FURTHERMORE
By Gerry Moran
One hundred year from now I wonder what shape our world will be in – that’s if we survive the murder, mayhem and chaos being wrought upon mankind and the planet by that unholy trinity: Trump, Putin and Netanyahu. Meanwhile, here’s what was going on in the world 100 years ago (1926).
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An attempt was made on the life of the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini (Il Duce) by the honourable Violet Gibson, daughter of an Irish peer. Shot at from close range the bullet grazed the bridge of his nose but he was not seriously hurt (remind you of anything?) Mussolini [pictured] was surprised that his would-be assassin was a woman. “Fancy a woman,” he said.
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Valentino, the famous Silver Screen Lover, died in a New York hospital at the age of 31. In 1913 Valentino arrived in New York aged 18. Penniless, friendless and unable to speak English, his only asset was his suave Italian charm. Unprecedented rioting took place as his body lay in state; the street crowd numbered 50,000, mostly screaming, crying women. A British actress, clutching some love poetry she had written about him took a lethal dose of poison. A New York housewife fatally shot herself while cradling some Valentino photos to her breast.
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The world-famous escapologist, Harry Houdini, died in a Detroit hospital, aged 52. His ability to escape from a water-filled milk churn while handcuffed and chained, gained him an international reputation. Houdini made arrangements that he would turn up in various locations after his death. He never showed. Harry, alas, could not escape the Hereafter.
On the home front
In January the floods in Kilkenny were the highest on record. The River Nore rose to a height of almost eight feet above its level and the plight of the inhabitants in the vicinity of John’s Quay, Lower John Street and Greensbridge was a pitiable sight. A concrete wall, about 30 yards long, erected 18 months previously at the south side of the lawn of Kilkenny College, was completely demolished. The Carnegie Library was flooded and grave damage was done to hundreds of books, library files and records.
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A public meeting was held at the Parade in furtherance of the Fianna Fail movement. The principal speaker was Mr. Eamon De Valera who spoke for about an hour. There was a large attendance and Mr. De Va Valera’s speech was listened to with rapt attention. Previous to the meeting St Rioch’s Fife and Drum Band played through the city to the Parade. De Valera established Fianna Fail on May 16 in Dublin
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Major and Lady McCalmont had £20,000 (about 180,000 euro) worth of jewels stolen from a locked safe in their home in Mount Juliet. The robbery was discovered at night after the couple returned from the Carlow Point-to-Point races. The Civic Guards considered it the most mysterious ‘who-done-it robbery’ that occurred in the county. A reward of £2000 had been offered by the insurance company for information leading to the recovery of the jewellery.
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In 1926 an advertisement from A & T Piert. Rose Inn Street (now The Gift Horse) for Twilfits, Irish-made corsets, went as follows: “You can imagine the comfort that comes from Flexible Spiral Steels, unbreakable and rustless, but you will only realise how great the advantage is and how corset-comfort is obtained by actually wearing a Twilfit. Made in Dublin, there are Twilfits for the big hips or small; tall or short; all designed for perfect comfort and support.”
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Some years ago (not quite 100) the gentlemen were dressing in the locker room of the golf club when Jim put on a corset. “Didn’t know you had a bad back,” said his pal. “I don’t but I’m wearing it ever since the wife found it in the back of the car!”
