Dublin Notes.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 51, 25 September 1891, Page 9

Dublin Notes.

("From the National Papers.) Wh can heartily congratulate the good nuns of the Dominican ConTent, Eccles street, Dublin, on the brilliant successes achieved by their pupils at the recent Royal University Examinations. The lists attest that the young ladies educated by them have won many high distinctions, including one exhibition. This Convent thus maintains its position as the pioneer of the Catholic institutions which devote themselves to the work of promoting higher female education in Ireland. In the course of his interview with the American journalist the Archbishop of Dublin, referring to the elections held since the crisis arose, said : "After the next general election the Parnellite section, in so far as it may exist at all, will be outnumbered by the Irish Nationalist Party in at least the tame proportion that the Irish Parliamentary Party in the present Parliament outnumber the Irish Unionists." His Grace did not express himself hopefully of putting an end to Mr Parnell's " campaign of disunion " or of restoring unity in the Nationalist ranks. Strong pressure is being put upon Dr Kenny, M.P., recently elected city coroner for Dublin, to vacate his seat for South Cork, and it is difficult to Bee bow be can long resist it, as it will be quite impossible to discharge his Parliamentary duties concurrently with those official duties which will necessitate his constant presence in Dublin. The Clonakilty and Dunmanway Boards of Guardians, both in the Cork constituency, have passed resolutions calling upon him to resign. Resignation to the inevitable is, however, not a conspicuous public virtue in the Parnellite moral code affecting the political course of action of the followers of the ex-leader. The discussion before the Piivy Council on the road-making, or road marring, in the County of Dublin aptly illustrates the utter incompetence, to use no harsher word, of the grand jury system. The roads of the whole county of Dublin, it seems, are looked after by two old gentlemen of 72 and 73 years respectively, who are allowed no assistants, and who are each required, amongst other things, to inspect about 52,000 tons of broken stones in the year. The Vice-chancellor briefly and accurately summarised the nett result of the system when he declared that " the roads of the county of Dublin are as bad as they can be." Fourteen persons are now undergoing sentences of penal servitude in England as a consequence of conviction for treason-felony . Their names are Thomas Gallagher, Albert G. Whitehead, Henry H. Wilson, and J. Curtin (sentenced to penal servitude for life at the Central Criminal Court, May 28, 1883) ; James F, Egaa and J. Daly sentenced to penal servitude (the first for a term of 20 years, and tha second for life, at Warwick Assizes, July 5, 1884; ; Timothy Featherstone, Patrick Flanagan, and Henry Dalton (sentenced to penal servitude for life at Liverpool Assizss, July 5, 1883) ; ana Thomas M'Cullagb, Thomas Devaney, Peter Cillaghan, H. M'Oann, and Terence M'Dermot (sentenced to penal servitude for life in Edu - burgh, December 21, 1883). From t v ie Royal University Honours Lists, it will be scan that Miss Hannah Moylan has been awarded the degre; of 8.A., with first-class honours in mathematical science and an exhibition of twenty guineas. This is the first time that a woman has attained to such a distinction. Had Miss Moylan achieved such success at an English university, her name would be sounded far and wide. The tests of the Royal are not a whit less severe than those of Cambridge or Oxford, and Miss Moylan has our congratulations. She has been one of our most distinguished Catholic girl students for several years past. A high exhibitioner in the vari jus grades of tha iotermedi.ite she has obtained high university distinction at every examination throughout her course. Miss Moylan is daughter of the Ute Head Master of the Limerick Model School. The practical patriotism of the Irish nuns in promoting one of our few native industries, that of lace-making, is favourably noticed in the annual report of the Science and Art Department at South Kensington, which states that eighteen convent art classes were examined in May, 1890, of which nine were in connection with lacemaking convents. Besides these, eight other convents have commenced art classes for the current session. There are now art classes at fourteen centres where lace embroidering or crochet is being made. As regards the remaining twelve convents with art classes nine are conducting National schools, in which some kind of instruction in industrial work is given. At almost all of the fourteen lace-making centres there are National schools, bo that there are upwards of twenty-three art classes, which should have a more or less direct influence upon the schemes for industrial work in the National schools connected with them. The improvement in the demand for Irish laces and crochet miy fairly be traced, to some extent, to the influence of the lace-making convents. The 12th of July has come and gone. Although its p ssing bi-i not left behind it such a sang mary reord of outrage and insolence

as in former years, thing have been done by a rabid rabble bere and there which unhappily prove that bigotry dies hard. Wanton attacks on Catholics were made in Rostrevor, Ready, Gookatown and other places. In Collon, County Loutb, a nnmber of Orangemen, while drivii g on a car along Mount Oriel-road, tired three revolver shotßin a characteristic spirit of bravado as they were passing the residences of some Catholics. They were soon out of sight aod rifle range. Such exhibitions of Dutch courage are quite in keeping with the character and conduct of the Irish admirers cf William of Orange. They fomented a riot in Keady where their bellicose exploits were very near leading to bloodshed, as they sooner or later will unless compelled to disarm before parading the roads and streets with their discordant fife and drum bands. At Dungannon railway station they formed in a circle round two priests, making an insulting and hostile demonstration much to the dslight of a Tory magistrate standing by, The sooner such a magistrate is deprived of the commission of the peace, of which he is more likely to be a disturber than protec tor, the better. The inexhaustible subject of che crisis has elicited from the Most Rev Dr McAlister, Bishop of Dowu and Connor, a circular letter, in which he directs the clergy to explain to the people, in reference to the resolution of the Irish bishops on the 25th ult., that the question, whether action is morally right or morally wrong, is essentially a question of morals, and as such, is necessarily eubject to the judgment of ecclesiastical authority, and that every such question mast be dealt with by the authority which is alone competent to deal with it on moral grounds, namely, by the pastors of the Church who have received the divine commandment to teach and direct the faith and morals of the people whom the Holy Ghost has committed to their care. "Itis in the sense thus indicated," his Lordship adds, " that as responsible pasters, the bishops have dealt with the caße of Mr Parnell in the solemn judgment to which they have given expression* To leave room for no doubt or cavil on the part of any Catholic who wishes to obey the authority of the pislors of his Cburch it is the duty of every priest as the guardian of morality not only to carefully refrain from encouraging in any way, by word or act, the people among whom he ministers to follow the leadership of Mr Parnell, but also to use every legitima'e means to dissuade them from listening to the advice of those who at present teach disobedience to the pastors whom the inspired Apostle commands to obey." After such a clear and dtfinite pronouncement as this it is unlikely that any more isolated and eccentric deviations from the line, sharply and distinctly drawn by the bishops, should make scoffing Protestants laugh or judicious Catholics grieve. A few gentlemen interested id flax culture have been experimenting with this valuable and profitable crop in the vicinity of Wexford. Some years ago, several thousand acres, to the north and south of the harbour, were reclaimed, arjd the rich slob lands that were thus available have been regarded as most suitable for flax growing. List yeir, on the South Slob, some ten acres were planted, but the excellent crop, which was prepared for the market by local labour, was consumed by an accidental fire before it was removed from the sore. This year a larger experiment was made on the North Slob, over part of which the Wexford Hunt Races nre held, and which also provi les splendid ground for the meetings of the W'jxford Coursing Club. Thirty acres were devoted to the flax growing, and the flax is beins: just now saved, fifty hands being employed at the work. A neighbouring farmer has had the enterprise to give the crop a trial, and has every reason to be satisfied with his venture. The flax is to be prepared for market on the spot, and for this purpose an engine and the necessary machinery have been erected. There has been an idea, which must be encouraged by the result of the experiments, of starting a limited company to introduce flax-growing into Wexford on an extended scale. The soil and climate are suited to the requirements of the crop. Labour is abundant, and could be easily trained to treat the flax by the newest methods. If the growers and labourers can supply the proper article th?y will find plenty of demand. Fureign-grown flax has a big hold on the British market, and, if the fibre can be cropped, pulled finished, and manufactured at home, the country will be richer. Wexford Coun'y, with its thick population of industry-loving folk, promises to be a fair fijld for flax culture.