Oh.

Central Remedial Clinic advertisement appearing in the Irish Times, on November 30th 2011, commemorating the death of Jimmy Savile.

Mr Savile visited Ireland annually between 1968 and 1981 to lead fundraising walks for the Clinic.

The Times’ Irishman’s Diary, of 2nd May1968, records Mr Savile’s first official visit there as follows:

‘”Yesterday’s visit to the Clinic’s present headquarters in Goatsown was undoubtedly the highlight of the week for its staff and patients… Mr Savile had hardly descended in floral splendour from the white Rolls Royce in which he arrived before a small girl with a leg in calipers grabbed his hand. “The Duchess” remarked somewhat redundantly that Jimmy was marvellous with children. “The Duchess” by the way is Mr Saville’s 83 year old, ever active, ever alert and very tolerant mother. Yesterday she followed with others while Mr Savile took the Clinic by storm, making children and adult patients laugh helplessly and bestowing a kiss on every adult female whom he chanced upon. .. Luncheon… was climaxed by the cutting of an enormous and maginficent cake... the cutting was carried out by Mr Savile and a somewhat distrustful nun whom Mr Savile had earlier assailed with dire warnings about the likely reaction of higher ecclesiastical authorities to her association with a person of his type. Her mistrust, turned out, to some extent to be well placed. With the knife poised, ready to cut the first slice of cake, Mr Savile turned to her. “Repeat after me” he said, and waited dramatically admist an expectant hush, “…Mea culpa”‘.

Mr Savile’s visit to Ireland took on a less humorous note when the Evening Herald, a former co-sponsor of the walks, reported in 2013 that some of his remarks had made other participants in the walks feel less than comfortable.

Tomorrow sees the publication of a new biography of Savile “In Plain Sight: the Life and Lies of Jimmy Savile” (Guardian review here).

Thanks Sibling of Daedalus