.he dance halls, the ice-cream parlour and ‘The Hop’ were
all part of teenage life in the Liberties during the fifties
and sixties. Growing up in this era, you were still very much
under the watchful eye of your parents and religious influence
remained strong – the moral rule of no sex before marriage
was a part of life that you didn’t question. There was a certain
innocence in the teenagers of this era.
Most teenagers took the pledge at their Confirmation and
many wore their Pioneer Pins, which were the symbol of their
decision to abstain from alcohol and tobacco, the idea being
that others would not offer you either of these things when
At the top of Francis Street, just across from the Tivoli
Theatre, there was a dance hall called Johnny Rae’s, which was
run by an Italian named Luigi Rae. During the week, it was