DANCE MANIA IN IRELAND

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 2 May 1931, Page 3

DANCE MANIA IN IRELAND

CARDINAL’S STRONG DEN UNA CIATION "SITTING OUT" IX MOTOR-CARS BELFAST, 11th March. The Lenten pastorals of the Roman Catholic hierarchy read in Ireland today sternly condemned the ways of many of the young people of to-day. Cardinal Macßory, Archbishop of Armagh, said that among the young generation there is “a craze tor pleasure and excitement, ail impatience .ol parental control, and in certain districts .something approaching a main:: for dancing. "The truth is." lie said, "the country is still suffering from the. effects of flic excitement ami moral laxity, caused by the Great War, and intensified in the ‘period of the "Black and Tans, and during the civil war. "Add to this the distraction —not to use any stronger word—of pictures and broadcasts and the demoralising effects that must inevitably be produced by tile vast quantity of printed stuff that is poured into this country every weekend. .

"Even the present (ravelling facilities make a difference. Hv bicycle, .motorcar and bus, boys ami girls can now travel great distances to dances, .with the result that a dance in the r;uietesl country parish may now be attended by undesirables from a. distance. "And here let me refer to what I am assured is a great and common source of evil —tho parking of motor-cars close to dance hulls in badly-lighted village streets or oil dark country mads. Cars so placed are used, J am told, by the young people for silting out in the intervals between tho dances.

IDLENESS AND MTSCIIIEF “I believe that those in charge of dance ha 11s arc hound, even in charity lo the young people themselves, to sec to it. that such an occasion of sin should not ho allowed. The cars ought to lie parked at a considerable distance from the hall, and one or two elderly people put in charge of them, and, if necessary, paid for looking after them. “'The young generation have grown up during a'period of unrest, excitement, and laxity, and they are exposed to temptations ’ and dangers that are largely new. To make matters worse, many'of them, unable to find employment, arc condemned to idleness; and idleness, we all know, is a. fruitful mother of mischief. Tho result has been, I fear, a lowering of the moral tone.

"During the last 15 years ail increased number of young girls have brought shame and ruin on. themselves. It is to he feared that the traditional purity of the Irish maiden, so long her greatest diarm and proudest title to fame, is seriously threatened, unless a change for the better conics soon.

“No one wants to deny the young a reasonable amount of pleasure and amusement. It does them good, and they are entitled to it, provided it be innocent. Innocent pleasure, is the only Measure that leaves no remorse bclind.” The Bishop and Down and Connor,, m Ids pastoral, says that modern civilisation has increased the.opportunities of sin. Immoral papers, magazines, seductive novels, pornographic literature, and indecent pictures are emissaries of Satan —assassins sent by the devil to take (lie supernatural life of (lie soul.