Prince of Paradise

Europe had a new royal house last week. In Dublin newspapers appeared a personal pronouncement: "I, Prince Michael Neale, landowner, will assume the title of Prince of the Saltees at the conclusion of the war. Also I wish it to be known that no one will be permitted to enter the Saltee Islands without a permit issued by me." Anybody caught interfering with the millions of birds or their eggs which inhabit those islands will be severely dealt with.

Prince Michael Neale is Eire's No. 1 manufacturer of cattle dip. As a County Wexford farmer's son, he used to lie on a cliff top in the long grass and gaze south across St. George's Channel to the tiny, haze-blue Saltee Islands. Since his first name was legally Prince, it was easy for a farm boy to daydream: "Some day I'll own those islands and become a real prince." He took to calling the Saltees "Paradise."

By last year he had sold enough dip to buy the Saltees. He began planting 3,000 trees, developing his domain as a luxury tourist resort. He also talked about recruiting a private army.

But last week Prince Neale had a right royal headache. To a reporter the Dublin prince-presumptive confided: "My wife, a Liverpool woman, is a bit shy about using the title of Princess. . . ." He added thoughtfully: "Anyone who does not call me Prince will be ignored."

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