Housing crisis... in 1923 - call for new 42,000 houses to be built nationwide
What was in the news 100 years ago today? Read our Echoes of Our Past column.
THE Dáil is currently discussing the situation with housing, the Echo reported 100 years ago today, on Saturday, May 5 1923.
Minister for Finance, Ernest Blythe, said £700,000 has been allocated in the present year by the Government, which appreciates the urgency of the situation.
It is estimated 42,000 houses are needed across the country. With present building costs, addressing the urban housing problem would require an expenditure of £30 million.
The issue was discussed at great length with many contributors. Thomas Nagle, Cork TD, raised the lack of attention given to country towns in previous schemes. He instanced cases in Charleville and Blarney and mentioned that although 68 houses under the ex-servicemen’s scheme were built in Charleville in the past 12 months, 50 families were still unprovided for.
Also discussed was the offer of the Government for new houses in Skibbereen at £140, which the inspector would not sanction for less than £165, thereby forcing the Council to an unsuitable site.
At about 5pm yesterday, a partly decomposed body was recovered from the River Lee near Custom House Quay,
It had been seen in the water by two employees of the Cork Harbour Commissioners.
The remains have not yet been identified and had apparently been in the water for about ten days. The body was that of a well-built man of some 20-30 years and about 5ft 9 in in height.
The deceased was dressed in a blue coat and waistcoat, brown trousers, black shoes and black socks. He also wore a soft white collar and black tie. He had fair hair.
Amongst papers found by the police in the pockets after removal to the City Morgue was a letter either received from, or addressed to, a Mr Healy accompanied by the address ‘Number One Cell, Courthouse, Cork’.
Having broken all records in Dublin over a run of five weeks, the manager of the Palace Theatre has booked the famous Dixie Minstrels as the chief attraction on the bill for next week.
They will be introduced by Alf E. Dodds, pioneer of present-day minstrelsy, and will offer all their latest successes of mirth, melody and harmony delivered with high class vocalism, speciality dancing, clean comedy and real humour.
Also on the bill are comedians Johnson and Rickard, who previously appeared at the Palace with their popular gag “You’ll Get Your Money!”; Winnie Cliffe and Tom Briar in songs with and without words, and Irene Collins, a very pleasant contralto.
Church of Ireland Gym Club will give a display and concert at Gregg Hall, South Mall, on Thursday, May 10 at 8pm.
enior Hurling tomorrow at the Athletic Grounds sees Shamrocks v Collegians at 2.30pm and Sarsfields v Blackrock at 4pm. Great contests are expected from these four crack teams. A special train will depart Crosshaven at 1 o’clock.
Kinsale Point-to-Point races will run on Whit Monday without fail over an ideal all-grass course just a few minutes drive from the town. Programme and particulars from C.A. Love and T. Manning.
A workman named Joe Harvey employed by T.J. Moran & Co. on repairing the big Monard viaduct fell yesterday evening 70ft on to soft mud. His fellow workers rushed down to the spot and found him completely buried in the mud. He missed by inches masonry lying on the ground since the destruction of two arches last year.
After being given a bath, Harvey was taken to Cork to be medically attended, but a few hours later returned to his bunk at Monard evidently no worse for his remarkable experience.
Harvey is an old professional (soccer) footballer and seemed to treat the whole incident as a great joke.
The Baltic with mails and passengers is en route from New York to Liverpool via Cobh. It is reported by Marconi to be due at Cobh at 6pm on Sunday. The Homeric from Southampton via Cherbourg arrived at New York midnight, Wednesday.
Ramsay MacDonald, Labour Party leader, said it would be deplorable if the British Government tore up a trade agreement with Russia and asked the Russian trade delegation in London to close its doors.
At an inquest this evening into the circumstances of the death of Michael Healy, Mulgrave Road, whose body was found in the Lee, a verdict of ‘Found Drowned’ was returned.
