The July issue of HISTORY TODAY,the London monthly founded by the Irish charlatan and renegade Brendan Bracken, *though no less reliable for that,carries an intriguing article by Julie Peakman on the whores of Dublin in the 18th Century. It seems they came, not in single spies, or even in battalions, regiments or divisions, but in great hordes. The article makes clear that their great numbers were necessary for the comfort of the huge numbers of soldiers stationed in Ireland to keep the country under the English Crown.
Any way, prostituting themselves to comfort the British Garrison was never the sole prerogative of the Doll Tearsheets of Dublin. Broadsheet newspapers amongst other publications have given the garrison comfort and even those not paid from Secret Service Funds, Dublin Castle or the War Office support the adage that an Enthusiastic Amateur is as good as any Pro.
Tara Street Walkers and various Wa*kers come to mind.
*Brendan Bracken attached himself like a limpet to Winston Churchill in the 1930s, rather as Patrick Cosgrave later attached himself to Margaret Thatcher, like the Articled Clerk who ran away to the Circus proving there was No Taste For Accountancy.
I remember reading a biography of Brendan Bracken many years back. Here was a man who was not only an imperialist but went out of his way to hide his Irishness.
Unfortunately there are many like him both past and present, Wogan, Geldoff, Norton, Gay Byrne to name a few as well as those who prostrate themselves and accept their OBEs, MBEs etc. They give the impression that we are a craven people eager for the crumbs that fall of mother England’s table.