Strumpet City

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Speaker: Shall we sit down together for a while? Here on the hillside, where we can look down on the city . . .

Strumpet city in the sunset

So old, so sick with memories

Old Mother;

Some they say are damned

But you, I know, will walk the streets of Paradise

Head high, and unashamed.

The Old Lady Says ‘No’, Denis Johnston

BOOK ONE

1907–1909

CHAPTER ONE

At 3.15 a.m., with spectral quiet, His Majesty’s yacht Victoria and Albert approached the harbour mouth and lay to. And at half past six, with the first light, the workmen had finished. They looked with some pride on the result of their labours. The floral arch was ready for the disembarkation. It stood mute and beautiful at the harbour mouth, its green leaves stirring a little in the dawn breeze, its crimson and gold banner announcing the warm welcome of the citizens with the words,

‘Come Back To Erin

God Bless Our King.’

From the gardens by the shore and from the garlands entwined about railings and lamp-posts throughout the town of Kingstown the wind stole the sweet breath of thousands of flowers. It had been a tender July night, calm at sea, warm on shore. Now that dawn had come they could see the fluttering pennants of the battleships, the three-stringed bunting about the clubs on the waterfront, the greenery and flowers entwined about the masts of the private yachts, the crimson and gold banners overhanging the sides. In contrast, the landing stage was dressed in St. Patrick’s Blue and Cream.

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