AN IRISH HOAX

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2929, 15 November 1916, Page 6

AN IRISH HOAX

"DECORATION" FOR CORK COTJ&. ; CILLOR, Cork Sinn Feiners recently' demonstrated their disloyalty by hoaxing the Lord Mayor and Corporation of Cork.: At a meeting of that body a member handed to tho Lord Mayor a. packet containing an address purporting to. como from an Admiral and other naval officers, arid a decoration resembling a Victoria Cross, requesting that he would publicly present it.to' Councillor O'Rinrdan, ex-High Sheriff, in'recbgnir • tion of hts action in getting through a, 'resolution of sympathy and congratulation to all concerned in the Jutland. Battle. At the close of the meeting th Lord Mayor surnmoned the members; to his private room, and, having filled their glasses, asked them to drink to the health of Councillor O'Riordan.. He added tfiat ho had been asked to' make ii presentation to Councillor O'Riordan from tie naval authorities' on account of the great fight he had! made in getting his Jutland battle reso-; lution on the books of the corporation.; Mr. O'RiorcJan's health having been; drunk with musical honours, the Lord f Mayor pinned tho decoration on hia; breast, and him -the address.j Mr. O'Riordan,. noticing that the ad-: dress openeH with lauSatidn and with anti-recruiting abuse, asked, the Lord Mayor if the presentation was genuine or _bogus. The Lord Mayor admitted tFat it was bogus. . Mr.'; O'Riordan angrily asked tho Lord; Mayor if he thought it was in keeping' with tlie dignity of "Es office to act. thus, and lie denounced the attempt toi ridicule men who made the supreme sacrifice of their lives in the Jutland' Battfe. Tho Lord Mayor apologised, anu"explained that Hie parcel, wag handed to him during tho meeting; ha was asked to present.it, but did. not know its contents. .Tho Lord Mayor and Mr. Oißiordan then shook hands, 1 ithe latter remarking that he would ; sift the outrage to the bottom and give' it full publication. '.'■'.' a