THE IRISH RACE ON THE CONTINENT.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume 26, Issue 349, 26 December 1879, Page 17

THE IRISH RACE ON THE CONTINENT.

A Paris correspondent writes :— Two men of Irish extraction will soon meet to settle the preliminaries of a marriage between King Alfonso of Spain and the Archduchess of Austria. Count Taaffe, a noble descendant of the illustrious family that for several generations shed lustre on the land of their adoption, and won the highest honours in the army and in the council, now Priu»e Minister of Austria, and Count De Morphy, private secretary and confidential friend of the young sovereign, Kiug Alfonso, whom he has not left since his childhood. Those two distinguished men, sons of " exiles of Erin," both enjoy the entire confidence of their sovereigns and public esteem in both countries. Their brave ancestors sacrificed rank and fortune to remain faithful to their creed and country. They enjoy both to-day, and their influence and counsels are most beneficial to the land of their adoption. I know, from the best possible source, that they are proud of their origin, and are not unmindful of the race from which they sprung, and the country for which their ancestors suffered, and from which they were exiled. In Austria there are still many distinguished men of Irish origin. The MacMahons, the Mac* Nevius, O'Kellys of Augrem, the MacMurrys, Nugents, O'Connells, O'Connors of Kerry, O'Reillys, Taaffes, O'Donnells, Walls, of Kurrigman, Smith, MacGavan, &c. In the Irish Brigade there were Murphy 8 and Morphys — General Count de Morphy, a most distinguished officer, was still in the army under Charles the Tenth. In France, in Spain, in Austria, and Russia ; in every great country, those irrepressible Celts are coming to the front, as if to prove that valour and virtue are inherent in their race, aud descend among them from sire to son. In France the O'Farrells, O'Briens, Bwineys, Harty, de Pierrebourg, MacDermotts, Grehans, Dillons, O'Gormans, O'Connors, Plunkets, Cantillons, O'Reillys, MacMahons. O'Kellys, &c, &., figure in the army list of the present year. In fact, men of Irish descent are to be found in every profession, among the elite of the soldiers, statesmen, and legislators in Europe.

We are glad to see the growing success of Me Gee's llhtstrated Weekly. It is a proof that the failure of former illustrated IrishAmerican papers was due to their unworthiness or blindness to popular taste. Me Gee '« lllustrated, Weekly is not only fiist-ratc in the matter of pictures, but it ia edited with intelligence and rare literary bility.