So far in my attempt to post a picture every day taken on that date/month, I've been so scrupulous that not even an independent assessor from KPMG could cast any asparagus at me. However, despite searching high and low all over Library Towers, I failed to find a photo taken on the first day of March.

This photo, however, was taken in March 1897, and who's to say that it wasn't taken on Monday, 1 March 1897? It looked as if the judge was sitting on a big case, by the looks of the hoo hah, cavalry, crowds, etc. (Plus three random dogs - thanks, Niall McAuley!) Lots of information below on that court case, but unfortunately it was probably Thursday, 11 March 1897. What's 10 days out between friends, eh?

Niall McAuley also found some information on the ship S.S. Lara from Decies: Journal of the Waterford Archaeological & Historical Society, no. 53, 1997: "The Neptune ironworks last big ship was the Lara completed for the Waterford Steamship Company in 1868, and with her sleek lines and powerful engines (200 HP), she reduced the passage time Liverpool to Waterford route from 30 hours to just over 18 hours. When launched she was one of the largest cattle boats afloat and gave her owners 40 years of consistent and fairly uneventful service before her sale for breaking up in 1908."

The S.S. Lara was obviously a regular fixture on the quayside in Waterford, incoming or outgoing on her Waterford-Liverpool run. Woesinger found this from the personal memories of Edward Phelan, former director general of the International Labour Organisation (1888- 1967): "All through the week there would be other steamers to watch, the Lara, the Comeragh or the Dunbrody on their regular service to Liverpool, Clyde Shipping Company’s steamers bound for Glasgow; and, once in a while, some strange tramp, rusty and ill-kempt would appear, or a small schooner would make her way up the river under sail helped by the tide.</i."

Date: March 1897