GENERAL JOHN REGAN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 7554, 18 April 1914, Page 6

GENERAL JOHN REGAN.

WESTPORT'S WRATH. THE STAGE IRISHMAN. Mr. Robert Hannay, son of Canon Hannay (George A. Birmingham), the author of the play, " General John Regan, and the interesting book of the same name, has written the special article given below for tho ''Daily News and and Leader" on tho recent trouble at Westport Mr. Hannay tlirows an interesting light upon the attitude of tho [ran nation in general, and of Westporfc in particulai, towards the representation of Irish characters on the stage. / Admitting that ho cannot directly answer the question why the people of Westport drove "General John Regan" from the stage in tho town where Canon Hannay lived more than 20 years, ho would, however, attempt to throw out a tew suggestions relative thereto. Proceeding, ho says : «n " l ? iln , so °, no val 'd reason why tiS? n M *\ J °r h " , Kegan " shoilld bo «bjeotionablo bo .Irishmen. Most people will agree that its jokes are in fact, as they coitamly are in intention, entirely goodhumoured. Ifc i s also thb case that none of its characters are deliberately copied n" h .T,' n E'"habitants *f Westport. Il .possible that Doyle or Constable MorperfonS ta ¥csemWe lwal personality. I have never met. anyone m Westporfc exactly like them but then I never had many acquaintances among either publicans or policemen. as still A. pi f Ufflßta, J ceß ' J wfts a!most nl„ £ w ♦*" a^ 70n6 clsp whon the people of Westport rose up in their wrath I would not have been much sum-led had the play merely been hooted or hS ed. Maybe men don't mean much bv mch expressions of opinion. They wiS hoot a politician, for Stance, Uhlhlfpens to have annoyed them but they will vote for him just tlie same at the that they should have committed actualphysical violence, torn the collar off an actor, broken a number of chairs tnd windows, and hurt a district Sect )r ' f P 7°fe° s ?. badl - v tJ,at could not a tend the Petty Sessions Court several daya afterwards. For the people of- • Westport are a placid race, who uSlikn violent action! 0 f any kind They JrS aoois of the shops at which thev sHnrt and smpke They like to see otfer peoment. Yet Canon Hannav's play seems o have irntated fhem soVkUyThS \ their indignation was'only quelle/ when ' the police charged them with batons It must not. be supposed that the peoP le °f Westport.disliked the play author at first. On the contrary, leading «?'« D Vu ndt^? ,g ?* least ™* membe? of the Üban .District Council sent telen3s> in C 7 on^ atuJatf ™ «'hen the "first nigiit in London was.a success. Afterwards a lecture about tho play was given to them by the author, and rej iyed with applause.. No one could have from the very beginning of it 't hefAn was so great that no words could ft***--, • n,adD t]leni ehange M *«**?& The neamt anpioach to a direct answer which I n«& Ulld V n thG r °™l weekly paper very'iiftfti • dd, s£ ul .>t contain! ' \ ery little that is enlightening. It says howeyer, "The representatfon of an Irish servant was grossly insultjng-fS Trdlv ZlV??" a s Je the pfa? from be S innln g to end of "FRIENDLY TOLERANCE." th?n^- ay ' We ? t P or | *» no objection to the ordinary stage Irishman, who is altool. The actual rush was made when the priest appeared on the stage. This "MnvoX&V"^ 6 **- *&*l. The Mayo JNews'' leaves us no wiser as to Lvn'T!,ll J" 5 ? 11 ** pe °V T ° ehould suddenly Have broken into violent riots. .am rather "afraid .-that Englishmen will misunderstand the feelings of th" Westport public, and believe that it bar! Hannay mo T reSGntni l nl • a s ainst Ca ™' wannay I r .m quite confident that it does nothing of the kind. A crowd of either to obhge someone else, or less probaoV nist because they felt like riot that came along. Now. like snoilt ohil dren, they have worked off their fee- <"**. and returned to their usual condtion nFfnnndly tolerance. Except for,* J«w who allowed their high spirit to " t" foigotten the wholo incident in a week °: two. If the auThor of the offendW beT n?■ t 0 r ;slt W"*Port next w PP k meou d bo welcomed: The rioters wouh gakp, him by the hand, and nould offer mprinks if thev thought there was Jo Toast charmo of his accepting them rhe? tl° ™f*&r T"'W>"o-protest. b„; fSni "f* l p ;nst intention of altienTship. t 0 Mcrh ™ ffith Pri^to