Began the thirteen Sundays of successive Holy Communion. Tried to get all my lessons finished, but didn’t succeed. Arthur came up with Pattie after dinner and we had some fun. Pattie is charming, such a little ‘Miss’. After tea, Clarence Mangan, one of Mammie’s pupils, and a descendant of the great poet, called for me and together we went to Mr. Corkery. ((Daniel Corkery (1878-1964), writer, painter, teacher. He was a primary schoolteacher who learnt Irish in the Gaelic League. Among his pupils were Frank O`Connor, Sean 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 the radio and to records – expensive luxuries in those days: Aloys´ parents did not at that time own a radio; they never had a record player.)) At first we had a chat on different subjects, and after a second tea, we heard Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ on the wireless. ((The Irish radio service began on Jan 1 1926, broadcasting for three hours daily. It had very low power and could not be heard properly throughout the country. It had a staff of five, and a part-time orchestra of four. The following year a station was set up in Cork in the former women´s prison. It was closed in 1930 as it was deemed to cost too much.)) Before it was finished, as it was not very distinct, we shut off, and put on some gramophone records of the Sistine Chapel Choir, and of Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’ overture and violin concertos. They were very enjoyable. Mr. Cronin, the best piper in Ireland, was with us during the afternoon. Clarence played his Mozart sonata excellently for us. It was a real treat. We went home about 11 o’clock. These evenings at Mr. Corkery’s are very pleasant, as we chat about music, literature etc.
