Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XX, Issue 24, 1 April 1892, Page 9

Irish News.

Armagh.— The tragic death of James Murphy, of Tullyvftllen, a miser said to be worth £40,000, has had bad results amongst his relatives. Dying intestate, two married sisters — named Thompson and Donntlly respectively— inherit his property, and thrte male members of the Donnelly family are said to have become insane at tbe prospect of their removal from poverty to comparative wealth. One of them, Patrick, becoming dangerous, was arrested by Sergeant Ooyle and subsequently committed to Armagh asylum, and it is thought that a similar course of action will be necessary in the case of his two brothers. Strange as it may appear, the deceased miser, though stinting himself to the bare necessaries of life, was not what would be called, a harsh landlord. He never evicted a tenant, although many were in arrear for six or seven years. Clare.— County Court Judge Kelly, sitting at Eilrush Quarter Sessions, gave bis decision in the processes for rent by Captain Yandaleur against bis reinstated evicted tenants, wherein he held Sir Charles's award was entirely illegal, there being no submission to it, nor any written authority by Captain Vandaleur or the tenants to him to arbitrate between them in the matter of compensation. The Judge granted decrees against tbe tenants. Cork. — Timothy Barrett of Gouganes, near Ban tee r, was evioted for non-payment of rent by S. Graham of Cloomeen House. Barrett refused to give up possession ; then tbe door was immediately broken in by the bailiff and his assistant, who threw out the furniture. George Gallaghan, who joined the navy in 1811, died a few days ago in the island of Valentia. He served fifty-nine years, both as

naval officer and coastguard, and was guarding the great Napoleon Bnonaparte in tbe island of St. Helena in 1820. He retired from the service twenty-two years ago, and resided since in the island of Valenlia. He had a strong recollection of Napoleon's exile and life in St Helena, and retained his mental faculties to the end. Donegal.— There are 410 families, or about 2000 persons, on the brink of starvation in this County. When writing on this sad subject the highly-esteemed Father Mc^adden shows clearly that it is the landlord first and the Factionists next who are responsible. The split in the Irish party and the expected failure of means to support the evicted tenants " put new hope into their (the landlords 1 ) minds and fired their bouls with fresh vengeance on tbe poor persecuted tenants." Let Irishmen who support John E. Redmond & Co. think on this. Fermanagh.— lt is to be hoped that North Fermanagh Nationalists are on the gui vice. Mr Dane, the Unionist, is pursuing an active canvass in tbe lower end of tbe Division, and a meeting in his interest will be held in Bel leek on an early date. Kerry* — Anyone entering the town of Cahirciveen at present must at once be struck with the beauty and grandeur of tbe splendid building which is in course of erectioa there, and every sincere and true-hearted Irishman when he learns that this beautiful church is associated with the name and memory of Daniel O'Connell, will at once feel that th« work has npon his consideration a Btrong and n ideniable cltim, that he owes to it a positive and commanding duty. The idea of building an O'Connell Memorial Church in tbe native town of tbe Liberator originated a few years ago with Rev Canon Brosnan of Cahirciveen, and, applying himself to the work with that seal and energy to characteristic of him, has succeeded in erecting the preset t half-made structure at a cost of over £15,000.

Kilkenny.— Alderman John Coyle has made a presentation to the Kilkenny Workingmen's Olab. It ia a large bandsoroelyframed photographic view of Mr Pamell's grave in G-'asnerin cemetery. Tbe grave is covered with a laige number of beautiful wreaths, and standing near it are Henry Parnell and Mrs and Bliss Dickenson. Ths presentation is much appreciated by members of tbe club. King's County. —The close of the year has seen the death of the celebrated specimen of tbe American aloe which completed its century of existence in the cot servatory of Birr Castle last August. Oq that occasion the beautiful plant suddenly threw out great clusters of yellow flowers that took the prize at tbe recent Dublin show. On blooming— an event that only happens when the specimen reaches one hundred years of age— the plant gave a load report like the sound of a rifle shot, and an hour later the flowers so rare were found on its stem. The peculiarity of this rarity was its abnormal height ; it rose to an altitude of twenty-three feet, a point never reached out of tropical climes. The Earl of Bosse and his astronomer, both distinguished botanists, watched the progress of th« plant with great diligence and made frequent observations of its developement that will be an iovaluable record to botanists. There are numerous specimens of the aloe in Ireland, but mostly dwarfed or stunted in growth, and no authentic information has been obtained as to their exact age. In the case of this one, its history has been traced back to the time it was planted in the castle, and its three characteristics — blooming only once in its life, living to its hundredth year, and then dying— all the traditions of its species have been verified, and can now be accepted a 9 ascertained facts. Concurrent with its death was the growth of a group of Beedlings at its bas», And th-se have been carefully transplanted to perpetuate the memory of tbe interesting centenarian plant from which they sprang.

L,imerick. — Fracas Wngbf, aged 17 years, son of Mr Wright, foreman at J. P. Evans and C)., George street, Limerick, died at Mmc Stevens' Hospital. Dublin, from tbe effects of the savage attack of a bear at the Zoological G,.rd< ns. He bad just finished bis education at Newtown school, Waterfnrd. He was on a visit with some Dublin frienda and visited tbe Zo >. la one of tbe cages was a bear which was apparently very docile, and the boy gave htm some sweets. He was about giving the animal tbe last sweet, and bad hia arm stretched out, when he unfortunately turned round his head to see where his young brother was, when the bear seized its opportunity, grabbed bis right arm, and, striking him on the left arm, smashed it and lacerated it down the wriat. The bear dragged the luckless boy up to the cage and retained hia right ban I in its month for some minutes, during which the little brother ran to some men who were working in the vicinity and informed them of what had occurred. One man came with a shovel and another took a bar out of the cage and tried to make the I ear let go his hold. Tbe animal at this time was trying to claw ihe boy. An official hurried up with a loaded revolver, and tbe moment the bear b*w the weapon be let go. The unfortunate lad was conveyed to Stevens' Hospital, where he died. L,OUth-— Planter Bridge had two loads of oats in Drogheda last market day, but failed to find a purchaser. The corn was grewn on the land of evicted tenant Mull n of Newtown, Monasterbjice, and whether the market is over-stockud or that the factors did not like to deal in corn grown on grabbed land, Planter Bridge couldn't get anyone to take it off his hands. After a dreary trudge in search of a purchaser, he was in tbe tvening compelled to store the grain iv Mr Leland's stores, at the Old Abbey. Meatfa.— A pastoral letter on the subject of the new church of St Patrick, Borne, which Most Rev Dr Nulty recently addressed

to the priests and people of the diocese of Meath, contains the following :— The Pope, then, calls on the Irish race in its vast dispersions all over the world to carry their faith back to Rome and embody it visibly and palpably in the stones, the mortar, and other component materials of a magnificent church to be erected there for the worship of God, under the invocation of St Patrick, the National apostle. The Pope's Brief is addressed to the Irish race, not only at home, bat in England, in Canada, in the United States, in South Africa, and throughout the vast continent of Australia. The mission of that church will be that of an authorised and a truthful witness of the vitality and the generosity of the frith of Irishmen now living and btaring testimony to the sacrifices madu for it by their forefathers. UlOliagliail.— Father George McMeel, Adm., presided at recent meeting of the National Federation, and those in attendance discussed the Waterford election, remarking how the Orangemen of the county rejoiced at the Factionist victory. The reverend chairman regretted the action of Waterford, but hoped it would fall into line with the rest of Ireland when the general election shall be held. 81ijgo«— On December 30 last the first of a new series of monthly fairs was held in the thriving little town of Aclare. The organisers of the fairs were extremely pleased with the result, and sanguine about the permanent establishment of a monthly fair. The sale of pigs was very brisk and all were s?ld. About 200 animals, both large and small, were bought. Ballina dealers securing the largest number. Several small pigs were bought up for the Collooney pork market. Thers was a splendid show of cattle, but on account of the universal depression of prices in the trade very little money changtd hands. The sale of sheep was fair, but prices were low. Xlpperary.— At Tipperary petty sessions a few days ago a number of cases wera heard of the suit of Rev David Humphreys, as landlord of New Tipperary, against tenants who recently withdrew from the Smith-Barry tenants' combination for possession of houses with which they were accommodated after their eviction by Mr Smith-Barry, but which they were now overholding. All the cases were dismissed. Tyrone* — Two brothers named McCann of Drumcraw, Catholics, and one of them a soldier, were attacked on the broad road, when on their way from Cookstown, by a number of Protestants, three of whose names were Girven. No arrests have been made. Waterlord.— The tolls of Waterford Bridge have been sold this year to an English firm for £7,000. The crazy old piece of woodwork iB a disgrace to the city and a serious impediment to its commercial advancement. In no other city would it have existed for so long a period. "WicklOW*— John Parnell recently visited the quarries and other business on the estate, which are now idle and no prospect of a re-open. Many persona are thrown out of employment.