When I was a student on work placement in Leicester in '64, I worked for a spell in a pub called The Victoria, in London Road, owned by an ex-army man called Tony Collis. His bar manager was a huge Irishman called Brendan - fat and red-faced - from Co. Clare. I recall chatting with him about the crossroads dances, and he recalled them as a young lad - he would have been around 40 then, which ties in (just) with your dates. The crossroads was a convenient place as it was outside the village and away from prying eyes, convenient for people from other localities to travel to - and perhaps had some older ritualistic signifiance (though Brendan didn't phrase it in those terms).

He also recalled a row of 4 terraced houses in a small village - the end one of which was used as an illicit drinking place. The Garda constantly raided it but always found it empty when they got there. What they didn't know was that there were hidden connecting doors which allowed access from one house to the other. So, when they were spotted coming (which they always were), the drinkers simply slipped next door - and next door - and next door...