The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1890-11-05
THROWING THE DART.
AN ODD IRISH CUSTOM WHICH
TAKES PLACE NEAR CORK.


town Harbor Is Crowded at the Time. |
Several New Workers were fortunate
enough while waiting for the American
steamer at Queenstown to witness the
performance of a curious and ancient
rite by the mayor of Cork to which some
of them had been specially invited, the
American consul there. John j. Piatt,
taking prominent part in the cere-
mony. This curious survival of feudal
forms is called throwing the dart.
Its origin is lost in the twilight of an
tiquity, but it undoubtedly had some
significance in ancient times, long be-
fore firearms were invented and when
darts, bows and arrows, arquebuses and
other such mechanical instruments of
destruction were the only known weap-
ons in warfare. Cork being one of the
Oldest cities in Europe its civic consti
tuition involves many strange customs
unknown in any other town of the
world, but of these the throwing of the
dart is among the strangest.
BY the ancient charter of the city its
head man is not only mayor, but ad-
embracing Queenstown, has especial in
terest for Americans because, next to
New York, it is the most important port
of American traffic in the world The
old charter of Cork, which is one of the
most ancient documents in Ireland, is
curiosity of municipal documents.
One of its provisions requires one "
the city officials, attendant upon the
mayor, to wear ON formal occasions "a
remarkable hat The hat which this
dignitary wears annually is certainly re-
markable, for it is nearly three feet in
height, sloping gradually toward the
top, made of brown fur. and with a
straight brim.
AN ANCIENT CEREMONY.
By the charter OF Cork the mayor is
required at stated intervals many years
apart to go out to the entrance Of the
harbor in 1.-THE corporation barge" and
there, attired in his robes of Office and
attended by the chief dignitaries of the
city, to throw dart out to sea, and the
place where it falls in the water is to
mark the limits of his jurisdiction as
admiral of the port. The origin of this
custom is SO ancient that very few
people nowadays know what a dart is.
The one used on this occasion was
| handsome weapon with shaft of
| polished mahogany over six feet in
| length, with broad bronze barbs weight
ed with shot and feathers of bronze, and
on the end a bronze shamrock bearing
the arms of the city, the name of the
mayor and the date.
OF late years the ceremony of throw
ing the dart has been neglected, but the
present mayor of Cork. evidently being
determined to comply with every re-
| quirement of his office, prepared to cele.
brate the event upon a grander scale
than ever before. Instead of the corpo.
ration barge, another civic institution,
created centuries before steamboats, were
known and now relegated out Of exist
ence, a large steamboat was hired and
nearly a thousand invitations were is
sued, while a band and an elaborate
luncheon were provided.
Besides Mr.. Piatt, the American con-
sui at Cork, many Americans were pres
ent, and it was recalled that the last
time the ceremony was performed 1t
was witnessed by Congressman Patrick
Collins, of Massachusetts. who was re-
turning from trip to Europe at the
time.
The sea was perfectly calm ON the day
of the ceremony. On the way down the
beautiful River Lee the steamer stopped
at Blackjack castle, where the mayors
in ancient times held an admiralty court,
and here Mayor Daniel Horgan, with
several Of the aldermen, stepped ashore
and walked to high water mark to assert
their jurisdiction over the river, in ac-
cordance with another ancient custom.
MANY DARTS WASTED
The steamer Commissioner, with the
party aboard then steamed out between
the forts at the entrance to the harbor.
and in a perfectly smooth sea came to a
stand at u line drawn between Poer and
Cork heads, more than fifteen miles
from Cork. The mayor then took his
stand upon the bow. dressed in his robes
and chains of office, and with the long
and heavy dart in his right hand made
a brief address to the guests, who in
cluded bishops, members of parliament
and representatives of foreign govern
ment
He welcomed the Americans present
in the name of the city, and said that tn,
dart was such II heavy one that he die
not think he could add much to his pre-
vious jurisdiction. After speaking o
the antiquity Of this picturesque custom
he turned and, amid great cheering
threw the dart into the sea, where j
landed thirty feet from the vessel ant
Immediately sank. Several amateur pho
tographers were present.
The steamer then proceeded to Rostel.
Ian castle. upon which flag with the
arms of the city was flying, and where
all present were entertained by Sir John
Pope Hennessy and Lady Hennessy
The ceremony Of throwing the dart ii
performed on the spot which the Ameri-
can steamers cross when entering Queens
town harbor, and 1t has been repeated
for so many times that 1t is estimated
there must be nearly a hundred darts al
the bottom Of the ocean.-New Yorl
World