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Irish Times
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Two-headed animals and antique torture tools among ‘weird stuff' in new cabinet of curiosities
Paul Mangan has been 'collecting weird stuff' for as long as he can remember. The Dubliner (40), a musician and cabaret performer under the name Monsieur Pompier, used social media to share hard-to-explain objects and unusual images from books, developing a not insignificant following. His collection grew to such an extent that friends joked about him starting a museum. So, what did he do? He opened the Museum of Curiosities on Dublin's Lower Pembroke Street two weeks ago. Among the exhibits over its two floors are weird taxidermy such as two-headed animals; mummified remains; 'haunted dolls'; antique medical and torture devices; and other items that defy explanation. READ MORE One of the taxidermy exhibits at the Museum of Curiosities on Dublin's Lower Pembroke Street. Photograph: Paul Mangan 'Every object tells a story: fragments of folklore, medical missteps, theatrical inventions or traces of long-lost belief,' the museum's website states. Despite being apprehensive about opening a business with what some could consider a dark theme, Mangan says 'the response has been great' and 'I am still waiting for someone to tell me I am sick'. Mangan hopes to expand his collection over time, but for now he is busy 'figuring out how to run a museum'. Man acquitted of Jill Dando murder settles defamation suit Netflix has made a business out of raking over historic and unsolved killings, including cases with Irish links such as those of Sophie Toscan du Plantier and Jason Corbett. When the streaming service covered the 1999 murder of BBC presenter Jill Dando, who was shot outside her London home, the focus suddenly switched to scenes from Cork City as viewers were introduced to Barry George. The 65-year-old was in 2001 found guilty of Dando's murder. However, his conviction was in 2007 quashed by the Court of Appeal and he was acquitted at a retrial. BBC presenter Jill Dando was shot outside her London home in 1999. Photograph: PA George, who later moved to Ireland to be close to his sister, this week settled defamation proceedings, issued in Dublin and Belfast, against the publisher of the Times (London). The newspaper on Monday issued an apology over a 2024 article which suggested that, despite his acquittal, George would have difficulty proving his innocence. Barry George was convicted and later acquitted of Jill Dando's murder. Photograph: Netflix 'We acknowledge that Mr George is innocent having been acquitted of the murder of Ms Dando by a unanimous verdict and apologise to Mr George,' the apology stated. George's solicitor, Pádraig Ó Muirigh of Ó Muirigh Solicitors, said: 'I can confirm that Times Media Limited have agreed to pay substantial damages and our client's legal costs.' He added: 'Since our client's acquittal, he has been subject to false, unfounded and defamatory allegations by various media outlets. We continue to represent our client in relation to ongoing legal proceedings which have yet to reach a satisfactory resolution.' TDs and Senators 'excited' and 'terrified' at Oireachtas AI committee Tuesday's maiden public meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence saw TDs and Senators gather to hear the views of Research Ireland representatives . But the preamble, which had a bit of a 'first day of school' feel to it, was arguably of more interest, with members using their introductory remarks to show where they stand on the often-controversial technology and set out what they hope to achieve during the committee's tenure. There were expressions of excitement, distaste, nerves and even terror about what could be coming. [ First AI committee to examine 'urgent' concern for democracy Opens in new window ] Mayo Fine Gael TD Keira Keogh said she was 'excited' about how AI could positively impact education and healthcare. She was 'also terrified', however, about its potential use in fraud and that older people, who are 'scared' of it, could be left behind. Sinn Féin TD Johnny Mythen expressed concern 'about bad actors and people with vested interests using AI for their own advantage', while People Before Profit's Paul Murphy said he fears 'AI will lead to the degradation of our public spaces and culture through the proliferation of fake news'. Senator Lynn Ruane said she was nervous about 'not knowing what questions to ask' about artificial intelligence. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Independent Senator Lynn Ruane said she looked forward to working with her colleagues, but that 'what makes me more nervous than anything, however, is not knowing what questions to ask'. 'As we policymakers debate in the Houses, people say headline things but nobody actually understands what is under the bonnet in terms of how people engage with machine learning, how it is made and what are the inputs.' Committee chair Malcolm Byrne said it will be 'a learning process for all of us'. Asked what the Oireachtas AI committee will achieve, ChatGPT said: 'This permanent committee is a key structural step toward shaping how AI is governed in Ireland – guarding public interest while enabling innovation. If you'd like, I can dig deeper into any of the topic areas or provide info on its current membership and timetable.' Eye and ear hospital honours pioneering doctor Kathleen Lynn The cataract unit at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital in Dublin was this week renamed in memory of the pioneering doctor, suffragist and nationalist Dr Kathleen Lynn . Lynn, one of the first women to graduate in medicine from what is now UCD, became the first woman doctor at the hospital in around 1910. 'We dedicate this unit to Dr Kathleen Lynn, whose values of innovation, compassion and justice continue to inspire us daily,' said the hospital's head consultant ophthalmologist, Donal Brosnahan. Dr Kathleen Lynn Lynn and her life partner, Madeleine ffrench-Mullen, were radical Irish nationalists despite coming from middle-class Protestant backgrounds. She served as the Citizen Army's chief medical officer during the Easter Rising of 1916 and was imprisoned afterwards in Kilmainham Gaol alongside Ffrench-Mullen. The pair in 1919 cofounded St Ultan's Children's Hospital in response to the high rate of infant mortality in Dublin. Due to her efforts, Lynn, who died in 1955 at 81, has often been suggested as the person the new national children's hospital should be named after. A plaque was erected in memory of ffrench-Mullen at her childhood home on Moyne Road, Ranelagh, last month. Licensing law reforms remain on the shelf Irish nightlife has changed greatly this century, with a drinks industry report this week showing alcohol consumption is down by more than one third since 2001 and falling. There has been an even greater decline in the number of nightclubs, with the Give Us The Night campaign earlier this year highlighting that only about 80 remained open, an 83 per cent drop since 2000. Industry operators were heartened by a push during Helen McEntee's time as minister for justice to reform our 'antiquated' licensing system with a view to giving nightlife a jolt. Helen McEntee announcing the publication of the general scheme of the Sale of Alcohol Bill in October 2022. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins The Sale of Alcohol Bill would have set daily trading hours of 10.30am to 12.30am and permitted nightclubs to open until 6am. It was expected to be enacted by last summer, but faced backbench criticism. The since-retired Fine Gael TD Michael Ring argued it should be ditched to shift the party away from 'left wing' policies. The Bill, like a beer bottle in a law-abiding pub after 11pm on Sunday, remained on the shelf up to November's general election. The latest Programme for Government (PfG) contains a pledge to 'enact legislation to update our licensing laws, promoting the development of a modern and diverse night-time economy in harmony with increased town centre living'. When asked for an update, the Department of Justice noted the PfG's commitment around licensing laws and said 'the legislation will be advanced in due course'. One industry observer said: 'It's in the PfG but there are two chances of it happening soon, I'd say.'
The Journal
a day ago
- Entertainment
- The Journal
A mummified cat and other curiosities: Take a peek inside Dublin's newest museum
A NEW MUSEUM in Dublin promises something 'different' for locals and tourists alike. The Museum of Curiosities on Pembroke Street, which opened at the end of May, houses an array of strange and scary items spanning centuries. 'There are some very niche Facebook groups out there,' says Paul Mangan, who founded the museum. 'I've been collecting strange stuff all my life.' The strange stuff includes a mummified cat, 19th century torture devices, clowns, and lots of creepy dolls. A mummified cat Mangan has also received some donations from the public. Among them is a kangaroo foot bottle opener that someone found in a flat they were renting and, for some reason, did not want to keep. A kangaroo foot bottle opener This isn't Mangan's first foray into the weird and whacky. He was a performer in a travelling freakshow, which was described as a 'nightmarish cabaret steeped in the surreal'. Advertisement It was on his travels that he picked up unique pieces, storing them at his mother's house in his native Glasnevin until he found the two-storey space near Fitzwilliam Square. 'I was looking for a place for a long time … it was kind of a semi-delapadated space. 'A lot of work has been done on it in the last four to five months to get it to a visitable standard.' The dark museum has three main rooms. Downstairs houses copious amounts of taxidermy in one room, while the other primarily displays Victorian pieces. A preserved hand of a hanged man Upstairs, cabinets store an array of questionable medical devices of the past, as well as a clown collection and – you guessed it – more creepy dolls. The museum, Mangan says, is for 'people who are looking to do something different in Dublin'. 'We've had goths, families … The people we've had in have been from every walk of life.' Mangan's day job as a social media manager and web developer meant he was well-equipt to build a brand, and his life-long passion means he has '20 years worth of weird stuff' to show the public. The museum is open Wednesday to Sunday 11am-7pm and tickets are €15 for adults and €13 for children. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
