February, 1927, Sunday 20

Important events took place in school during the week. Dr. Scannell found his senior pass class intolerable, though indeed they are doing their best, and gave them a terrible time of it. To protest, they held revolutionary meetings in the class halls, invested Hunt and Butler with dictatorial powers, and vowed to seize and fortify the gym. An armistice was, however, settled upon and four ambassadors interviewed Dr. Scannell. A treaty was signed, the Doctor promising to adopt a ‘conciliatory policy’ towards the ‘gang’. But he has forgotten all these state troubles in the purchase of a motor, and he is more in the best of spirits as a result.

Mám is to broadcast in Horse Show week, the most important week in Dublin of the year.

Cycled round the harbour with beautiful scenery, the ‘breath of heaven fresh-flowing pure and sweet’, my aching head was much relieved. [Francis Bacon, quoting Apollonius of Tyana]

Heard wireless at Mr. Corkery’s.20 English programmes seem to be deteriorating.

  1. Daniel Corkery (1878-1964), writer, painter, teacher. He became a primary schoolteacher and learnt Irish in the Gaelic League. Among his pupils were Frank O`Connor, Seán O´Faolain and Seán Ó Tuama. He founded the Cork Dramatic Society in 1908 with Terence MacSwiney, writing several plays for it, which were later performed in the Abbey Theatre. He published short stories, a novel and influential works on cultural history such as The Hidden Ireland of 1924. He became professor of English at UCC in 1930. He loved classical music and Aloys had a standing invitation to visit him to listen to records – expensive luxuries in those days: Aloys´ parents owned a radio but never had a record player. [↩]