ARMISTICE DAY IN DUBLIN

Evening Star, Issue 19143, 9 January 1926, Page 10

ARMISTICE DAY IN DUBLIN

AS mESSIVE AND SEE DISPLAY FEEBLE HOSTILE PEDCEEDIHOS (From our Dublin correspondent.) Very, impressive and stirring ceremonies* marked the observance of Armistice Day in Dublin. The cx-scrvice-men’s contingents and the members of the general public provided the largest and most orderly assemblage seen in the Irish capital for years. It was a really wonderful tribute by Dublin’s citizens to the memory of the great dead. The usual little knots of fanatics, however, were at large, but it is dillicuit to find out if any responsible political organisation was behind their nasty efforts at horseplay. After the parades noisy bands of young men paraded the streets, and free lights resulted in various portions of. the city. After one of these Charles Gates (thirty), an ex-corporal of the Inniskilling Fusiliers, was x - ernovcd to hospital, where ho died. (.Result ol inquest: Death from excitement). Except for these noisy bands of young men and youths, the overwhelming body of the'citizens celebrated the day with ■ respect and solemnity. And throughout the provinces ,L have the same good reports to make. The exservicemen's legion in Ireland is a powerful organisation, indicative of the great strength Ireland mustered in the war. The vast body of the Irish people throughout the country was decorous, orderly, and most respectful. The nasty efforts at horseplay made in Dublin and a few rural places were carried out by the usual “ die-hard ” minority, who- must have been horrified at the splendid concourse Armistice Day gathered to itsoU in Dublin. .Poppies were universally worn.

A marked feature of the various exservicemen's contingents was the number of-Catholic priests marching at the head of their respective groups, and wearing their service medals. I did not expect such a wonderful display in Ireland’s capital, where it is very bard to estimate things properly; hut, on every side T learned that no such assemblage was seen in Dublin for years. Ireland, without the shadow ol a doubt, was proud of her heroic dead, who had died in the Great V/ar. and, if she mourned them with the deepest solemnity. she was determined that their deeds and memory shall never die. Small hands of fanatics can cause great harm and injure the reputation of a people much misunderstood, hut as a travelled man and close observer I must emphatically declare that the heart of Ireland is sound.