IRISH TIMES ODDITIES/ A FRIENDLY ROW:A travelling tinsmith, Martin McDonagh, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment at Ballinasloe Court for assaulting a fellow tinsmith, Martin Ward, with a razor at Kilconnell on October 31st last.
It appeared that a fight took place between several families living in caravans, and both men and women took part.
Martin Ward said that he was having a struggle with a man, when defendant came and gashed him on the hand and abdomen. He had been in hospital since. McDonagh said that when he came on the scene “bottles were flying” in all directions, and he was inside his tent taking one of his razors out of the fire when he was attacked by Ward.
Witness fell back with the razor in his hand, and Ward must have fallen on it.
“It was all a friendly row,” witness added. “It was done in self -defence.”
The Justice said that if McDonagh confined his self-defence to more civilised weapons than razors he would have been inclined not to punish him.
November 7th, 1928
OYSTER RECORD CLAIM
An airport security officer, Ron Hansen (45), claimed a world record, in Merimbula, Australia, for eating oysters – 475 in five minutes. The Guinness Book of Recordslists the old record at 218 in five minutes.
45-DAY FAST IN COFFIN
A 41-year-old, self-styled fakir yesterday in Lille began a second bid to break the world’s fasting record, and chose the hard way – lying, near-naked, inside a transparent coffin on the jabbed remains of 70 broken bottles and surrounded by more than 100 snakes, which constantly slithered over him.
On May 18th, states Reuter, the coffin will be opened, and the snakes – by then dead from starvation – removed. They will then be replaced by a fresh batch, including a 25-foot long constrictor. Determined to fast for 45 days, Merindah Burmah – his mother was British, has father Indian – has allowed himself only two “comforts”: 80 French cigarettes and a few litres of salted water. On his first attempt on the record, made at Bordeaux, he held out without food for 43 days – only eight hours short of the record, believed to be held by an Englishman named Worms.
May 5th, 1950
WEDDING RING FOUND AFTER 20 YEARS
While walking along the beach at Trouville a girl found a wedding ring on which was engraved “F de Beaumont and Charlotte Laboulaye, 24th March, 1892.” The ring belongs to the Marquise de Beaumont, who lost it at Trouville over 20 years ago, while bathing. The ring was forwarded to the Marquise, who was delighted to recover it.
March 8th, 1913
BATH-TUB BOAT SIGHTED
The Coast Guard in Miami reported sighting a “bath-tub” boat believed to be the April Fool, sailed by the lone American yachtsman Hugo Vihien across the Atlantic from North Africa. The sighting, made by a ship on Sunday near Cay Lobos, an Island 25 miles north of Cuba, indicated that Mr Vihien should reach his destination within a week. Mr Vihien left North Africa in his 18-foot “bath-tub” on March 29th, to sail to America. His food should have run out last week and it is thought probable that he is managing on fresh fish. The crossing from North Africa to Florida is about 4,700 miles.
June 18th, 1968