The Ballroom of Romance holds a particular position in the imagination of people all around the Border area.
This hold can be clearly discerned in two friends from Fermanagh, Jimmy McVeigh and Tiarnan McCusker. The pair finally fulfilled a dream they both had by throwing a huge party in the Ballroom of Romance in Glenfarne last Saturday. Though party was initially to celebrate Jimmy’s 30th birthday, they decided to expand it and open it up to everyone and try to raise some money for charity. To attract a large crowd the guys organised an eclectic mix of musical entertainment from Leitrim DJs and rappers to a triumphant ska band from Clare called Skazz. ‘Da Messas’, a group of expert sound engineers, travelled up from Waterford to help with the event. Tiarnan explained: “Whenever I was a wee fella, I used to come by here a lot and from the age of 16 or 17 I thought about throwing a party in the ballroom.” Despite terrible weather and long journeys, the party drew a crowd of over 300 people. Curiosity and a desire to have some fun attracted some of the party-goers. Michelle McGovern, from Barran near Blacklion said: “I didn’t know what to expect, I thought it was going to be a c&eacuteil