DR. CROKE ON THE ARREST OF FATHER SHEEHY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IX, Issue 433, 29 July 1881, Page 20

DR. CROKE ON THE ARREST OF FATHER SHEEHY.

On the 25th May the parishioners of Loughmore and Castleiuy had ! an opportunity of extending to the Archbishop of Cashel one of those enthusiastic welcomes with which his Grace has been so familiar during the whole of his recent diocesan visit. On his arrival he was presented with an eloquent and patriotic address on behalf of the people of Loughmore and Castleiny. The address was read by Mr. j R. Sheehy, the father of the Rev. Eugene Sheehy. now in Naas jail. We take the following extract from the report of the reply of the Archbishop :—: — His Grace in replying said — Mr. Sheehy, Father O'Kane, and fellow-countrymen— My first duty this evening, and it is a pleasing one, is to return you my Bincere thanks for the very excellent, and in a great many respects unmerited and too nattering, address which has just been read for me. In that address the names of some of the most distinguished ecclesiastics that flourished in this country some years ago have been introduced, and my humble name has been contrasted with theirs. The contrast, of course, is introduced in a friendly spirit, but I clearly see that it is disadvantageous to me. I am no one compared with the great names of Dr. Doyle and Dr. Mac Hale, the great Archbishop of the West. They have achieved wonders for the country — I have achieved nothing. Uut they have passed away, and it will be for time to tell whether, when my name is partially forgotten, as the name of Dr. Doyle is now, and when the sun of my history such as it may be, will have gone down, as that of the great Archbishop of the West has gone down, it will be for future times to tell — if I be remembered at all — whether if I have not done much I may not have wished to do a great deal (cheers). I wish well to the country, I am therefore delighted to meet my countrymen on all occasions, and I can assure you that I am particularly pleased to meet them this evening, and here (cheers). I will call upon you, standing here on this spot, and with a venerated patriot by my side (cheers) — I will call upon you to give in advance three cheers for Father Sheehy (loud and prolonged cheering). It is a singular and peculiar fact that when I was the other day in Templemore the address that was read for me there was read by the brother of Father Sheehy, Hud is it not an extraordinary fact that the address presented to me here this evening has been read for me by the father of Father Sheehy ? (Cheers.) There was a great man of old, whose name, of course, is historic, and about whom every scholar hai read a great deal, and that was a man called Hannibal He was a great soldier, and he had perpetual enmity against Rome. He lived in a place called Carthage. He was defeated by the Romans, but in the later end of bis life he brougt brought his son at his side to the altar and made him swear perpetual hostility to the enemies of his country (loud cheers. I don't know whether the father of Father bheehy ever brought bis son to the altar to promise — I won't say to pledge himself to perpetual hostility to the enemies of bis country — but I am perfectly sur* that he brought him to the altar to »romi>« perpetual fealty to the land in which he was born (loud cheers); ana the consequence is that there is not in all Ireland, thei*

is not connected with the Irish race to-day, a priest or layman whose heart palpitates with a purer love for the old country than the heart of Father Sheehy (cheers). I know him long and well ; I have met him out of this country and I have met him in this country ; and I may afely say of him that a more cultured gentleman, a more devote priest, - a more ardent friend, and a truer son of Ireland existfl not (cheers). All t his energies since his return from to this country the United States were i expended upon advancing the interest* of his country, aud if there 1 wjik any man more than another who devoted himself also to the cause of presening order and teeping people from coming into dangerous j collision with the authorities, that man is he who this evening is . lodged in the jail at Naas. Let me ask the Government here from thi> pliitform to-night what object they can have in arresting Father Sheehy and putting him in jail. Do they think it will serve Father Sheehy lin the way in which they wish it to serve him — do they think that when ; ha <onus out of jail he will be a more loyal man, a more devoted man , tv England, and less an Irishman than he is to-day, or that he will ; be the less devoted to the cause which we are advocating, and which, t Pj c ' ase od < we will advocate until we have achieved victory 1 (Cheers.) . Ti.cy could not have counted upon anything of the kind. Father j tSheehy, when he comes out of jail, will be, please God, what he is j this evening — a good priest, a thorough Irishman, and a man who • -will dare to do anything in a legitimate way that will lift up this | country and make it prosperonß (cheers). Therefore, as far as Father i Sheehy himself is concerned, there can be no reformation — it is not j needed. Now let us come to the priesthood of Ireland. Do yon | think that any priest will be deterred from following in the path. ; marked out to him by Father Sheehy because Father Bheehy ftfe been I ariested ? Not at all. There is no body in the world that have each an /sprit de corps as the priests have. They cling together as one man.