Monkeys danced on the streets of Dublin in the 19th and early 20th century. Among a small, if highly visible, Italian immigrant community of artisan and plasterers were organ grinders who had dancing monkeys! Chancery Lane was often packed with foreign street musicians, similar to todays Grafton Street performers. It was mostly Italian lads (eye-tallion in the classic Dub) who had the instruments known as street organs. Kids often called them hurdy-gurdies, though the instrument is different. On any given day, a troop of monkeys, usually Capuchins, could be causing havoc. An example of this happened on 3rd May 1913 when a little boy called John Connell was attacked by an organ-grinder’s monkey on Parnell Street. He was badly mauled and had to spend the night in Jervis Street Hospital. This was sadly a fairly common incident!
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Who Watches the Watchers? 