Table Dancing in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon, Ireland 1970

An elderly Irish dancer shows some fancy footwork to the patrons of a pub in Strokestown, County Roscommon. In a pub in Strokestown, two small bar tables are pushed together to form a make shift stage. As an elderly man dressed in a suit and hat is assisted onto the podium. He gives an instruction to a nearby fiddler and a tin whistle player, Now give us that reel. The men duly oblige, providing the perfect backdrop for the man to give a spirited Irish dancing performance. When the tune comes to an end the dancing man leaps from the stage, his hat firmly in place. To a round of applause he takes a seat beside a female patron, who helpfully passes him his pint. This episode of ‘Newsbeat’ was first broadcast on 13 November 1970.