A Musical Tour of Newmarket, Co. Cork, Ireland 1974

Frank Hall pays tribute to the people and town of Newmarket in song. Returning to Newmarket in County Cork, Frank Hall is warmly greeted by a number of locals, although there is a small matter of an unsettled drinks bill for £20 from his previous visit. In homage to Newmarket, Frank Hall sings a rendition of ‘My Kind of Town (Chicago Is)’, a song composed by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Sammy Cahn, made popular by Frank Sinatra. However this version of the song name checks some of Newmarket’s finest attractions; the Highland Ballroom, M O’Reilly undertaker, the Central Garage, Deasy’s Travel, O’Sullivan’s Cafe, Mick Sheehan chemist, the Catholic Young Men’s Society Hall, Cronin’s butchers, O’Flynn Stores, the Newsbeat Inn, AI Sub-station, the Low Cost Foodstore, the Modern Salon, M Jones shoemaker, Newmarket Co-Op and McCarthy’s Cylces. Frank Hall’s amusing and satirical series began on 29 September 1971 with the full title ‘Hall’s Pictorial Weekly Incorporating the Provincial Vindicator’ which became known as ‘Hall’s Pictorial Weekly’. The series allowed Frank Hall to follow his own interest in the lives of viewers throughout the country. Regarded as RTÉ’s flagship comedy show, it featured satirical sketches on current news stories and popular culture, as well as parody songs, comedy sketches, re-edited videos, cartoons and spoof television formats. The show ran for nine series until 1980. This episode of ‘Hall’s Pictorial Weekly’ was broadcast on 23 May 1974.