Chapter Two
‘The secret night life of Widow Swales’
Though Nancy continued to don the widow’s garments for many years that followed the funeral of her husband Sam, few suspected the nightly antics that the grieving widow eventually got up to after the village square lights had dimmed after 10pm.
By 9.10 pm every Friday night, Widow Swales would get out of her black garb and after putting on a nice little slinky number that showed off her attractively-shaped body, she’d cover it back up with her black widow’s shawl and veil before heading off down the road towards the bridge at the entrance to the village.
By 9.10 pm every Friday night, Widow Swales would get out of her black garb and after putting on a nice little slinky number that showed off her attractively-shaped body, she’d cover it back up with her black widow’s shawl and veil before heading off down the road towards the bridge at the entrance to the village.
Anyone seeing her out and about at this time would merely presume that she was paying a late visit to her husband’s graveside, a practice she had often been observed in doing; even during the later evening hours.
But gravesides were the last thing on the merry widow’s mind. Nancy Swales was going out dancing and would stay out until the early-morning hours, dancing the night away in Clonmel, County Tipperary, some fifteen miles away.
Her venue for dancing every Friday evening was ‘Clancy’s Ballroom Dance Hall’ in Clonmel. Every Friday between 10 pm and 2 am, the dance floor would be packed to the rafters with dancers, many of whom had travelled up to forty or fifty miles to attend the weekly event. Clancy’s had a superb reputation for having housed some of the finest ballroom dancers ever to have tread the floors of Ireland’s dance halls. Many considered it to be the breeding place of all future dancing champions in the land.
But gravesides were the last thing on the merry widow’s mind. Nancy Swales was going out dancing and would stay out until the early-morning hours, dancing the night away in Clonmel, County Tipperary, some fifteen miles away.
Her venue for dancing every Friday evening was ‘Clancy’s Ballroom Dance Hall’ in Clonmel. Every Friday between 10 pm and 2 am, the dance floor would be packed to the rafters with dancers, many of whom had travelled up to forty or fifty miles to attend the weekly event. Clancy’s had a superb reputation for having housed some of the finest ballroom dancers ever to have tread the floors of Ireland’s dance halls. Many considered it to be the breeding place of all future dancing champions in the land.
On the stroke of 9.25 pm every Friday evening, Nancy would leave her house, lock the door behind her after stroking Lucky her beloved cat and head off towards the bridge at the bottom of the village. There, a black taxi would be waiting for her fare by prior arrangement which she’d hired to take her to her dance hall venue in Clonmel and to return her to Portlaw at the end of the night. Although this return trip cost her £40 weekly, she could afford the cost and considered it to be well worth it in order to avoid the eyes, ears and wagging tongues of Portlaw gossips.
It suited Nancy to be viewed as the long-term grieving widow instead of a perceived merry widow out on the town on a Friday night when all good folk should be in their beds fast asleep instead of dancing to the devil’s tune in Clonmel.
It suited Nancy to be viewed as the long-term grieving widow instead of a perceived merry widow out on the town on a Friday night when all good folk should be in their beds fast asleep instead of dancing to the devil’s tune in Clonmel.
Although it was the late 50s, many Irish attitudes were still locked in the dark ages and while many villagers were happily prepared to accept a grieving widow continuing to wear the widow’s garments of black for years after burying her beloved husband, few would have sanctioned a widow in her sixth decade going out dancing on the town! It would have simply been unthinkable to have believed any widow who’d professed to have loved her dearly-departed spouse; particularly one who was capable of putting her arms around the shoulders and waist of other strange men weekly in a public dance hall while dressed in the flimsy clothes of a floosie. It would have been viewed as being no better than dancing in the street and displaying one's public shame.
For the past year or more now, Nancy had been dancing in Clancy’s, Clonmel and had been slowly making a reputation for herself as the best woman dancer on the floor any Friday night of the year. Indeed, Nancy was so proficient at her steps that she made whoever she danced with look far better than they actually were. Naturally she was highly popular and her reputation in the circle of dancers quickly started to spread far and wide.
It was during November in the year of 1958, when word of Nancy’s dancing skills reached the ears of Richard Leary, a man from Tralee in County Kerry. Although this was around 100 miles away from Clonmel, once he’d heard of her talents there was simply no way that Richard wasn’t going to check out this lady dancer for himself.
You see Richard had precisely the same type of problem as Nancy had. His standard of dancing was so good that he was simply unable to find a dancing partner who was good enough for him.
It was during November in the year of 1958, when word of Nancy’s dancing skills reached the ears of Richard Leary, a man from Tralee in County Kerry. Although this was around 100 miles away from Clonmel, once he’d heard of her talents there was simply no way that Richard wasn’t going to check out this lady dancer for himself.
You see Richard had precisely the same type of problem as Nancy had. His standard of dancing was so good that he was simply unable to find a dancing partner who was good enough for him.
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Richard Leary was a 59-year-old married man who had spent a great part of his life working as a dance instructor. All of his life Richard had held one burning ambition; to one day become the 'All Ireland Dancing Champion' in Latin American Ballroom dancing.
Seven years earlier, his wife had developed the early onset of Alzheimer's, a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. Symptoms develop slowly and get worse over time, essentially making daily tasks by the sufferer impossible to carry out proficiently.
When his wife Clare was initially seen to be displaying the symptoms, the hospital consultant told Richard that her remaining life span would probably be less than ten years from the onset of the illness setting in. At first, he took this news badly as their marriage had always been a happy one despite his wife never having been able to conceive children.
Seven years earlier, his wife had developed the early onset of Alzheimer's, a type of dementia that causes problems with memory, thinking and behaviour. Symptoms develop slowly and get worse over time, essentially making daily tasks by the sufferer impossible to carry out proficiently.
When his wife Clare was initially seen to be displaying the symptoms, the hospital consultant told Richard that her remaining life span would probably be less than ten years from the onset of the illness setting in. At first, he took this news badly as their marriage had always been a happy one despite his wife never having been able to conceive children.
As the years progressed however, the constant stress of looking after his wife both night and day was starting to take its toll on Richard’s health. He had done everything a person could be expected to do and more besides. He would go to any lengths to ease his wife’s suffering and distress throughout this decade of constant nursing and cover and had it been possible, Richard would have taken her pain unto himself. Often he would spend most of his evenings laid alongside her, offering comfort wherever he could.
At the start of Clare being diagnosed with the illness, Richard initially tried to hold down his job as a dance instructor, but had eventually been obliged to give this work up when he wasn’t completely satisfied with the quality of care that the daily health visitors to his home were giving his wife. He was convinced that if she was to receive the best all-round care possible, then he would need to provide it personally.
Once he gave up his dancing profession, his life changed dramatically and over time, Richard became deprived of all manner of daily satisfaction and stimulation. While he was naturally concerned with providing the best possible care for his wife’s needs, he was sadly obliged to neglect his own in the process.
At the start of Clare being diagnosed with the illness, Richard initially tried to hold down his job as a dance instructor, but had eventually been obliged to give this work up when he wasn’t completely satisfied with the quality of care that the daily health visitors to his home were giving his wife. He was convinced that if she was to receive the best all-round care possible, then he would need to provide it personally.
Once he gave up his dancing profession, his life changed dramatically and over time, Richard became deprived of all manner of daily satisfaction and stimulation. While he was naturally concerned with providing the best possible care for his wife’s needs, he was sadly obliged to neglect his own in the process.
Richard had been dancing since the age of seven and had instructed ballroom dancing for over twenty five years now. Once a contender for the ‘All Ireland Ballroom Dancing Trophy’, his greatest disappointment was never to have met a partner as good as himself and one who had the skill to dance his style; particularly in the Latin American dances such as the five main dance categories of the Paso Doble, Jive, Rumba, Cha Cha Cha and the Samba which were his specialities.
Just before his wife caught early Alzheimer's, she used to love dancing the Rumba with her husband. Since the early days prior to the onset of her illness, her limbs and body muscles cried out to move to the rhythm of the night. In fact, the couple invariably used the sensuality of the rumba on the dance floor as foreplay to making love when they eventually arrived home.
Since his wife had developed Alzheimer’s however, there had been no sexual contact or close intimacy between them. In time his wife's mobility declined. Richard couldn't do anything to help her beat this terrible condition apart from learn to live with it the best way possible. He needed to find some brief escape to the domestic prison he now found himself in and there was only one type of activity that would fulfil his requirements. Now, only dancing offered him a way of restoring him to some semblance of normality, besides obtaining temporary respite. So Richard returned to dance and once allowed the beat of his beloved music to serve as an outlet to relieve his stress and any residual sexual frustration he felt. Memories of a past love life now remained only in the distant recesses of his mind.
Since his wife had developed Alzheimer’s however, there had been no sexual contact or close intimacy between them. In time his wife's mobility declined. Richard couldn't do anything to help her beat this terrible condition apart from learn to live with it the best way possible. He needed to find some brief escape to the domestic prison he now found himself in and there was only one type of activity that would fulfil his requirements. Now, only dancing offered him a way of restoring him to some semblance of normality, besides obtaining temporary respite. So Richard returned to dance and once allowed the beat of his beloved music to serve as an outlet to relieve his stress and any residual sexual frustration he felt. Memories of a past love life now remained only in the distant recesses of his mind.
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The very first time that Richard visited ‘Clancy’s Ballroom Dance Hall’ in Clonmel, he was able to spot Nancy within moments of arriving. He arrived half an hour after the dance hall had filled up and the atmosphere was electric. It was during the February of 1959 and despite being cold outside, all of the women dancers were dressed to the nines in the flimsiest of sequinned costumes.
After a short while, Richard saw Nancy. She was in the middle of the floor dancing a Paso Doble and the bulk of the ballroom not on the floor were watching her rapturously as she sensuously moved and curved her hips to the rhythm of the beat. Richard could tell instantly that she was a champion in the making as well as being able to see that Nancy was in a completely different class to that of her dance companion.
He waited patiently for his opportunity to introduce himself and considered it a good opening were he to meanwhile inadvertently let her catch sight of him dancing with another dancer who was accomplished enough not to cause him embarrassment; but nevertheless one who would allow him to show off some of his more professional steps and movements from a distance.
After a short while, Richard saw Nancy. She was in the middle of the floor dancing a Paso Doble and the bulk of the ballroom not on the floor were watching her rapturously as she sensuously moved and curved her hips to the rhythm of the beat. Richard could tell instantly that she was a champion in the making as well as being able to see that Nancy was in a completely different class to that of her dance companion.
He waited patiently for his opportunity to introduce himself and considered it a good opening were he to meanwhile inadvertently let her catch sight of him dancing with another dancer who was accomplished enough not to cause him embarrassment; but nevertheless one who would allow him to show off some of his more professional steps and movements from a distance.
Half way through his dance with Chevell, a nice woman from Cork, Richard caught Nancy’s eyes glance across in his direction and remain on him for a minute or so. The trap had been baited and it looked like Nancy may have allowed herself to fall into it.
Around one half hour later Richard walked across to Nancy who had sat down for five minutes and non-verbally invited her to dance with him by no more than an outstretched hand and a pleasing smile. No words were necessary as they were both preparing to do that for which they’d come here; to dance with the best dancer there was on the floor.
Around one half hour later Richard walked across to Nancy who had sat down for five minutes and non-verbally invited her to dance with him by no more than an outstretched hand and a pleasing smile. No words were necessary as they were both preparing to do that for which they’d come here; to dance with the best dancer there was on the floor.
Something happened that night which was to alter the lives of both parties significantly. They each sensed as they danced and glided around the dance floor in perfect synchronisation that the Rubicon had been crossed and that things would never be quite the same again. Each sensed deep down that there'd be no turning back the pages of their destiny, whatever the consequences.
Time evaporated as they held each other and as soon as the rest of the dancers present saw them move together in perfect synchronisation, all knew that they were watching a very special couple on the ballroom floor and a future force to contend with in any competition that they might choose to enter as ballroom partners.
When the night came to a close and Richard offered to drive Nancy back to Portlaw despite the distance and time, she politely thanked him for a splendid evening and said that she had a taxi standing by. As she pulled away and waved, Richard yelled, “I’ll be here next Friday. Hope to see you again!”
Nancy didn’t quite hear what he’d said as she was driven off in the cab, but half sensing what Richard had mouthed, she knew that there was simply no way that she could return next Friday as he had hopefully expressed.
Time evaporated as they held each other and as soon as the rest of the dancers present saw them move together in perfect synchronisation, all knew that they were watching a very special couple on the ballroom floor and a future force to contend with in any competition that they might choose to enter as ballroom partners.
When the night came to a close and Richard offered to drive Nancy back to Portlaw despite the distance and time, she politely thanked him for a splendid evening and said that she had a taxi standing by. As she pulled away and waved, Richard yelled, “I’ll be here next Friday. Hope to see you again!”
Nancy didn’t quite hear what he’d said as she was driven off in the cab, but half sensing what Richard had mouthed, she knew that there was simply no way that she could return next Friday as he had hopefully expressed.
