Craic On

Halyon Club in Moville

There has been a lot of speculation in Moville in recent weeks as to what the old Town Clock would be when it opened again.

Now, it seems the Grand Opening is at hand. Supposedly it will open its doors on New Years Eve.

Some people said it is going to be a theatre. Others said it would be a private members club. Some said it would be a private club for friends of the new owners. They would have to have a lot of friends for this to be a commercial success.

Early Snow Patrol

There was a rumour in town that Snow Patrol would be playing at the opening (or two of them anyway).

I suppose that if they can get Van Morrison to a house in Shrove anything is possible.

Someone else said that local successes The Yetis will be playing.

The Halyon Club

I noticed when passing by that a sign had been painted above the door with a name on it.

It said Halyon Club. I misread it, at first as the Halcyon Club but no it is the Halyon Club.

At least we know that it will be a club of some kind. But how private will it be? Will it be private for anyone who wants to pay a fee – or will it be by invitation only – like the opening night?

I wondered about the name. What is Halyon?

I googled it. The only reference to it is as a film company called Halyon Films. It is also a family name.

A recent production of Halyon Films on the website is:-

Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story’

Dir: Sarah Townsend – DoP: David Corfield.

There is a Halyon company:-

“Halyon Ltd is headquartered in England. The company’s line of business includes the production of theatrical and nontheatrical motion pictures and video tapes. “

Halcyon Club?

Surely it wasn’t a misprint. Halcyon Club might be more like it.

Halcyon is in the dictionary as “characterized by happiness, great success, and prosperity : golden —often used to describe an idyllic time in the past that is remembered “.

That sounds a good name for a club.

Maybe it is a mixture of two people’s names.

However, I have been told that the Halyon Club is the real name for it. It’s no misprint.

Only the Movers and Shakers of the Town Invited

Unfortunately CraicOn readers I can’t tell you any more as I am not on the special invitation list for the opening night. Still, I’m in good company as Councillor Martin Farren is not on it either (or if he is he is playing it close to his chest).

I must ask the new owners at some point if they want to be in the DylanFest and / or BeatlesFest. The Town Clock had some of the very best nights at the DylanFest with The Plea playing there at late notice in 2009 which is still reckoned to be possibly the best DylanFest gig ever.

There was also the 5-piece Blow-ins in the Wind from Sligo three years ago which played to a packed Town Clock – or whatever it was called at that time.

Helping to Get Better Acts

We’ve also failed to get acts for lack of funds like Pete Best the Beatles drummer before Ringo, Donovan whom Beatles road manager Tony Bramwell offered to get for us as well as the remaining part of Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).

Maybe we could even get Tony Brawmell back again as a racoonteur. He used to go out with Christine Keeler of the Profumo Scandal which is currently running in six parts on the BBC. Episode 2 is tonight. He packed her in to go out with his ex-girlfreind who was Miss America but was now Miss World

For a small town there always seems to be something going on in Moville – and this is just the latest.