Lend us your jump suit for the briar
I can barely post here without laughing. I was sent one of those Facebook funwall videos by Manuel from Well Done Fillet and it is a classic. You have a free-style disco dancing competition from 1981, you have Sheeba, you have Margot (who was appearing in the Abercorn – LOL), some bloke looking very out of place from Trust House Forte as well as an Ulster Disco Dnacing champ. What more ingredients for You Tube magic do you need?
As I watched I laughed more and more at the antics and shape-throwing until contestant number eight came on, 20-year-old Ronan ‘Crazy Legs’ Lawlor, representing the Greenan Lodge Hotel, then I snorted. That is where we cut our own dancing feet as teenagers in the 1980s, thankfully those few years made all the difference. No offence Ronan. I don’t know whether to admire his crazy leg moves or what… I decided on what.
It is bad to admit I was disappointed not to see who got through in the end, it must have been a hard decision for the judging panel.
By the way the name of the post is a little in-joke for anyone who grew up in Belfast and probably more west Belfast in the 1980s; this is especially for you, enjoy and cringe.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:42 am
the green briar?
the second part of the video is on you tube….
The disco names were tremendous, a whole lot of “NiteKlubs”
brilliant stuff
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
The only one Manuel. Located here http://url.ie/hqp
When I was about 11 it used to have a roller disco and I have vague memories of it (the briar not the roller disco). But when I was a little older ‘lend us you [insert as appropriate] for the briar’ was a general term of abuse. Though you may already know that!
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Absolutely hysterical! Still laughing. But who wins??? The suspense…
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:37 am
quality….
in other news it appears you know my brother in law….small world…..
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:37 am
I spotted a familiar name on your facebook alright and I guess it is himself who is your bro-in-law! I was just talking to a pal of ours last night saying that i thought you knew him, it is a bloody small world!
I’ve just felt the blogosphere get a bit smaller too
July 3rd, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Oh LOL, brilliant. God that takes me back.
July 7th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
If only I was young enough to say I wasn’t there. Surely there’s some enterprising young documentarist who can do a Justin Lee Collins on this and bring them all back together. Maxi would definitely provide the cabaret for it. I have a feeling I’ll be washing my hair though.
Nick
August 2nd, 2008 at 1:20 am
Love it, love it! I was only in the Briar a few times – too rough for us Gransha folk!
September 11th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
I know how you can figure out who won this if you care — just look up the videos associated with the 1981 UK Disco Dancing Finals, hosted by the same person who hosts this video. Part One comes with a minor audio glitch but by parts two or three you’ll be able to figure out which one won this particular regional final. And if you’ll stick around through to the end of what the user has you might even get to see how well {s}he does.
BTW, I was rooting for anyone from Mandy McClintock on. The one I was particularly stunned by was Hugh Moore. That white boy’s got some *moves* on him!
February 8th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
I know its 4 years later, dont ask how I came upon this but I would love to see that UTube video, can you tell me how I can access it now.
Also originally Belfast and in Dublin 18 years!