In a peculiar development on the social media platform Twitter recently, a former version of this column unexpectedly became a part of the cross-ocean dispute about the existence of Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). In this scenario, a report by the awkwardly-titled All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), a division of America’s Pentagon, stated that there was “absence of tangible proof” of extraterrestrial spacecraft.
Contradicting this, a UK author noted for his sequence of books about UFOs tweeted, “At some point, the #AARO report will be suitable for nothing more than wrapping up fish & chips. Oh, that point is already here.” A photo of fish and chips enveloped in printed paper was indeed part of his jest. However, upon closer scrutiny, the wrapping turned to be an aged newspaper, not a Pentagon report, with a headline clearly seen under a chunk of fried fish.
The headline read, Birds of a feather – Frank McNally pays an unusual tribute to Irish author Melesina Trench. From what I have now understood, the image is a stock photo from Getty Images, captured around 1998 in Galway, possibly at McDonagh’s on Quay Street. Other specifics are elusive, including the topic of the paper, as the print is too hazy to discern.
In reflection, the British UFO authority might have reconsidered his joke hinting at an alleged sighting of the AARO report, which can be effectively refuted. Apart from this, as the current diarist here, I’m unsure whether to feel honoured or slighted by this column’s immortalisation by Getty.
Remembering the times when fries vendors would use the previous day’s newspapers for packaging did serve to keep journalists modest. Now that this practice has ceased, perhaps I ought to procure a copy of the image and frame it for my desk.
Introducing her book, Diaries of Ireland: an anthology 1590-1987, which was mentioned yesterday, Melosina Lenox-Conyngham makes an insightful point about food. She comments, “The intriguing aspect of diaries can be as much about the reader’s viewpoint as the author’s; the wider the timeline, the more riveting the minute details of a household’s daily life, while a personal diary holds a lot of relevance to a contemporary reader.”
As she insists: “The specific food consumed for the evening meal two centuries prior bears more significance today compared to the people who ate it, unless they were noteworthy or notorious.”
She utilises an event from the 18th century, a dinner narrated in a diary, to demonstrate this point:
“Rev. Nixon, who resided in Fermanagh’s Castle Hume, hosted Mr Tottenham, the Surveyor-General of Leinster, forming a party of 16 on Saturday, 29 April 1769. They feasted on beef brisket and greens, roast mutton leg, boiled hooves of cattle, mutton soup, and cod. There was a total of 14 bottles of claret and four bottles of port consumed. The meal, occurring at around half past three or four, was succeeded by supper, where cold beef along with butter, cheese were served, and consumption included four bottles of claret, two bottles of port, and a bottle of whiskey.”
On an interesting note, the obsession with food in diaries is backed up by a discussion on Twitter. A number of reactions to the tweet pertained to the report about UFOs, while some responses were related to newspapers. However, for a significant number of readers, the focal point was the nostalgic depiction of fish and chips. As epitomised by one user’s tweet: “Feeling hungry now.”
On a distinct note, I was present at the exclusive theatrical presentation at the James Joyce Centre on Thursday evening. The play portrayed the life of Joyce and his wife, Nora Barnacle.
Prior to delving into that, it might be of interest to future Diary readers to note that I, along with a friend, visited an appealing Greek eatery on Parliament Street. Here, we enjoyed halloumi cheese grilled over charcoal, spanakopita, which is deep-fried pastry enveloping spinach, feta cheese, and a mixture of herbs and bifteki. The food was paired with a couple of shots of ouzo each.
In relation to the play, “Himself and Nora”, composed by Jonathan Brielle, it initially debuted off Broadway about eight years prior. It was performed by a group of five members and featured live music. However, the version presented to us had a reduced running time, with only two actors – Brielle himself alongside Darina Gallagher, the director of JJC, and utilised a laptop for musical accompaniment.
Without a doubt, the situation highlighted Darina’s stardom, typically overshadowed by her administrative duties in the arts sector. Brielle’s musical contributions were also charming, making the case for a full-fledged Irish adaptation that everyone hoped might be spurred on by the industry presentation.
There was, however, one minor point of constructive criticism for future readers of The Diary. The event fell short of delivering the anticipated birthday cake for Nora Barnacle, who celebrated her 140th anniversary last Thursday, a promise that was disappointedly not kept.
Presumably, a momentary lapse in the operations of JJC was responsible for this oversight. However, it’s worth mentioning that the director, who manages multiple responsibilities, arranged for an ample supply of wine for celebration afterwards. Therefore, everyone was able to honour the memory of Nora, much like they did with the halloumi earlier in the day. In my case, it was through the medium of two, or possibly three, glasses.