… in 1912, the Titanic sank off the coast of Newfoundland. When I was growing up in Ireland, there was an urban legend that the Cork Examiner, a relentlessly provincial publication, carried a huge headline in 96-point type saying, “Corkman Drowns” and below it, in smaller type, “Titanic sinks on maiden voyage”. As the Italians say, if it isn’t true then it ought to be.