Use of Irish language in letters angers British, and IRA case up in Cork court
QUESTIONS were raised in the House of Commons in London regarding the use of the Irish language by the Provisional Government, the Echo reported 100 years ago today, on August 5, 1922.
Sir Charles Oman asked Mr Winston Churchill whether he has protested against the recent attempt of the Irish Government to force compulsory Irish into all official correspondence.
He did not anticipate that Irish Ministers would willingly incur the very great confusion that would inevitably result from the use of Irish for the material parts of their correspondence.
Passengers who travelled on last night’s train from Charleville said that the big guns had been in action in the Kilmallock district during the day. Charleville itself was perfectly quiet. No prisoners arrived by the train.
A report that the Limerick Junction premises of the G.S. & W.R. has been destroyed has proved unfounded.
Meanwhile, our Cobh correspondent says that neither the Cunard nor the White Star liners intend abandoning the east-bound calls at Cork Harbour despite rumours to the contrary.
Henry Sutton, of Old Youghal Road, appeared in the Cork Central Court charged with having stolen, taken and carried away a quantity of shutters, skirting boards and materials, the property of the IRA.
Mrs Towner said her daughter brought the materials away and she saw no harm in it when others were doing the same.
Mr Fitzgerald, prosecuting, said the house was vested in the 1st Cork Brigade, IRA on being handed over at the same time as the Military Barracks.
Mr O’Connor, defending, asked were the IRA in possession when the materials were taken? Mr Fitzgerald conceded they were not but that the Commandant was responsible for it. “The whole house is being taken away by the people”, he said.
Mr Fitzgerald said there was no evidence of this and a carved oak mantelpiece, fire grates, mirrors and chairs, etc, had been removed. Mr O’Connor pointed out that in a case of larceny, it must be shown that there was felonious intent.
Two or three hundred people had gathered to see the building blaze. Some said the guard at the building told them it was going to happen. It was earlier that the fine items mentioned by Mr Fitzgerald were taken and now the court was prosecuting poor people who took a bit of timber.
The court asked for statements and the case was adjourned to Friday next. There was a good deal of commotion and talking amongst several women at the back of the court when the case had concluded and two were put in the dock for contempt.
A policeman said they had used improper expressions towards the Bench. One said her child was only 10 years old and had not stolen anything.
Present at the Fitzgerald Park Committee meeting were J. Good (presiding), D. Barry. M. O’Riordan and J. Fitzpatrick.
Four tenders were received for a supply of lattice wire. That from Eustace & Co. at 8s. 8d. for 50 yards of two-inch mesh was accepted. Mr Barry asked what the wire was for. Mr. Good said it was for keeping in the goose. Mr Barry inquired if anything had happened to the goose? Mr Good replied that the existing wire around its place was not good and it was in the habit of getting out.
On the motion of Mr Fitzpatrick, it was decided to recommend the city Centre Ward Committee to allocate sufficient money to continue the ferrumite footpath at the eastern end of the Mardyke.
An exciting road bowling match for large sums of money took place last Sunday between players from Kanturk and Kilbrin.
Kanturk was represented by Kelleher and Hallihan and Kilbrin by Nugent and Ring. The sport began at 2.30pm, taking the back road, which is a rather tricky one and requires a lot of lofting.
Play was even for 1½ miles after which Kanturk took the lead by a bowl of odds. Kilbrin, however, knocked back quickly and the contest remained very exciting till the village of Kilbrin was reached, with Kanturk the eventual winners.
Their bowlers will meet players from Nadd on August 13 along the Roskeen to Kanturk for £20 a side.
The great American inventor, Mr Thomas Edison, has said: “There is no means in existence of preventing an aeroplane flotilla from flying over London to-morrow and spreading over millions of Londoners a gas which would asphyxiate them all in a relatively short time. From 20 to 50 aeroplanes would be amply sufficient for this purpose.”
This startling statement is extracted from an interview with Mr Edison which appears in Excelsior magazine.
A Reuters message from Hong Kong, via New York, reports a heavy typhoon over Swatow province.
Immense damage has been caused and there has been great loss of life.
