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"The summer evening had begun to fold the world in its mysterious embrace. Far away in the west the sun was setting and the last glow of all too fleeting day lingered lovingly on sea and strand," (U13.1) |
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"on the proud promontory of dear old Howth," (U13.3)
A PC of the hill of Howth. The large church on the left is the R.C. Church of the Assumption. |
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"guarding as ever the waters of the bay, on the weedgrown rocks along Sandymount shore" (U13.4) |
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"and, last but not least, on the quiet church whence there streamed forth at times upon the stillness the voice of prayer" (U13.4)
The quiet church is Mary Star of the Sea (Sandymount, Dublin), seen here in a PC by Hely's. Mary Star of the Sea (in Latin = Stella Maris) is a name for the Blessed Virgin Mary as protector of sailors and seamen. |
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"to her who is in her pure radiance " (U13.7)
Mary Star of the Sea on a holy card from Italy... |
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"a beacon ever to the stormtossed heart of man, Mary, star of the sea." (U13.7)
...and one from Slovenia. |
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"Tommy and Jacky Caffrey, two little curlyheaded boys, dressed in sailor suits with caps to match" (U13.13)
Dressing little boys in sailor suits was (still is) popular. Here a period photo taken at McGlover studio, Dublin. |
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"and the name H.M.S. Belleisle printed on both" (U13.15).
This PC shows the Royal Navy coastal defence vessel H.M.S. Belleisle. She was originally the Turkish gunboat Peiki Shereef, built at Poplar and launched in 1876. She was purchased from Turkey in 1878 and converted to a target ship in 1903. The wreck was sold to Germany for breaking in 1904. |
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"They were dabbling in the sand with their spades and buckets, building castles as children do, or playing with their big coloured ball, happy as the day was long." (U13.18) |
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"And Edy Boardman was rocking the chubby baby to and fro in the pushcar while that young gentleman fairly chuckled with delight. He was but eleven months and nine days old and, though still a tiny toddler, was just beginning to lisp his first babyish words." (U13.20) |
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"Cissy Caffrey bent over him to tease his fat little plucks and the dainty dimple in his chin.
- Now, baby, Cissy Caffrey said. Say out big, big. I want a drink of water. And baby prattled after her: - A jink a jink a jawbo." (U13.24) |
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"But just then there was a slight altercation between Master Tommy and Master Jacky." (U13.40) |
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"Boys will be boys and our two twins were no exception to this golden rule. The apple of discord was a certain castle of sand which Master Jacky had built " (U13.41) |
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"and Master Tommy would have it right go wrong that it was to be architecturally improved by a frontdoor like the Martello tower had." (U13.43) |
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"But if Master Tommy was headstrong Master Jacky was selfwilled too and, true to the maxim that every little Irishman's house is his castle, he fell upon his hated rival and to such purpose that the wouldbe assailant came to grief and (alas to relate!) the coveted castle too." (U13.45) |