Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXV, Issue 52, 29 April 1898, Page 9

Irish News.

ANTRlM.— Street Preaching in Belfast: Attacks on OatholiCS. — The Belfast correspondent of the Irish Catholic wires that on Sunday, February 27, about 4 p.m., a band of street preachers occupied Queen's square, and a number of discreditable scenes took place. Catholics were assaulted and subjected to exceedingly rough treatment, and were only with difficulty rescued by the'police. It is high time that this street preaching 1 nuisance was firmly and finally put down. ATHLONE.— Death of a Nun in Athlone.-rWidcspread regret was experienced at Athlone when the death was announced of Sister .Mary Aloysius O'R-illy, an esteemed member of the community of the Convent of Mercy, Athlone. The Bad event occurred on Monday, February 23, in the 33th year of her religious profession. The deceased lady, who was held in high esteem by a large circle of friends in the outside world as well as by her companions in religion, was a niece of the late Venerable Archdeacon O'Reilly, P.P. DONEGAL.— The Situation at Torry Island.— The Rev. Father M'Groarty, C.C., sends to the Manchester Relief Committee the following account of the state of things at Torry Island :—": — " The I exceptional distress of this community of 322 people has been caused by the failure of the kelp industry, the failure of the fishing industry, and the almost total failure of the potato crop. Their 157 tons of kelp for which the islanders expected £745 los, according to the price of the previous year, realised only £236 6s 8d last year. This loss of more than £500 has fallen very heavily on the islanders, and has been the chief cause of their present helpless condition. It has left them without money and without credit. Their fishing industry has also been a failure for tb.9 last year on account of the inclemency of the weather. Only on one day for the last five weeks have the fishermen been able to put to sea. When their provisions were almost consumed the Government sent us an inspector to take what steps might be necessary. I urged the necessity of requesting the Government to send us a gunboat without delay with about 10 ton 3 of meal, etc., to save the people from starving. The Government

inspector seemed convinced of the necessity of doing so ; for after careful inspection and inquiry, he saw that all the food on the island would scarcely support the people for three days, and there was no prospect of ordinary communication with the mainland for many days. So urgent was the emergency that the Government inspector thought it necessary to advise the relieving officer to order a steamer from Deiry with provisional supplies to meet the immediate wants of the people. These supplies have arrived just in time to save the islanders from starvation. They will last for a week or so, but I have reason to fear that the Dunfanaghy Board of Guardians will refuse to continue these supplies. If these supplies fail, how are the poor isanders to be supportel for the next four or five months? Excepting eight families the rest have consumed all their seed potatoes, and they have no means of procuring food except by fishing, which is at best very uncertain and precarious here. Unless the islanders get some means to purchase seed their land must lie fallow." We are glad to note that the Liverpool Catholic Times has inaugurated a shilling fund for the relief of the distress, and the contributions already received amount to a considerable sum. DUBLlN.— Confirmation at the Pro-Cathedral.— His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to about 600 male children on Tuesday, March 1, and to nearly 700 female children on the following day, in the Pro-Cathedral, Marlborough street. The children, who were accompanied by teachers, came from Belvidere College, and the following schools— St. Patrick's National School, Tyrone street ; St. Saviour's National school, Denmark street ; North Richmond street Christian Brothers' school ; Strand street Christian Brothers' school ; Langrishe place National school ; and the Central Model schools, Marlborough street. The candidates for Confirmation also included number of working lads and grown youths, who had been specially prepared in the evenings in the Pro-Cathedral. In the course of an earnest address to the children after Confirmation, his Grace remarked that now. within a very few months, the compulsory nystem of education would come into operation. Careless parents and careless children could then be compelled by legal penalties to do their duty, but his Grace expressed the earnest hope that parents would discharge that duty from the hifrh motive of religious obligation, and that it should never be said that the people of Dublin required to be compelled by legal penalties to send their children to school, Hia Grace finally administered, according to his custom, the

total abstinence pledge until their 21st year to the children, and imparted his blessing. Success of a Christian Brothers' Pupil.— Those old and tried teachers — the Christian Brothers of Ireland — have been winning fresh laurels. Mr. Edward Murray, an old Christian Brothers' pupil, has taken firot place in the examination for Assistant Surveyor of Taxes. He is the first Irishman who has won that distinction. Mr. Murray is only 20 years of age, and within the past thirteen months he has passed for the Excise, the Second Class Clerkship, in addition to his latest examination. A Relic of '98. — A. curious and interesting relic of 1798 was sold at Sotheby's on March 2, namely — a miniature portrait of ivory of Lady Edward Fitzgerald, in gold mount, with her hair set in the back. On the death of her husband, on June 4, 1798, she waß ordered to quit the kingdom within 24 hours. The Rev. John Murphy, a Protestant, volunteered to escort her. When he left Lady Edward safe in Paris she gave him this miniature as a token of her gratitude. It ia the property of a descendant of the Rev. John Murphy, and until now it has never been out of the possession of the family. The passport, signed by the Duke of Portland, allowing the return of the Rev. J. Murphy from London to Dublin, aftur having escorted Lady Edward Fitzgerald, accompanies the miniature. KERRY.— More Royal Visits.— Aocording to a Killarney correspondent of the Daily Kewa, it is the intention of the Duke and Duchess of York to return to Ireland this summer and pay another visit to County Kerry. The time arranged for the visit is said to be July. It is also stated that the Prince and Princess of Wales intend to visit Dublin during the Horse Show week in August. KILDARE — The Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin and Colonel Saunderson. — That veteran Ulster bigot— Colonel Saunderson^has been trying to poison the mind of the British public on the Irish Catholic University question by making a mean and unscrupulous attempt to show that the agitation is a purely clerical one, and that the laity are intimidated into taking part in it. Special reference was made to the Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin, and hia Lordship in a letter to the London Times thus disposes of the Orange

champion. His Lordship writes : Sir — My attention has been directed to a letter from Colonel Saunderson, M.P., which appeared in the Time* of February 21st, and in which he refers to a circular sent by me on January 3rd to the Catholic clergy of the diocese of Kildare and Leighlin in connection with the Iridh Catholic University question. I do not wish to complain in the least of the use which the writer makes of my cir ular to sustain the position advocated by him in the House of Commons, nor am I at all surprised to find that he thinks it goes a considerable way to demolish what he calls the " chief argument" urged in support of the new policy ; but I should like, with your kind permission, to make a few observations on the letter itself and on the real bearing of my circular on the point of '• practical unanimity " on the part of the Irish Catholio laity. But, even granting the correctness of the Colonel's contention on this point, let me ask him how can my circular in reason help him to disprove the '• practical unanimity " aigument? I have no doubt that ie will help him considerably as far as those who think with him are concerned. No one is better acquainted than he with the psychological genesis of premise and conclusion in the minds of his followers Given a principle to be inculcated, or a conclusion to be established, and the most effective methods are soon ready in the hands of Colonel Saunderson, But 1 ask how in reason can he prove that my circular really impairs the •• practical unanimity " argument / He answers — "It speaks for itself," the word '• laymen " is in italics. In other words, "there was unanimity in the diocese of Kildare, but the people were not free." Why ? Because the Catholic Bishop of the diocese wrote a circular to his clergy, in which he exhorts them to induce representative laymen to attend the meeting in Dublin, directs them to hold meetings in their districts at which laymen should speak wherever possible, adds that the aim of the movement is to convince the Government that Catholic laymen are determined, etc., and actually writes " laymen" in italics, to which Colonel Saund rson thinks it necessary to call special attention. What does Colonel tsaunderson mean ? Does he really believe that this circular interfered with the liberty of a single Irish Catholic layman, educated or otherwise ? If he did, let him give some reason for the faith that is in him. Will his correspondent allege that any pressure has been brought to bear upon him ? Can Colonel Saunderbon produce one tittle of evidence to show that any man's freedom has been tampered with ? If he cannot this method of his may be very effective as a piece of special pleading addressed to those who already hold that every Irish Roman Catholic layman is necessarily intimidated by a word of advice or exhortat ; on from

a prießt ; but in the minds of all reasonable men it will be regarded as nothing 1 more than the usual appeal to the well-known prejudice and partisanship of most of his followers. I am very curious to learn how the italics come in as a means of intimidation. The circular was addressed to the clergy. It was not to be read in the churches, much more published in the newspapers. I fail to see what part these italics can be made to play in this matte* even in the highest nights of the Colonel's imagination. I may tell Colonel Saunderson that although I feel strongly on this great question, I had no desire to take a prominent part in publicly discussing it, and for this reason, as well as to avoid even the appearance of pressure by me, I abstained from all our diocesan meetings, and I may be allowed to inform his correspondent that, although 1 have never been resident in a University, I have had brought home to me in a way to which he must be a stranger, the lamentable condition in which this country has been left in the matter of Catholic University Education. If even Colonel Saunderson were forced as I was during my student days to scramble through a University degree in the University of London, without the slightest help from any one, and at a time when, owing to a variety of circumstances, I had been already hard pressed with my theological and other professional studies, he would understand my motives better, and inste a of regarding me as a manufacturer of opinion I feel confident that I should have his sympathy and encouragement in my efforts to prevent happening to others that which I would not have done to me.— Yours faithfully, Foley, Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. Braganza, Carlow, Feb. 23. MAYO.— How the Relief Money is Expended.— it is gratifying to know that the relief funds sent to the barony of Erris, in North Mayo, have been turned to excellent account. Instead of administering doles of relief the clergy and local committee have organised a system of work on the little holdings, and — except where the person in need of relief was absolutely incapable of labour — assistance was given only in the way of payment for labour done. The work was apportioned in each case by the committee, and it consisted invariably of some improvement in the farm. This improvement was mainly in the way of drainage. In the parish of Kilcommin, which is the poorest parish in the barony, the work is carried out on an organised system, by which the holders of several adjoining tenancies co-operate in a joint scheme of drainage which enables the work to be carried out on a completer scale than would otherwise be possible. Payment was also made for clearing the land of stores. Unfortunately, it would appear that the same wise judgment and enlightened activity is not being shown by the Guardians and vice-Guardians. The spring work is behind on a good number of the holdings. The seeds offered by the Guardians have not been accepted in the greater number of instances. The reason of this is that the tenants owe balance of former seed rates, and are unable to saddle themselves with the further burden. The price of the seeds is also against the acceptance of the offer of the Guardians. Last year seed potatoes were purchased for 3£d per stone. The price charged by the Guardians is 10id. This would make a difference of nearly £3 per acre in the cost of the crop. Even the preparatory work of the farms is in many cases behind. Sickness has followed in the train of hunger. A malignant typ« of measles has ravaged several houses. Bronchitis is al^o very rite, and the resulting mortality is high. The influenza was very «idespread, scarcely a house escaping its ravages, and in several instances all the members of a family were prostrated by it. The result is that the ordinary work of the farm is behindhand, and wh..t with the lateness of the work and the absence of seed, something like a p inic has seized a large body of the population. The vice-Guardians have done nothing up to this but to oifor seeds on the terms stated. The clergy and local committee ur,jed upon them the advisability of employing the people on drainage work, but without avail. The result is that the relief works, instead of being distributed through each parish, are concentrated in one spot, where the Board of Works' undertaking is pushed forward, and the people are quite unnecessarily obliged to walk itivnense distances in order to share in the employment. TIPPER ARY — Street Preachers and Tract Distributors in Nenagh- — The Catholic community of Nenagh and district have for some time past been subjected to wanton and persistent annoyance by a party of tract distributors and preachers. So objectionable has the practice become to both Catholics and Protestants alike that meeting's of protest have been held by the members of both creeds resident in the town and neighbourhood. At a special meeting of the Nenaarh Christian Association an application from members of a body, the name of which was given as the "Faith Missionary Sjciety," to have the use of the building for evangelistic purposes was, after discussion, refused. In the course of the discussion Mr. James Harkness said that during the week he had heard several complaints made by Catholics of the town and country districts that tracts had been delivered to them by hand and had been strewn along the roads in the hope that they would be picked up. In fact, he heard that they had been sent by post to the Sisters of Mercy and to the Rev. Dean White, and that a lady had been seen handing them to Catholic children on their way home from school. The Catholics not very long ago held a mission in the town, but they did non insult any of the members of the Protestant community by sending thorn tracts, or doing anything else that would in any way insult them. He thought it a shame, and a great shame, that a thing like that should crop up in Nenagh, where the various religious bodies were always on such good terms. Most of the members present express* A their regret at hearing that such a thing had occurred, and said they would put it down whenever they got the chance. The J\'ert,//'/h Gwirdiun, the local Conservative journal, thus voices public opinion on the subject : — >l We are glad to see that the Dean has taken the correot view of this unwarrantable piece of impertinence, but this is only in keeping with the good sense which has marked his conduct since he became head of the Roman Catholic community of the town, He may rest assured that

no self -respecting Protestant would for one moment lend his countenance to suoh disgraceful practices. As to the fact of sending literature of a controversial character by post to the nuns, the very nature of the lives those ladies lead should protect them from such an indignity, and those guilty of such conduot deserve the condemnation of all right-thinking persons. The good feeling which has so long existed between all classes and creeds in this neighbourhood is of too long a standing to be easily disturbed by the scandalous acts of idiotis strangers." If non-Catholics everywhere would adopt the firm and sensible attitude taken by the Protestants of Nenagh on this question, the tract nuisance would soon be a thing of the past. GENERAL. Mr. Gerald Balfour and the Irish Distress.—ffotwithj standing the overwhelming evidence which has been adduced in proof of the existence of the most acute distress in the West of Ireland, Mr. Gerald Balfour appears to be quite indifferent and unmoved. " There does not appear to be any urgency in the matter," he calmly remarked the other week when Mr. Michael Davitt, on behalf of Mr. Dillon, pressed him for some information regarding the-promised Relief of Distress Bill. "We hope (says the Dublin Freeman') the Irish members will lose no time in challenging the Chief Secretary to produce the reports on which he based this untrue, callous statement. All independent witnesses, English as well as Irish, agree that thousands of families are on the verge of starvation along the western seaboard. In fact the evidence on the point is overwhelming, and when Mr. Balfour says that there is no need to hurry to the relief of the stricken people he should be compelled to indicate on what authority he brands as liars the priests who are urgently appealing for aid, and the visitors who have certified that the current reports as to the desperate position of the people are minimised rather than exaggerated. It would be a good thing if Mr. Gerald Balfour, some of the English Tories who sympathise with hiscyniqal callousness regarding the state of affairs in the West, and a dozen prosperous Dublin Castle officials could be bundled into a village in a Connaught fog, and forced to exist for a week on the fare which they deem good enough for human beings, whose lives are as precious as their own. Our poor people mast now depend entirely upou public generosity. Red tape and official niggardliness rule Dublin Castle."