Chapter Four ‘Clancy’s Ballroom: March 1961’
It was September 1959 when Nancy and Richard occasioned to meet again at the dance hall in Clonmel. Nancy had just had her fifty ninth birthday. Upon catching sight of each other they were each naturally apprehensive as to the response their presence would receive. It had been a good six months since they'd last met.
“Hello Nancy,” Richard softly said as he approached the side table where she was sitting. “It’s so good to see you again....and looking so lovely in that dress.”
“Hello Richard,” Nancy replied in a somewhat embarrassed voice. Whatever the reasons that had led to the two of them having broken contact so early on in their acquaintance, she felt to have been wholly responsible for, by missing that following Friday after they’d first met and had hit it off so well.
“I’m so sorry...........,” she started to say in explanation before he broke her off by gently holding her hand in his.
“It’s kind of you,” he replied adding,” But how did you........,”
Suddenly Richard realised that Nancy couldn’t have known about the death of his wife, as indeed he hadn’t previously got around to telling her that he had one and that she was bedridden.
“Hello Nancy,” Richard softly said as he approached the side table where she was sitting. “It’s so good to see you again....and looking so lovely in that dress.”
“Hello Richard,” Nancy replied in a somewhat embarrassed voice. Whatever the reasons that had led to the two of them having broken contact so early on in their acquaintance, she felt to have been wholly responsible for, by missing that following Friday after they’d first met and had hit it off so well.
“I’m so sorry...........,” she started to say in explanation before he broke her off by gently holding her hand in his.
“It’s kind of you,” he replied adding,” But how did you........,”
Suddenly Richard realised that Nancy couldn’t have known about the death of his wife, as indeed he hadn’t previously got around to telling her that he had one and that she was bedridden.
“Please come and sit down so we can speak further,” Richard said to Nancy. “There are things that I need to tell you... things that I should have explained earlier and that I need to acquaint you with now!”
“Me also,” Nancy replied.
Over the following two hours the couple spoke and spoke about their lives, their pasts, their obstacles they’d had to overcome and what had brought each of them back to Clancy’s, which they’d missed so much since they’d first met. Indeed, they spoke so much that by the time their conversation had ended, they’d barely time to have their first and last dance of the night before Nancy’s cab arrived to bring her back to Portlaw.
That night travelling to their respective homes, both Nancy and Richard felt so relieved to have met each other again and their hearts were greatly lightened. They agreed to meet in Tralee in two days' time, at Sunday noon where they might talk further and without distraction.
“Me also,” Nancy replied.
Over the following two hours the couple spoke and spoke about their lives, their pasts, their obstacles they’d had to overcome and what had brought each of them back to Clancy’s, which they’d missed so much since they’d first met. Indeed, they spoke so much that by the time their conversation had ended, they’d barely time to have their first and last dance of the night before Nancy’s cab arrived to bring her back to Portlaw.
That night travelling to their respective homes, both Nancy and Richard felt so relieved to have met each other again and their hearts were greatly lightened. They agreed to meet in Tralee in two days' time, at Sunday noon where they might talk further and without distraction.
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The following two days flew by. When Sunday morning arrived and Nancy prepared to go to Church, she cast aside her widow’s black garb and veil and dressed up smartly in an outfit she’d purchased the day before in Waterford on a shopping trip to get something fashionable to wear for Sunday’s meeting with Richard in Tralee. She dressed in a nice black number she had worn many years ago when she'd been less frightened about showing off her legs.
As she walked down William Street towards the bridge, across it and up the hill, fingers pointed at her and a sea of whispers followed her footsteps in her fashionable shoes.
Upon seeing Nancy dressed like nobody in Portlaw had seen her dressed for too many years to remember, Bridie Lowe and her husband Ned could hardly believe their eyes.
Upon seeing Nancy dressed like nobody in Portlaw had seen her dressed for too many years to remember, Bridie Lowe and her husband Ned could hardly believe their eyes.
“Will you just look at that one,” Ned Lowe said to his wife. ”God only knows what else she’s been hiding under those widow’s clothes for the past years.......by God she’s fit...........she’s got the body of a spring chicken! And just you look at those legs for a woman of her age.”
“It’s her arse you’re looking at….you hypocrite of a husband!” Bridie braided him.
As Bridie and the others who saw Nancy that morning looked at her again and again, amid the whispering comments, one theme seemed most popular; how young she looked to say that she was now approaching sixty.
Nelly Flannagan remarked, “If I thought that being widowed would knock fifteen years off my age and two stone off this fat body frame of mine, I’d willingly do my old chap in and risk the sentence!”
Nancy was the major talk of the village that morning and she remained so for weeks to come. As she walked around the village daily it took the whole of Portlaw some considerable time to get it in their heads that she was the same woman whose face hadn’t been seen in public for so many years.
“It’s her arse you’re looking at….you hypocrite of a husband!” Bridie braided him.
As Bridie and the others who saw Nancy that morning looked at her again and again, amid the whispering comments, one theme seemed most popular; how young she looked to say that she was now approaching sixty.
Nelly Flannagan remarked, “If I thought that being widowed would knock fifteen years off my age and two stone off this fat body frame of mine, I’d willingly do my old chap in and risk the sentence!”
Nancy was the major talk of the village that morning and she remained so for weeks to come. As she walked around the village daily it took the whole of Portlaw some considerable time to get it in their heads that she was the same woman whose face hadn’t been seen in public for so many years.
In the early afternoon of the Sunday, Nancy went into Waterford and caught a bus that would take her to Tralee where she’d arranged to meet Richard. During the journey, Nancy thought about the many similarities in her life and Richard's. Both had lost their marriage partner of many years, neither had parented children and ballroom dancing was their greatest pleasure that added meaning to their lives.
As the bus pulled into its stop and Nancy got off, Richard was there waiting for her. He was looking very dashing, but when the couple’s eyes met, each knew that they carried the expectation of a special day to come.
As the bus pulled into its stop and Nancy got off, Richard was there waiting for her. He was looking very dashing, but when the couple’s eyes met, each knew that they carried the expectation of a special day to come.
The couple walked and talked, drank coffee and walked some more. Richard hadn’t felt so free and relaxed for many a year. Part of the afternoon was spent looking around the ‘Kerry County Museum’. Richard had been there many times and acted as escort and tourist guide to Nancy.
“This place was formerly known as ‘Kerry the Kingdom’ Nancy, and it recounts over 8,000 years of Irish history in Kerry. There is a fantastic photographic exhibition called ‘Kerry lives’ and numerous artefacts dating back to the First Stone Age. If it’s a social history of Kerry you want, then this is the place, Nancy!” Richard said.
She didn’t know why, but for some strange reason Nancy felt like kissing Richard there and then and so she followed her impulse and did; to his great satisfaction and surprise I might add.
“This place was formerly known as ‘Kerry the Kingdom’ Nancy, and it recounts over 8,000 years of Irish history in Kerry. There is a fantastic photographic exhibition called ‘Kerry lives’ and numerous artefacts dating back to the First Stone Age. If it’s a social history of Kerry you want, then this is the place, Nancy!” Richard said.
She didn’t know why, but for some strange reason Nancy felt like kissing Richard there and then and so she followed her impulse and did; to his great satisfaction and surprise I might add.
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When the day had almost gone and 8pm arrived and the time for Nancy’s last bus back to Portlaw, Richard first offered to drive her. She agreed willingly, knowing that it would give her an extra hour of his company during the journey. The couple embraced and kissed again.
It was this latter kiss that told each of them that a ride back to Portlaw that night was out of the question. Deep down, Nancy didn’t want to go and once Richard sensed that to be the case, he wouldn’t let her go. The couple booked a double room in a local hotel and retired there until the morning arrived.
It was this latter kiss that told each of them that a ride back to Portlaw that night was out of the question. Deep down, Nancy didn’t want to go and once Richard sensed that to be the case, he wouldn’t let her go. The couple booked a double room in a local hotel and retired there until the morning arrived.
That night together was at first very awkward for the couple as it had been so long, indeed many years since either had made love. Indeed they were so conscious of renewing such intimacy for the first time that they sat back to back on the bed as each undressed.
After the initial embarrassment of seeing each other naked had been conquered, the intimacy of their contact gradually increased and after an hour of gentle foreplay and closeness of body contact they started to make love gently.
It was good. It was far better than either had hoped for or had anticipated. It wasn't earth shattering under the circumstances; merely highly satisfying! Afterwards as they lay in bed looking lovingly into each other’s eyes, Nancy laughed out like a young girl who’d just won a hundred metre race at school after expecting to run fourth or fifth. ”Yippee. You are a beautiful man Richard Leavy......so tender and simply beautiful!”
“I know I am,” Richard laughingly replied. ”Thank you for that darling. Despite the faulty start, it was lovely."
After the initial embarrassment of seeing each other naked had been conquered, the intimacy of their contact gradually increased and after an hour of gentle foreplay and closeness of body contact they started to make love gently.
It was good. It was far better than either had hoped for or had anticipated. It wasn't earth shattering under the circumstances; merely highly satisfying! Afterwards as they lay in bed looking lovingly into each other’s eyes, Nancy laughed out like a young girl who’d just won a hundred metre race at school after expecting to run fourth or fifth. ”Yippee. You are a beautiful man Richard Leavy......so tender and simply beautiful!”
“I know I am,” Richard laughingly replied. ”Thank you for that darling. Despite the faulty start, it was lovely."
After breakfast in the hotel, they walked around the immediate vicinity for an hour and talked and talked. Every now and then they would just stop in their tracks, look tenderly at each other and then embrace in happiness. Then just before 11 am Richard drove Nancy back to Portlaw.
Initially Nancy intended to ask Richard to drop her at the bridge so that she might avoid the village gossips, but then out a sense of sheer bravado she asked him to drop her outside her door at number 14, William Street.
“Are you sure, love?” Richard asked. “You know they’ll talk.”
“I’m sure they will,” Nancy replied, “But who cares? Let them if they’ve nothing better to do!"
As the car pulled up outside Nancy’s house, Richard, forever the perfect gentleman, hurried to the passenger side after getting out and opened his lady’s door.
“Thank you, Richard,” Nancy replied and after giving him a slight peck on the lips said, “Please come in. Apart from the parish priest and the local doctor, you’ll be the first man to have crossed my threshold in over thirty years!”
Initially Nancy intended to ask Richard to drop her at the bridge so that she might avoid the village gossips, but then out a sense of sheer bravado she asked him to drop her outside her door at number 14, William Street.
“Are you sure, love?” Richard asked. “You know they’ll talk.”
“I’m sure they will,” Nancy replied, “But who cares? Let them if they’ve nothing better to do!"
As the car pulled up outside Nancy’s house, Richard, forever the perfect gentleman, hurried to the passenger side after getting out and opened his lady’s door.
“Thank you, Richard,” Nancy replied and after giving him a slight peck on the lips said, “Please come in. Apart from the parish priest and the local doctor, you’ll be the first man to have crossed my threshold in over thirty years!”
The couple went inside and as Nancy closed the door she could see the peeping eyes behind the moving lace curtains of William Street while some more brazen simply stared out of their windows without even trying to conceal their snooping presence. Nancy even started to hear the mounting whispers of the nosy neighbours from outside on the street.
“Did you see that, Bridie?” Nelly Flannagan said to her friend adding, “Stood there as bold as brass in her fine clothes kissing him on her doorstep in full view and without an ounce of shame in her.”
“Aye,” said Bridie.” And she took him inside. I wonder what poor old Sam would think now if he saw the goings on taking place in his house. You can bet that they’re not drinking tea if you ask me!”
“Did you see that, Bridie?” Nelly Flannagan said to her friend adding, “Stood there as bold as brass in her fine clothes kissing him on her doorstep in full view and without an ounce of shame in her.”
“Aye,” said Bridie.” And she took him inside. I wonder what poor old Sam would think now if he saw the goings on taking place in his house. You can bet that they’re not drinking tea if you ask me!”
It was thirty minutes later before the door to number 14 opened and Richard emerged to return home. Although it had started to rain heavily, the nosy neighbours still hung around to make sure that they didn't miss a good piece of gossip that would keep them occupied for another week's idle chatter. Before he departed Nancy gave him a huge lingering kiss and bade him a safe journey back home.
“See you next Friday,” Nancy said loudly as he drove off up William Street.
“Next Friday it is,” Richard smilingly replied and honked his departure, blowing her a kiss as he drove off.
“See you next Friday,” Nancy said loudly as he drove off up William Street.
“Next Friday it is,” Richard smilingly replied and honked his departure, blowing her a kiss as he drove off.
Then Nancy turned towards her nosy neighbours and smugly said, ”Hello ladies,” to Bridie, Nelly and two others before going back inside. Half an hour later, a gramophone could be heard playing Latin American dance music as Nancy danced with her imaginary partner around the room as her cat Lucky looked on.
