From silver screen to ballroom, the story of the ‘Big Ridge’

FROM the cheers of early cinema fanatics to the rhythmic tapping of shoes during the big band era, this Dromore dancehall – once a lively community hub for over half a century – has now fallen silent.

The ‘Big Ridge’, as it became known locally, was first opened on the last day of February 1955. It was a striking 4,000-square-foot venue, designed to hold 400 patrons – quite expansive for a town as small as Dromore at the time.

At its launch, the hall was named after its proprietor, Edward Montague, and made its debut screening ‘The Robe’ starring Richard Burton.

The Montague Cinema was a hit with locals from day one.

The building featured a flat-floored auditorium fitted with state-of-the-art utilities for the time, including modern lighting, heating, and ventilation systems.

The projection room boasted a spacious layout with RCA sound equipment – an advanced setup for a rural cinema.

Throughout the 1950s and 60s, the Montague showed many cinematic classics, including ‘Ben Hur’ in 1964.

Even holidays didn’t halt the showings – on Christmas Day 1963, ‘Jesse James’ Women’ was screened for those trading festive traditions for film.

By the late 1960s, the cinema was diversifying, and hosted talent shows offering a £100 grand prize.

In 1971, Edward Montague retired and put the site up for auction. Two years later, his son Michael took over the venue and decided to open the space for dances, renaming it the ‘Big Ridge Ballroom’.

Though a latecomer to the Irish dancehall craze, the Big Ridge still found success.

Michael Montague refurbished the former cinema into a modern ballroom, officially reopening it on March 16, 1974.

The opening night featured Bill Ryan and Buckshot, followed by big names like Philomena Begley & her Ramblin’ Men, and Eileen King & the Country Flavour.

The venue adapted as musical tastes evolved from big band to country and pop, keeping pace with the changing times throughout the latter period of the 1970s.

For nearly a decade the hall reeled in success, but matters came to a sudden halt in October of 1982.

On the 23rd of that month, King Creole performed, and an advert promised Colm Hughes the following week.

But on October 30, no Hughes appeared.

Instead, a notice in the Ulster Herald simply stated the hall was now closed, advising readers to ‘watch for upcoming discos’.

But none ever came.

Two years later, the building was listed for sale. An advert reappeared in 1987 – again, with no sign of success. By August 1990, the site was hosting furniture auctions, not dances.

Today, the old grey building still boasts its ‘Big Ridge Ballroom’ sign, but those nights of the silver screen and glittering dancehall lights are long gone.