch with your brother. I hope he is well
Twocoats

[Mageeka]

He is doing fine T.C and playing away, He has his own little group in the Europa every  Sat, afternoon
He also does a lot of teaching and pit gigs

[Mageeka]

Big Dave Glover is still in hospital and currently in a wheelchair
Ernie Shimmos trombonist doing great and  is celebrating his 80th birthday on July 12 th

[gerrymac]

Hi all I'm new to this site I used to see Mark Mitchell, Tony Morelli and the Professionals in the Green Briar, That was as close to the showband era I got to, I had some great nights up in that place, My brother Jim used to play with the Newmen Showband n the Astor in Belfast. Catch you all later. GerryMac

[Mageeka]

Gerry could  your Brother be JimMac He might be   my oul mate from Milan St  He played Trombone and I believe he went to Australia  Please let me know

[gerrymac]

Hi good to hear from you Megeeka, Jim Is my brother and we did live in Milan St. He's living in Brisbane and doing very well, he has been back in Ireland many times, his last visit was in 2003 and I have been over to see him three times my last visit was last year. Keep in touch Megeeka my email addy is [email protected]
A.T.B. GerryMac

[Christopher]

in the Green Briar

Hiya GerryMac,

Welcome to Belfast Forum.

Could you tell me, where's the Green Briar please?

I wonder if there was a as tight a squeeze there in those days as there has been in Pat's Bar and the Rotterdam Bar this weekend. Boys oh you can hardly move in these two bars when the Rockabilly bands are playing. I took a stroll around the Clarendon Dock yesterday. It's really great to see so many people enjoying themselves at the Belfast Maritime Festival. There's so much going on ... it's hard to see everything. The Tall Ships help to draw a big crowd. The Jeannie Johnston, a replica Emigrant Ship (made near Tralee), is here too.

There are lots of trade stalls. I was talking to a young woman from Newcastle on Tyne who sells fudge. Imagine bringing a large wagon full of fudge from Newcastle to Belfast. It's beautiful fudge though. By the way the fudge wagon follows the Tall Ships so if you missed it in Belfast look for the Tall Ships web site.

Best Wishes, Christopher 

[gerrymac]

Hi Christopher
Thanks for the welcome. The Green Briar sadly is gone a long time now, it first opened in the early 70's. It had a target golf range and a club house that served drinks about 1971 they put entertainment into it on a Sunday night an Irish Folk group call the Wolfhound a great group, Then some guest irish folk groups for awhile, then a big extension was built and they put on entertainment with popular artists and bands, Belfast City  in 1971 had shut nearly all the dance halls and this was a shinning light for local people. The Green Briar was owned by Noel Boyle R.I.P. it got burnt to the ground in the early 80's and never was rebuilt. It was situated on the Glen Road Andersonstown, a big loss to the people from belfast and the local areas. Keep in touch.
A.T.B. GerryMac

[arkie]

HI GERRYMAC. WHAT YEAR DID YOU LIVE IN MILAN ST. I LIVED A FEW STREETS FROM IT. KNEW THE LYNNS, THOMAS S, MC MULLANS, CAMPBELLS, AND LOTS OF OTHERS.

[gerrymac]

Hi Arkie good to hear from you. I knew all the Families that you knew, we lived in 9 Milan st from 1956 to 1971, our house was between McErlane and Mckearneys just 2 doors from the gateway then the family moved to Lenadoon. My older brother was born in Ward st and my father came from Grandville st. I went to Slate Street School, Keep in touch Arkie.
A.T.B. Gerrymac

[ulsterstan]

My cousin  Sammy Houston and his wife Hazel  went to New Zealand  after the Jazz club era.    Sammy,s doing fine but the wife is not too good healthwise.  His sister Margaret lives in Surry and goes to visit him often. Sammy was born and bred in Cable St. before he moved up to the ballroom dancing and big time.

[beegee]

none of yer upmarket Plazas and Orphesuses for me!!! My dancing started in the "Wee JIG" Unionist Hall in York St?North Thomas St corner!!!!! and progressed to the Locarno and Barrowlands in Glasgow and many other dance halls world wide -being a merchant seaman gave me that opportunity!