President visits Cork, calls to keep our neutrality and a search for Lusitania gold
Echoes of Our Past 2023
Arrangements are progressing for the public meeting to be held on the Grand Parade tomorrow by President Cosgrave and Government Ministers. Everything points to one of the largest and most important meetings held in the Southern capital in recent years. Special trains will run from all parts of the county bringing in large delegations and a great deal of enthusiasm prevails in the city. President Cosgrave and the Ministers will arrive in Cork at 10.30 tonight.
It seems summer has really come to Cork at last with the sun blazing down from an almost cloudless sky the whole day yesterday and today. Something like a heat wave is reported from Dublin where at 2.30 this afternoon the temperature was 104 degrees (40oC) in the sun and 73 (23oC) in the shade.
Last night at eleven o’clock an outbreak of fire occurred at the Co-Operative Stores in O’Rahilly Street, Cobh and threatened to be very serious. A warm night and a gentle breeze saw it spread to O’Hara’s Billiard Room, which was soon ablaze, followed by the rear of the Anchor Bar and the premises of Love, Twomey & Co. The fire fighting appliances of the town being almost totally absent, help was summoned from Haulbowline and from Cork. From Haulbowline The Dainty was expected with a large and powerful fire hose on board. From Cork, Captain Hutson promptly despatched the motor fire engine with half a dozen men and 600 feet of hose.
An air of mystery surrounds the departure from Dover of the powerful salvage steamer Semper Paratus. No official information of the vessel’s destination can be obtained but there is reason to believe that the word “Atlantic” in its clearance papers disguises an attempt to salvage gold worth millions that went down with the Lusitania. He is part owner of the vessel and inventor of deep-sea diving dress that enables divers to work at greater depths than was previously possible. The Semper Paratus is equipped with electric blasting machinery and electric submarine lamps of several thousand candle power. (Count Carlo Zanardi Landi 1876-1953).
Sir – Next month will witness the ninth anniversary of “the war to end all wars”. What remains of such an ideal is almost shattered and the general outlook is blacker than ever. In China, civil war; India, political unrest; Palestine, “Black and Tannery”. In Europe – Russian chaos, Turkish crisis, Bulgarian coup and the most serious of all, the Ruhr situation. We have France now as the greatest imperialistic power in the world. France who does not stop to reason. Who wastes millions on army, submarines and, above all, aircraft. If she begins to arm herself, she will waste millions and, in the end, lose it all. By remaining neutral she will earn a name such as Holland and Switzerland have earned – peacefulness. When the war clouds are coming Ireland must not fight but be a harbour of rest in its midst, an honourable, neutral state. – Yours etc., Sean Red Hot Church Bells The belfry of Enniskillen Church caught fire yesterday morning and the new peal of bells, valued at several thousand pounds, became red hot. The blaze was quenched but experts say they will now ring out of tune. Two sharks about fifteen feet long followed a steamer up the Bristol Channel into Swansea Bay. It is the first time in many years sharks have appeared there and there was a notable absence of swimmers in the bay today. All was quiet at Liverpool docks early this morning with about 250 men having returned to working the Belfast boats.
Cork and Waterford meet tomorrow at 3 o’clock at the Cork Athletic Grounds in an inter-county football tussle for Munster championship honours. It is unfortunate that the fixture clashes with the big national demonstration, but it is only fair to say that the sporting encounter was arranged well in advance of the political one. The players doing duty for Cork will be chosen from the following clubs:- U.C.C., Nils, Lees, Millstreet and Youghal. The MacCurtain Memorial Pipers Band will play on the Marina at 4 p.m. and include in their selection:- Battle of Aherlow, An Pibroch, 92nd Farewell, The Kinnegad Slashers, The Atholl Highlanders, Let Erin Remember. (The Athletic Grounds made way in 1974 for Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Waterford won 2-1 to 1-5).
Sir – Your correspondent “Breast Stroke” offered a splendid suggestion in connection with the Lee Swimming Race which will be held during the Cork Regatta on Friday next, July 13th. He said the course could easily be made longer and I heartily agree. As it stands the race is scheduled to go from the Custom House to the Regatta Promenade. I suggest the Regatta Committee adopt St. Vincent’s Bridge as the starting point. The Cork Swimming Association is willing and able to assist in making the extension. This is an opportunity for a splendid race through the city for a valuable cup. Cork will be able to boast that the “Lee swim” is in all respects superior to the annual “Liffey swim” in the metropolis. – Yours etc., “Old Cork Swimmer”, Dublin, July 5th.
