POLITICS APPEAR to have pervaded all aspects of life in 1902, judging by the contents and commentary in The Irish Times of the day. With unionists generally supporting the British government’s policy of “killing Home Rule with kindness” and nationalists determinedly unimpressed by almost everything, events such as the Spring Show and an opera at the Theatre Royal were part of the ongoing political argument.
The Spring Show was bigger and better than ever, according to the newspaper, which opined that it was “certainly a remarkable exhibition of prosperity in a country which our Nationalist friends are so anxious to hold up as an example of national bankruptcy and decay”.
Another editorial lamented the disturbances at the Theatre Royal’s performance of The Dandy Fifth, a musical play by the prolific popular playwright George Sims about a British army regiment, “because the play dealt with a feature of the life of the Empire which was unpopular to the Nationalist element”. The sequel, as they used to say, was in court:
THE DANDY FIFTH: The Theatre Royal Disturbances
Yesterday, in Southern Police Courts, before Mr Thomas Wall, K.C., Senior Police Magistrate, a number of young men were charged with having conducted themselves in a disorderly manner the previous night in the Theatre Royal during the performance of The Dandy Fifth. It appeared that while the opera, which introduces the military element, was progressing, the prisoners interrupted the artistes by singing Who Fears to Speak of ’98, stamping with their feet and otherwise creating disturbances which rendered it necessary to have them removed by the police.
Before the charges of alleged disorder inside the theatre were taken up, William Leddy was put forward and charged by Constable 144 B with having been guilty of disorderly conduct in Grafton Street on the previous night, and resisting arrest.
Mr Wall – How was he disorderly? By singing God Save Ireland.
Was he walking along? Yes, he was walking at the head of about 400 or 500 people.
How did this arise?
Constable – It was at the close of the performance at the Theatre Royal that the crowd gathered and marched up Grafton Street to the Green, shouting and singing God Save Ireland.
Was that the disorderly conduct? Yes.
I don’t know the words.
What did the others do? They marched along and sang, and he was in front.
Constables 100 B and 96 B were also examined, and proved that stones were thrown, and the prisoner fell to the ground and resisted the effort to bring him to the station.
The defendant did not make any defence.
Mr Wall said he did not care much for the air of God Save Ireland, but he did not know there was anything seditious in the words. He sentenced the prisoner to one month’s imprisonment.
James Bradley was charged by Constable 199 B with causing a disturbance in the gallery of the Theatre Royal by shouting at the top of his voice.
Mr Wall – What did he shout? Nothing: he only roared and yelled.
Did he use any words? No; he simply shouted.
Inspector Dunne said the disturbance was most vehement and continuous from the rise of the curtain.
Constable 199 B – They roared and hissed from the start.
Mr Wall – What was this all about?
Inspector Dunne – It was the play of the Dandy Fifth, and the moment the curtain rose crowds of people in the gallery yelled and screamed, and not a word could be heard . . .
Mr Wall – Is there anything in this performance?
Inspector Dunne – Nothing objectionable that I know of.
Most of the men charged were fined 40 shillings (£2) or a month in jail.
To read the full court case go to www.irishtimes.com/150;
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1902/0416/Pg008.html#Ar00802