November 16th, 1935 – Dancing Regulations In Cashel Town Hall.

Urban districts were created in 1898 by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. After the partition of Ireland in the period 1920–22, urban districts continued in the Republic of Ireland, while they were abolished in Northern Ireland in 1973 and in England and Wales in 1974.

The following regulations for the governing of dances where adapted by Cashel Urban District Council and published on November 16th, 1935.

1. The Town Hall shall be made available, from time to time, for dances organised for parochial, charitable, social, but never for mere political purposes.
2. Only Irish dances shall be allowed in the Town Hall.
3. The Jazz and what are known as ‘Slow Motion’ dances shall be taboo in the Hall.
4. Dances shall be ‘long’ or ‘short’ dances: ‘long’ from 7:30pm or 8:00pm to midnight; ‘short‘ from 8:00pm to 11:00pm. There may be three or four of each of these a year.
5. There shall be no dancing after midnight.
6. It is suggested that at ‘long’ dances light refreshments of tea, lemonade, fruit be available.
7. There shall be no weekly dances except for bona-fide parochial or quasi-parochial learners of Irish dancing.
8. Any person’s or party proved guilty of misconduct on the floor, either of morals or of drink, shall be removed and shall not be admitted to further dances.
9. Indelicacy in dress on the part of women dancers to be instantly approved by the person’s in charge; extravagance in dress on the part of our girls – especially of the working class – to be discouraged.
10. There shall be no parking of motor cars in or near the dancehall premises.
11. There shall be no retiring from the hall except when people are leaving for good.
12. Only the parishioners of Cashel and Rosegreen, those also within a radius of 2 miles of Cashel, and outsiders well known to the dance committee and guaranteed by them, shall be admitted to these dances.
13. Boys and girls under 18 years to be admitted to none of these dances except to the learners dance.
14. To get rid of the dance fever, it is recommended that our dancehall be closed down now till Christmas.
15. If is respectfully suggested that the first dance to be held in the City Hall shall be a non-party parochial dance, and that the proceeds be given to purchase seeds and manure for the poor of the new cottages.

For the glory of God and the honour of Cashel.

Boy, we’ve sure come a long way.

Note: Today same district councillors in the Irish Republic do not have the power to sanction even the filling of a pothole.