Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 32, 17 December 1897, Page 9

Iris h News.

ANTRIM.— The Fate of an Informer.— Mr. William M'Cammond, who until recently resided near tiallynure, gives, in the Shan Van, Vockt, a graphic description of the method of dealing' with informers adopted by the United Men ot County Antrim. It seems that previous to the insurrection a pretended patriot, with most insinuating manners, and whose professions ot devotion to the United cause were loud, came o\ er trom the County Down bide and gained the confidence of the Antrim men, so that he gained knowledge of their names, numbers, and designs. One night, however, having- indulged somewhat too freely, he was found lying helpless as a log by the roadside. A United man came along, and, being unable to move him, thought it better to remove all letters and papers from his pockets whilst he left him to go tor iurther help. To his horror and astonishment he found among the contents of the inebriate's pocket a list of all the United men in the district, including many he had sworn-in, and other documents proving him to be a spy in the Government service. The United men were summoned together, and the informer, when somewhat sobered, was put on his trial. The place chosen was an old Irish rath, and all necessary legal formalities were observed. A judge sat in the place of justice, a jury was solemnly sworn, an adviser and advocate were chosen for the accused, and solicitor and advocate urged the prosecution. All evidence against him was duly weighed, and a verdict of guilty being returned, he was condemned to death. Here a dilemma arose. Amongst the gallant United men there was not one willing to play the part of executioner. They cast lots for the unpleasant task, but the man on whom the lot tell recoiled from it in horror. Silence fell upon the assembly, and the trembling and infamous wretch began to feebly hope that mercy would prevail. All of a sudden the silence was broken. An impulsive young fellow called Willie Weir Forsythe leaped up trom his seat, exclaiming, " Shall we all die because of the one man /" and therewith aimed his pistol at the informer's head and blew his brains out. There was a hasty burial on the hillside, and the Court of Justice dispersed. Next day some cattle grazing on the hill were observed by their herd stamping excitedly over the mould, where they scented blood. Throwing up the soil, the herdsman found the body. Fortunately he was a friend of the Cause, and understood what had occurred. He placed the body in a sack, and dragged it to a bog at some distance, where it sank and was concealed, to be iound long, long years after, in the turf-cutting. Willie Forsythe, who shot the informer, was sent by the United men out of the country for safety, and a subscription was made on his behalf.

CORK.— The Treasures of Klondyke. — A Corkman's Pile.— Klondyke is really about to lealise expectation-:, according to the New York correspondent of the Monti in/ 7W. Ad \ ices iroin Juneau city, on the Alaskan coast, dated the Ith inst., contain statements by miner-, who have just, armed Irom Daw son city, corroborating the accounts recently s^iven by Mr. Uratnober, and bearing out the other glowing stunt-* oi the immense wealth of the Klondyke gold region which i<ach us Irom time to time. The.-c nuncr>, assert, on the strength ol their own experience-*, that dining next yeir shipments ot gold to the value ot KJO.IKIU.OOO dolhus may be reasonably expected liom the Yukon Valley. Amongst this company of prophets is an Irishman named Patrick Galvin. who seems to have abundantly enriched himselt by his labours in the goldfields. He says that he went to the Yukon three years ago in a penniless condition, without any great expectations, and he is now returning to Cork, his natne city, a rich man. Before leaving Dawson city he disposed ot one oi his claims for 100,000 dollar. He displays a nugget the size of an ouster as one of the trophies of his industry.

An Interesting* Discovery.— a curious discovery hah L>een made in the tow nland ot Kilbionan, in the paiish ot Moviddy, near the road leading trom LUandon to Cookstown. Mr. Huiley. ot Kilbrenan, was reclaiming wimo bog hind on his iann, and m sinking a drain, cume upon what appeared to be the trunk oi an oak tree two feet beneath t he surface. On iurther examination he iound that it was hollowed out m the shape oi a boat. Jle thereupon utlached a pair of horses to it and drew out an ancient lush canoe. It is composed of boir oak, and was made trom the Motion ot the trunk ot a huge oak tree hollowed out at the centre, and is all of one piece, and no nails were used in the construction. The length is about. ].">ft lOin, the breadth is 2tt Sin, -while the depth is about lit iiin, and the bides are about 2\in thick. It would aceoinodate three or lour persons, and was probably used for iishing. Externally it is of a dark brown colour, but underneath the suriace it is quite black, and the ■wood is extremely haid. There are two curious grooves about six inches in diameter at both the bow and the stern, extending from the gunwales to the keel ; but it is not easy to surmise what purpose they served. Canoes of this kind have been discovered in other parts of Ireland, and it is not known to what period of histoiy they belong, but there are many indications that this boat lay in its late position for at least a thousand years. At present there is no lake in the vicinity, and the place on which it was found is on the slope of a hill ; but it is probable that there was formerly a lake a mile and a-halt in circumierence, as the land close by forms a kind of basin with an amphitheater of hills, and at one end there is a narrow gorge, which may have served to drain the lake. Within three yards of the place where the canoe was found is one of these circular mounds of stones and cinders, about 12 yards in diameter, which are found in Ireland, and of which there are three or four in the locality. What these mounds were used for is not known, but it is supposed that they were either connected with dwelling houses or else were used for sacrificial purposes. It is probable, however, that the canoe and the mound belonged to the same age and people.

DONEGAL.— Visit of the Belfast Gaelic League.— A deputation from the Belfast Gaelic League visited the Finn Valley

the other week, and made Miss Moy's comfortable hostelry at Ballinamore their headquarters. At the station, which is on the Glenties Light Railway, they met with another party of Gaelio Leaguers returning from Narin about eighteen miles further west, where they had been spending a fortnight on a similar mission. They visited Mr. Anthony MacDevitt, Largnalarkin, who received them most cordially, and discussed with them the present state of the Irish language' in Donegal. He said that up to three or four years ago the younger people considered the language a thing to be ashamed of, but that now. owing to the work of the Gaelic League, they were beginning to realise that their native tongue was a possession to be proud of. James MacGeehin was also interviewed. He is known as ''The Shanachie"' (Irish — Seanachaidh, a historian). He can recite a large number of Ossianic talcs and poems, which have been preserved traditionally in his family for mauy centuries, and which contains many Irish words now obsolete in the district, lie boasts of having niei in competition the best " shanachies " of the country, and relates that on one occasion he told stories alternately with his opponents for three days and three nights, and when his opponent's repertory was exhausted, he himself had only three stories remaining untold. In the evening their hostess had a' number of very intelligent neighbours in to meet the deputationists, and the time was spent most enjoyably listening to stories and songs in the old language. They were informed that tor about ten miles around the police were the only people who could not speak Irish. The following day they walked over to Finntown and made a number of acquaintances, many of whom turned up at Miss Moy's in the evening, which was passed even more pleasantly than the previous one, with dancing, songs and readings in Gaelic, and the music of Mr. J. McMahon's violin and the Highland pipes. A Scottish G aelic song, sung by one of the visitors, was not at first understood by the visitors of the place, but when repeated slowly it became quite intelligible, with the exception of two or three words. Next morning a drive to Glenties through magnificent scenery terminated a pleasant time among a most interesting and friendly people.

DUBLlN.— Proposed Statues to Wolfe Tone, Lord Edward Fitzgerald, and Robert Emmet: The available Sites in Dublin. — I have lately seen in a contemporary journal (writes T. D. Sullivan. M.P., in the Dublin Nation, October 16) a suggestion that the '1)8 Centenary Committee ought to apply to the Dublin Corporation for a space on the top of Lord Edward street on which to erect a statue of Theobald Wolfe Tone. In my humble judgment, that spot ought to be reserved for a statue to Lord Edward Fitzgerald. He was one of the noblest of the United Irishmen ; he was wounded and captured not far from that place ; his honoured relics lie almost within a marble shot of it, and the street is very properly called b} r hi-? name. Several sites might be named as suitable for a statue to Tone ; and that which has already been mentioned — a space at the top of O'Connell street near the rotunda — would. I think, be very good. In fact, there ought to be in Dublin statues of three men of the insurrectionary period — Wolfe Tone, Loid Edward Fit/Gerald, and Robert Emmet; and I take leave to hint that it might bo well to apply for and secure the sites without much further delay. This ought to be done in the couree of next year at the Litest, and Micro are reasons present to my mind which cause me to think that it mi^ht just as well be done at once. The fact that funds are not in hand for the erection of those statues does not count. When in lS(il there -was danger that a tite in College Greui would be granted for a statue of Prince Albert, the late A. M. Sullhan took measures to save the site for a statue of Henry (I rattan, and only for his having taken such action a memorial to the German Prince would now occupy the ground, and not the beautiful statue of the liish patriot which fronts the old Parliament House and Trinity College, perpetually protesting apparently against the fatal Act of Union and pleading for the rights and liberties ot his native land. The spaces in the streets of ot Dublin suitable- for the three National monuments of which I have spoken may as well be secured in good time. The Loyalists of Dublin arc not unmindful of them, and no one knows how soon an occasion may ause tor their putting in a claim for one or other of those pet spots. The sight for the Emmet statue would, of course, be the spot whore he was executed, in Thomas street, in front of St. Catherine^ Church. A statue ot Emmet might be standing in that spot for the last twenty years if the proposal to erect it had not been, very unwisely, opposed by some Dublin Nationalists. They based their opposition on those passages in Emmet's speech from the dock, in which he expre.-sed a wish that inasmuch as it was then perilous lor anyone to express sympathy with his opinions, his name and his memory might be suffered to remain in oblivion until the coming of; other times and other men, when justice could be done to them ; they referred also to his expressed desire that his epitaph should remain unwritten until his country had taken her place among the nations of the earth. But the promoters of the statue movement did not intend to write Emmet's epitaph ; the inscription of even his name on the pedestal would have been unnecessary.

G-ALWAY. — The Impending Distress. — The following appeal has been received. It speaks tor itself. The short but most eloquent description of the condition of the people to whom Sister M. O'Connor desires to render assistance will assuredly touch the hearts of all :: — '• Convent of Mercy, St. Joseph's, Oughterard County, Galway, Ireland. September 27, IS'J7. — Will you forgive my asking you to send a few dollars for our suffering Irish poor people, whose potato crop and fuel are so bad this season owing to the constant rain. Many of the sick and dying creatures whom we \i-it in their wretched homes have not the necessaries of life. Do aid us to lessen their suffering in their last moments, and your dear friends shall be remembered in our united prayers. — Yours sincerely, Sister M. O'Connor." Mr. WiLiaui O'M alley, M.P., who is travelling through Connemara to see the condition of the crops in his constituency, reached Rounds-tone September (!. He was met by a large concourse and a meeting was held, at which Father Gleeson, P.P., e&ided. In introducing Mr. O'Malley, he in teeliDg terms referred

to the impending distress. He pointed out that the potato crop throughout the parish was a complete failure, and that, to illustrate the old saying, " Misfortunes never come singly," the people along the seaboard were unable to dispose of their kelp. The kelp industry was the thing they had to look forward to to meet the demands of the shopkeeper and the rent office. He assured Mr. O'Malley that unless something 1 were soon done by the Government to afford the people employment they would be face to face with a very serious state of things indeed. Mr. O'Malley said he had visited several districts in his constituency and saw for himself the condition of the potato crop, and had no hesitation in saying it was a total failure, and he was convinced that suffering and hunger would quickly ensue unless employment on a large scale was afforded immediately.

MAYO.— A Call from the Clergy.— At a meeting of the clergy of Westport Deanery the following resolution was adopted :—: — " That we urgently call upon the Government to take immediate steps to avert the famine sure to overtake the people of this part of Mayo in the near future arising from the failure of the crops two years in succession. The means and credit of the poor people are exhausted and the price of breadstuff sis nearly doubled . No charity can cope with the crisis, extensive publ c works alone can save the people. Solus popnli supremo, lc.r. We, therefore, call upon the Government at once to discharge its most imperative duty toward her Majesty's subjects. Resolved, that this resolution be forwarded to the Right Hon. the Chief Secretary for Ireland, the Members of Parliament for Mayo, the Freeman's Journal and the Irish Times. — (Signed) P. Canon Greally, P. Canon Flatley, John P. Connelly, William Coen, William Joyce, Thomas Healy, Adm. ; Jeremiah O'Toole, Adm. ; J. Godfrey, Patrick J. Madden, C.C. ; William Fitzgerald, C.C. ; Michael Hughes, Michael Ronayne, James Bourke, Charles J. White, Martin Moran.

Ballinasloe Horse Fair.— The horse fair at Ballinasloe on Thursday, October 7, was not productive of much business, the most of the business having transacted on the two previous days. Generally speaking the quality of the animals shewn was inferior, and as might be anticipated the number was small. A spice of interest was added to the proceedings by a number of visitors whom Ballinasloe could well do without. A detachment of light-fingered gentry made the town their headquarters, and several dealers were eased of substantial sums of money. On Thursday three arrests

were made on suspicion, and after a preliminary investigation the nrisoners were remanded. The cattle iair was well supplied on Friday with buyers and sellers, and for the first few hours a very brisk business was done. The condition of the animals exposed for Bale was not quite up to last year's standard. As to prices, bullocks fetched from 13a. to £1 ahead less than this time twelve months, while there was practically no change in the prices offered for heifers which changed hands at from £10 to £15. Saturday, the concluding day of Ballinasloe fair, was a very disappointing oue for sellers The supply of cattle was far in excess of the demand, and prices ruled very low, store cattle being down £2 a head as compared with last year. The complete gap returns for the whole fair indicate, however that more business was transacted this year in all departments A comparison of the prices even with last year s figures reveals the fact that there was a downward tendency in the prices obtainable for all kinds of stock. There was a falling off of y per cent in the prices of sheep, and the cattle prices were down 3£ per cent A much more remaikable evidence of the decline in the value of stock is presented, if a contrast is made with the prices ot Ballinasloe fair of 1881. If we take the price of cattle alone we find that prices have come down to the extent of 42 per cent., and estimating the amount of selling cattle in the country at 800,000 there is a loss in money to the farmers of Ireland amounting to £5,750,000. WICKLOW.— A Generous Gift— Lord Carysfort's gift to the town of Arklow, of £25,000, for the building of a new church, was the subject of a public meeting on Thursday, October 7. The gathering was held under the auspices of the Irish Industrial League who took the initiative, owing to the rumour that most of the money in question was to be spent out of Ireland. Their view is that an effort should be made to have that amount spent at home, esoecially as equally good value, and as equally cheap rates, could be had. in Ireland, as far as material and workmanship were concerned One reverend gentleman deprecated anything in the nature of an attack upon Lord Carysfort, but it having been shown to his satisfaction that such a course was never intended a local branch of the Industrial League was established, and a suggestion was thrown out that a local deputation should wait upon the donor of the girt and endeavour to have the greater portion of the work in connection with the erection of the church carried out in Ireland. WEXFORD.— Prohibition of Street Preachers.— The town of Wexford has been in a state of excitement recently, owing

to the rumour that the Arklow street preachers were about to pay a visit to -the town. A large force >of police was drafted into the town. However, acting on the representations of the majority of bis congregation che Protestant Rector of the town, Dr. Latham, intervened, and induced the Bishop to forbid Rev. Mr. Halloweaand his followers from coming to the town. The people of Wexford of all creeds and classes feel grateful to Dr. Latham for the active steps he took to avoid a disturbance being created in the town.

WATERFORD.— Waterford Successes at Maynooth College- — With much pleasure and pride we received a telegram yesterday (says the Tipperary Nationalist, October 13) announcing that Father Sheehan, Dean of Waterford College, has been appointed professor of rhetoric in our great National Ecclesiastical College Maynooth. This appointment is the result of a stiff competition, which continued during several days of last week in the halls of Maynooth. All the aspirants were men of distinguished collegiate record. The successful candidate was the most youthful of the reverend superiors of our diocesan college. We heartily congratulate him on his very gratifying victory, and on the brilliant career now opening before him. It is a victory of which the College of Waterford, from which he went forth to the contest, and the diocese of Waterford and Lismore, to which he belongs, may well leel proud. We recall the appointment quite recently of Father Hickey, our late diocesan inspector, to the chair of Gaelic in the great college, and we note that our diocese has now an honour which it never had before, in being represented in the National Ecclesiastical College by two professors.

GENERAL.

Irish Banquet in Toronto: Speech of Mr. Edward Blake- — At a banquet given in Toronto in honour of Archbishop Walsh, Mr. Edward Blake, M.P., and the Canadian delegates to the Irish Race Convention of 1896, Mr. Blake said that since the Convention the decided feeling among the masses of the Irish people was wholly in favour of unity. The differences existing in Ireland would disappear. The Irish Nationalist representatives had felt that their difficulties of the last few years almost paralysed their forces. And at the present time the conditions surrounding them were not all such as they could wish. In Parliament there was a great majority against Home Rule. The Liberal Party, too, which had

generally remained friendly to Ireland through all the fight, was much more demoralised and disorganised than the Irish Party. Not merely were differences arising from personal influences and animosities being felt in the Liberal Party, but serious differences upon points of opinion existed, whereas not one difference over a matter of principle or serious opinion, either between the Parliamentary representatives or among the people, stood in the way of the Irish cause. There was no difference of opinion among the masses of the Irish people, which showed that there was no excuse for separation or coolness, and no foundation for any such differences of opinion as existed in the Liberal Party of England to-day. It was his opinion that the Bill for Irish local county government must prove a boon to the Irish people when liuked into proper shape by the Irish Party at Westminster. The measure must give this great and immediate opportunity to the Irish people, that from among their own ranks they could bring forward men of mark and strength in local constituencies, the result of which could not fail to put an end to the systematic stigmatising of the Irish, who, though admittedly fit to govern in every part of the world, were told by a class of Englishmen that they were unfitted to govern themselves. Irish Eggs in England : Decision of Liverpool Dealers. — At a representative gathering of Liverpool grocers and provision dealers recently the question of Irihheggs wasdiscussed. It was shown that Continental eggs were ousting the Irish from the English market. The meeting decided to recommend the trade to refuse, after January 1 next, all eggs not packed in free cases of 1,200 or less, and if thought otherwise than absolutely fresh to reject them. Strong comments were made regarding the storing of eggs and turning them in straw awaiting an advancing market, a practice, it was stated, that was becoming a science in Ireland. Such food was considered prejudicial to public health. The Co-operative Dairy System.— The people of Skibbereen are not at all pleased with their experience of the co-operative system of dairying. Six years ago a creamery was established in the town and the venture was watched over from the start by Mr. Horace Plunkett and Mr. Anderson, the organising secretary to the creaaiery movement, llecently a meeting of the shareholders was held, and it was decided by a sweeping majority to sell up the society, which had turned out an unprofitable speculation. Mr. Anderson put all the blame of the collapse upon the local management, but one of the shareholders retorted that ie was adherence to Mr. Anderson's instructions that had placed them in cliffi.

culties. The people of Wexford are also beginning to have their doubts of the bona jidex of the movement. At a meeting held in Enniscorthy on Saturday, October 0. a Mr. Lett recalled a question asked at the Land Acts inquiry by Dr. Triall, who inquired if the co-operative system did not lower the cost of production. This, in the opinion of Mr. Lett, meant that the landlord advocate's suggestion was the ability of the tenant to pay an increased rent. He was very naturally indignant that the co-operative agricultural societies should be turned into rent-raising machines for Irish landlords, and said that if he was to be fleeced he would prefer to have that operation carried out by the trader rather than by the landlord. The Fall in Irish Land Values.— The Time* says:— "An instance which illustrates in some degree the nature of the present agricuHural depression in Ireland and its effect upon land values has been afforded by the sale at £700 of a farm known as Oatlands Moneycarrie, the property of Mr. Riddall. This farm, which is situated in the parish of Aghadowey, about two miles from Garvagh, County Derry, contains altogether 70 acres 1 rood 20 poles, of which 5 acres 3 roods 2 poles are overcut bog, all held by the Landed Estates Court conveyance for the unexpired residue of 1,000 years, renewable forever, subject to the yearly rent of £48 Ids lOd and annual tithe-rent charge of £2 45., altogether £51 Os 10(1. An additional lot of bog for turf -cutting adjoins, and is held free. The holding lies about midway between Garvagh and Aghudowey Railway stations, which are five miles apart, and quite close to Moneycarrie, an " occasional " passenger station on the Derry Central Line. The lands, which are all arable, except the portion of the overcut bog, have been thoroughly drained by the late owner and are in good condition. The dwelling-house is two storey, slated, and vary commodious. The yard and offices are extensive, in good order, and in every way suitable to the farm, on which there are three cottier houses, all let. This holding was formerly occupied by Mr. J. B. Stirling, High Constable of the Barony, who, after he became secretary of the Derry Central Railway, sold it in ISSO, to a Mr. Coleman for £3.150. In lJSfS.'i Mr. Riddall became the purchaser for C 1,30), and now he has sold it for £7i>(>. The dwelling-house and offices are stated to have cost £3.000 originally. The present price of C7OO represents a value of so'newhat less than Clo per acre tor the land, with nothing for the buildings, or the latter may be said to have sold at less than one-fourth their cost, with the land thrown in.

in the yard. Never in the history of horse sales in Dunedip has this occurred before, and the fact of it having happened is evidence in support of the statement that there is a great dearth of draught horses, and accounts for tbe decided increase in values which has taken place during the past few months. At the present time there are numerous inquiries, both from town and country, for draught mares and geldings, i'aiily heavy aiid not too old, and it may safely be asserted that for this class of stock Dunedin is the best market in the colony just now. Next Saturday, on account of Mr. John Bonn us, of Hyde, we shall sell a waggon team of nine draught mares and geldings. The principal entry for this week's sale was a consignment of useful light harness horses from Maheno. There changed hands at fair values. Good, strong, light harness horses for the trams, and also for bakers' and butchers' carts are much wanted, and sell readily at quotations. We quote: Firstclass young dranght mnres and geldings, £35 to £40 ; good do, £28 to £33 ; medium draught mares and geldings, £20 to £25 ; aged do, £12 to £18; first-class hack and lisrht-harness horses, £18 to £25 ; good do, £12 to £17 ; medium do, £7 to £10 ; aged and inferior, £2 to £5.

Mr. F. Meenan, King street, reports : — Wholesale price only — Oats : Wood demand ;ft ed, medium to good. Is 7d to Is 9 Jd ; milling Is lOd to 2s ; fowls' wheat. 2s (3d to 3s Gd ; milling, 4s 3d to 4s 6d ; chaff, L 2 12s (id to L:5 1(K Rye<rrass. hay, L 2 10s to L 3. Straw, 24s per ton ; loose, 28s. Potatoes, l()s to LI per ton. Flour : fioller, Ll2 to Ll2 10s; Oatmeal: LU in 25lbs. Butter: Dairy, 5d to 8d ; factory, lod. Eggs, i>d ; Bran, L 3. Pollard L 3 15s. Onions, 'Frisco, LS ; Melbourne, L 7 per ton.