01-31-2009, 02:50 PM
Monday, January 26, 2009
IRISH TIMES ODDITIES: A look at some articles which have appeared in The Irish Times in the past, by Allen Foster
LOCH NESS MONSTER ââ¬ÅINVENTEDââ¬Â
An Italian journalist claims in the Milan illustrated weekly that he invented the Loch Ness monster in 1933. Signor Francesco Gasparini said that he was the London correspondent of a Milan newspaper at the time and amassed hundreds of British newspaper clippings. They included two lines published in a Scottish newspaper about some Inverness fishermen who had seen a strange fish. ââ¬ÅAt the beginning of August 1933 my supply of news was even slower than usual,ââ¬Â he wrote. ââ¬ÅI had the inspiration to get hold of the item about the strange fish. The idea of the monster had never dawned on me, but then I noted that the strange fish would not yield a long article, and I decided to promote the imaginary being to the rank of monster without further ado.ââ¬Â But the monster grew out of hand. The next day, Signor Gasparini said, he was forced to invent eye-witness accounts, backed up by local colour gleaned from a geography book. By the time he began plotting the monsterââ¬â¢s death or escape, long reports were appearing in other papers. ââ¬ÅIt had to live on. The British press grabbed my little monster and made a giant out of it.ââ¬Â The legend grew. ââ¬ÅPhotographsââ¬Â of the monster and magnificent drawings, based on eye-witness accounts were published widely. Affectionately called ââ¬ÅNessieââ¬Â, it became a national institution. Signor Gasparini declared: ââ¬ÅThe monster of Loch Ness has never existed. I invented it. I admit it ââ¬â but I am not sorry.ââ¬Â
March 23rd, 1959
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opin...80305.html
IRISH TIMES ODDITIES: A look at some articles which have appeared in The Irish Times in the past, by Allen Foster
LOCH NESS MONSTER ââ¬ÅINVENTEDââ¬Â
An Italian journalist claims in the Milan illustrated weekly that he invented the Loch Ness monster in 1933. Signor Francesco Gasparini said that he was the London correspondent of a Milan newspaper at the time and amassed hundreds of British newspaper clippings. They included two lines published in a Scottish newspaper about some Inverness fishermen who had seen a strange fish. ââ¬ÅAt the beginning of August 1933 my supply of news was even slower than usual,ââ¬Â he wrote. ââ¬ÅI had the inspiration to get hold of the item about the strange fish. The idea of the monster had never dawned on me, but then I noted that the strange fish would not yield a long article, and I decided to promote the imaginary being to the rank of monster without further ado.ââ¬Â But the monster grew out of hand. The next day, Signor Gasparini said, he was forced to invent eye-witness accounts, backed up by local colour gleaned from a geography book. By the time he began plotting the monsterââ¬â¢s death or escape, long reports were appearing in other papers. ââ¬ÅIt had to live on. The British press grabbed my little monster and made a giant out of it.ââ¬Â The legend grew. ââ¬ÅPhotographsââ¬Â of the monster and magnificent drawings, based on eye-witness accounts were published widely. Affectionately called ââ¬ÅNessieââ¬Â, it became a national institution. Signor Gasparini declared: ââ¬ÅThe monster of Loch Ness has never existed. I invented it. I admit it ââ¬â but I am not sorry.ââ¬Â
March 23rd, 1959
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opin...80305.html