I used to go to the Harrington Bar every weekend, from 1985 up until around 1988 or thereabouts. You used to go downstairs, pay at a little hatch and then go into the bar itself. For a while, there was a lower section inside that sold chips, burgers etc, where there were also tables for you to sit at when you fancied a break from the dancing!



The music played there at the time used to be a lot of Simple Minds, The Cult, Divine, Dead or Alive, Billy Idol, Bronski Beat, Fine Young Cannibals, that sort of stuff. I used to drink Snakebites (ugh), and my friends and I used to dance in the same spot every night - by the large fan that was at the side of the dancefloor.

The same people were there every night too, so it became like a home from home where you just went to have a laugh with your friends. I remember two lads who dressed like Teddy Boys - both called Ste; one was very tall and the other was quite short, but they were immaculately dressed and loved dancing. As did Graham, another regular who loved Simple Minds and danced a lot like Jim Kerr. Bet his knees are knackered now, ha ha. One of our friends dressed to look like Billy Idol, too, with the bleached hair, leather glove and everything!

I loved the place, I have very fond memories of it - not least because it's the place where I met my first serious boyfriend - the father of my daughter!