The Charitable Irish Society of Halifax, Nova Scotia

The Morning Journal, 13 April 1855, p.2, provided a lengthy account of the "long expected" Charitable Irish Society's Ball held in the Masonic Hall. Attendees arrived on foot and by carriage for the last public ball of the season. The Morning Journal noted "The eastern and western Ball Rooms were appropriately decorated for the occasion, with the elegant banners of the Society, bunting, national flags, pictures, wreaths of roses and evergreens".

The 76^th Regiment Band was the orchestra and played "sweet music". The newspaper described the evening's excitement, "When the music first struck up, there was a delightful flutter among the young ladies, and quite an agitation among the gents. Fair and interesting partners secured, the dancing commenced, young and middle aged mingling in the Quadrilles, or Waltz, the Cotillion or the Polka; and thus the evening passed away, — the morning dawned and the dancing still continued, nothing occurring to mar the harmony of the scene, — a smile beamed on every countenance, and the sparkling eyes of the fair sex presented a constellation so entrancing that we gazed with admiration..." The ball ended about 4:00 a.m. after the band played God Save the Queen and "Thus terminated a Ball, long to be remembered by the Six hundred Ladies and Gentlemen present..."

Date: 23 March 1855

Reference: Charitable Irish Society Nova Scotia Archives  MG 20 vol. 64 no. 3