IRISH TIMES ODDITIES:NOT SO DUSTY: Melbourne dustmen went on strike because they had not been given raincoats – so the Corporation bought them a mackintosh each. February 20th, 1950
A MODERN NOAH’S ARK
A real "Noah's Ark" has put into the Port of Lisbon, writes Reuter. Hundreds of children of all ages collected on the quay when they heard the news. There were cries of joy when the 70 animals which comprised the passenger list began to disembark. One by one came tigers, bears, zebras, swans, ostriches, kangaroos, sea lions, flamingos and many more. The president of the Lisbon Zoological Gardens was responsible for bringing them all the way from Germany on board the SS Stahlek to enlarge the fine collection already existing in the local zoo. January 11th, 1935
THRILLS ON THE ENNIS ROAD
A remarkable series of accidents took place at a dangerous bend on the Ennis-Limerick road yesterday. A motor lorry and private car came into collision first, as a result of which the car was badly damaged, and four passengers injured. They were taken to hospital in Limerick. A passenger in the lorry was also injured. While the lorry and car were on the road awaiting the arrival of Civic Guards a private car coming from the Limerick direction ran into the fence alongside the lorry.
Immediately afterwards another car containing English tourists crashed into the back of the second private car on the fence. Then a fourth car arrived, and by the sudden application of the brakes turned completely around, but escaped damage. When Civic Guards, who had arrived on the scene some time before, and witnessed the latter crashes, thought everything was all over, a fifth car skidded around and came to rest with the front wheels resting against the fence, narrowly missing two Civic Guards.
All the accidents are attributed to heavy rain, which made the road exceptionally slippery. July 28th, 1938
WRONG NEWSPAPER MAY BRING FORTUNE
Reading by chance an advertisement in a Philadelphia newspaper, Mr Robert H Brooks, aged 44, a real estate salesman, of Ventnor City, learned that he probably is the only heir to an estate valued at more than a million dollars.
The advertisement, said the police in Philadelphia, had been inserted by Daniel Francis Sullivan, a wealthy and aged resident of Ainheim, California, to find relatives he believed were in Philadelphia. Mr Brooks, who is married, and has three children, says that his mother had a brother named Daniel Francis Sullivan.
A strange feature of the story is that Mr Brooks sent a boy to buy a copy of a local newspaper, but the boy by error returned with the Philadelphia newspaper containing the advertisement. August 2nd, 1926
A STRANGE COINCIDENCE
Mr Hugh O'Donnell, of Porthall, Strabane, has a ewe which has given birth to four ewe lambs, all of which are alive. His neighbour, Mr John Taylor, Gortfad, has also a ewe which gave birth to four lambs. May 17th, 1924
MISSING KANGAROO CAUGHT
After being at liberty for over six months a kangaroo belonging to Lady Forteviot at Dupplin Castle, Perth, was recaptured yesterday. A farmer attempted to catch it, and on trying to jump away the kangaroo crashed against a fence and was stunned. It was quickly secured, and placed in a large box. January 26th, 1937