The Ballinlough Competition in County Meath, Eire was the place to be for a very good ol’ dose of enjoyable and video games again in 1982. Image this: disco dancers frolicking, music blaring, and a tug-of-war showdown that might make even Hercules break a sweat.
Enter Martin Smith, lovingly nicknamed ‘Speedy’ for causes we might by no means know. This man did not simply dance; he pirouetted, grooved, and disco danced his option to victory because the undisputed King of the Dancefloor. With disco classics like ‘Born To Be Alive’ and ‘Strut Your Funky Stuff’ as his soundtrack, Martin’s strikes have been so slick, even John Travolta would’ve been impressed.
In the meantime, groups from throughout descended upon Ballinlough to flex their muscular tissues within the epic tug-of-war contest. Burly lads from far and huge, gripped that rope for pricey life, their faces contorted with willpower – or perhaps it was simply the results of an excessive amount of enjoyable within the solar.
However the actual spectacle? The conflict between the Kells Gardaí and the Military Staff from Mullingar within the ‘It is A Knockout’ battle royale. All within the title of good-natured competitors.
As RTÉ Information reporter Caroline Erskine captured the chaos and camaraderie on August 23, 1982, one factor was clear: the Ballinlough Competition wasn’t simply an occasion; it was an excellent collision of disco fever, fierce rivalries, and stomach laughs that might echo by means of the ages. Disco on, Ballinlough – you are a shining star on the dancefloor of historical past!
