Jack O'Neill's Pages from The Past

Wednesday, 16th May 2012

Waterford News

February 1947

About Lord longford

To the editor "Waterford News":

Dear Sir, May I add a few lines to the note you had in a recent issue on Lord Longford's translations of poems from Irish ("The Doye in the Castle," Hodges Figgis, Dublin, 7/6). Recently I spent a couple of hours reading these translations and also "Poems from the Irish" and "More Poems from the Irish." Lord Longford and Lady Longford had distinguished academic careers at Oxford. Lord Longford is the possessor of wealth greater than most of the three half-penny Union Jackeens who flourish their red white and blueism, bring up their children as John Bulls and deny them any chance of cultivating an Irish outlook at home or at school.

One of my reactions to this book was an intensification of my admiration for Lord Longford as scholar, poet and Irish patriot and my disgust with the thousands of Irish men and women who use the wealth they have acquired through luck in trade or in the Stock Exchanges or by inheritance in flourishing their three half-penny British Imperialism and the dislike of everything merely Irish.

I had the good luck to meet Lord and Lady Longford on two occasions. The memory of their simplicity, sincerity, culture, abiding scholarship and sound patriotism is in sad contrast with memories of meetings with other anti-Irish or non-Irish pseudo society folk whose only claim to distinction is money and a second rate imitation of the manners and speech of the semi-illiterate ill-mannered folk who are regarded as "society" and aristocracy, and who shame their class and kind in the eyes of visitors from abroad who have a true national outlook and a genuine culture and a Christian conception of how to use money for the good of their fellow men and women and advancement of Christian cultural and national interests in their native land.

New mayor

It is rare indeed to find amongst public representatives the unanimity which last week marked the election to the mayoralty of Waterford of Colr. "Mick" Coffey. It redounded to his credit, both as an ordinary citizen and City Father, and the applause with which the announcement of his election was greeted from the public benches set upon it the final seal of satisfaction. To those of us who are former L.D.F. comrades-in-arms of the new Mayor, his election gives more than ordinary pleasure, because we remember him with affection as one of the first officers of the old No. 1 City Group away back in the Summer of 1940. We remember him too on the early training camps at Tramore and Bellevue House. It was at Tramore that Mick, after doing all in his power to compose himself for sleep between the "hairy" army blankets, finally gave up the uneven struggle, jumped out of bed, put on his trousers, climbed in again and went to sleep with a seraphic expression on his face. Yes, Mick Coffey's election is a popular one, and I wish him all the best during his term as First Citizen.

waterford greyhound racing

AT the waterford greyhound racing track racing takes place Tuesdays and Fridays through the season at 8.15pm. Admission (including tax) 2/6. Cards, 6d. Trials Tuesdays and Fridays from 11am to 1pm and from 2 to 5pm. Markings 10am-11am same days. No marking during trials. Identification cards must be produced at all trials and races.