Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 2, 13 May 1898, Page 9

Irish News.

ANTRlM.— Foolish Talk from Ulster Orangemen.— Some of the Ulster Orangemen are making: themselves ridiculous by some very silly talk regarding the '98 Centenary. The Stewartstown correspondent of the Belfast Weekly has learned on reliable information that the Orangemen in several districts in the province are arming in view of an apprehended '' rising " in connection with the '98 Centenary movement. The authorities are inquiring into the matter. At the monthly meeting of the Ards District Lodge, the District-Master, Bro. T. R. Lavery, said he feared the year would not be noted for its quietude. United Irishmen intended to celebrate the days of '98 from the very heart of the capital to the humblest village in Ireland. Were the sons of those who conquered the Boyne lightly to allow the descendants of Irish rebels to plant their standards in our midst ? He looked with confidence to those who were not afraid to f rustate these evil intentions. The Grand Lodge of Ireland had sounded the warning, and he trusted those in power would see to it in time. Robert Emmet'S Memory. — The meeting held in St. Mary's Hall, in Belfast, to commemorate the anniversary of Robert Emmet's birthday, was worthy of the sturdy Nationalists of the Ulster capital (says the Dublin Freeman). It is a curious thing that the Unionists of Belfast, many of whom are the grandsons and great-grandsons of United Irishmen, will seldom " speak of '98," and yet that, as Mr. William O'Brien reminded his audience their distinguished neighbour, Lord Dufferin, only a few days before boasted that he could claim kinship with the noble young martyr of Thomas street. The Nationalists of Belfast, however, made up for the silence of their West British fellow-citizens, and in the rousing demonstrations with which Mr. O'Brien was greeted in the streets showed that there are more men in the oity by the Lagan to-day with '98 principles in their hearts than five Belfasts of a century ago could have furnished. The whole tone of the night's proceed* ings from first to last was most encouraging, and augurs well for the success of the great and memorable celebrations of which we are now on the eve.

CORK.— Bishop Grimes at Cork— We are glad to note the Most Rev. Dr. Grimes is meeting with much success in his efforts to secure help, financial and otherwise, for his diocese. His Lordship, who is at present in Cork, pleading the cause of the Mission under his control, delivered an eloquent address recently in the North Cathedral. The edifice was crowded for the occasion, and the appeal, which was an earnest and powerful one, was listened to with marked attention. At the conclusion of his Lordship's remarks, a collection was made and a substantial amount realised. DUBLIN.— The City Marshalship : Mr- J. H. Parnell Elected. — On March 7 a monthly meeting of the Municipal Council was held in the City Hall, Dublin. The chief question on the paper — the one at least that attracted most public interest — was the election of City Marshal. The meeting was fixed for one o'clock, but long before that hour (says a contemporary) the precincts of the Council Chamber was besieged by applicants for admission. When at length the doors were thrown open a great mass of people poured in, and the public gallery was quickly crowded to excess. The entrance of Mr. J. H. Parnell was received with applause. After considerable discussion as to open or secret voting, Mr. Buckley moved that Mr. J. H. Parnell be elected City Marshal. Sir Robert Sexton hoped that the resolution would be carried unanimously, and he would, if the Council wished, second the motion. The Lord Mayor put the motion—" That Mr. J. Howard Parnell be, and he is hereby, elected City Marshal during the pleasure of the Council, not to exceed twelve months, in accordance with the terms of the advertisement." The motion was declared carried unanimously, amidst great applause. The Lord Mayor, addressing Mr. Parnell, expressed the pleasure with which he declared him unanimously elected to the honourable position of City Marshal. Mr. Parnell, who was loudly cheered, briefly expressed his gratitude, and said that as a Parnell he hoped that he would never do anything that would not be honourable whilst he held that position. The Whips of the Parnellite party say they have no reason to suppose that Mr. J. H. Parnell will resign his seat in Parliament in consequence of his election as City Marshal of Dublin. Billets for the Grand Jurors.— The grand jurors are making strong representations in favour of making a couple of jobs for some members of their class by increasing the number of members of the Local Government Board. It is necessrry, the grand jurors argue, that the Local Government Board should be augmented by

persons having knowledge of the way the work of the grand jurors is carried on in order to have things done properly. We think (says the Dublin Freeman) that the less knowledge there is of the grand jury system the better. But if it is necessary that the grand jury business should be understood the Bill has made ample provision by providing each county counoil at the first election with the benefit of the grand jurors' advice. The Bill enables each grand jury to nominate three members to serve on the county council for the first three years, and on each district council three ex-offioio gnardians are to be elected under the same conditions. The grand jurors, therefore, will have nearly 100 representatives on the first county councils, and the ex-officios, who belong to the same class, will have nearly five times the number on the district councils. If that is not sufficient to bring home the virtues of the grand jury system to the new councils we know nothing that will. MAYO.— A Touching Story.— At a meeting at Belmullet recently a pathetic story was told by Father Hegarty. Ana Flannery lives in Portarlington, which is in West Mayo. She is 15 years old. Six days every week Ann Flannery walks six miles to the scene of a day's toil which might be imposed upon a beast of burden. She carries heavy loads, and strives and labours at the " relief " works instituted under the kindly supervision of our benevolent Government. When the day's work is done, little Ann Flannery trudges back again to the cabin where her mother and sister are living on her earnings. For this walk of 12 miles every day that dawns, with the weary labour at the scene of the " relief " thrown in, this Connaught peasant girl received sixpence I At the end of the week she carries home three shillings to the cabin wherein the mother and sister starve. The case is a typical one and furnishes a fair specimen of how the precious " relief " system of the Government pans out. SLlGO.— Another Irish Centenarian.— This time it is a Sligo man, Mr. Michael M'Guinness, and he can look back upon 107 years. He hails from Kilmacstollagan, and is at present on a visit) to Liverpool, where his son and his daughter-in-law reside. A correspondent of an English paper interviewed the old gentleman the other day, and then snap-shotted him while resting himself in one of Liverpool's open spaces. Mr. M'Ginness had no special prescription for old age to offer to his interrogator beyond a breath of the fresh

air on the Sligo bills. Though he his 107, he sees no reason why be should not live as long as his grandfather, who reached 111 years. GENERAL. The Irish in America.— President-General A. Moseley, in the course of a spirited address to the members of the American-Irish Historical Society at New York, made some remarks which should furnish interesting reading for the Rev. Saunders, who labours under the hallucination that the United States " stands for Protestantism." Speaking of the important part Irishmen had taken in the history of America, said :—" Who are the men who built the Republic and made it glorious as it is to-day ? Who were the Carrol Is, the Ruthledges, the Sullivans, the Montgomerys, the Fitzsimmons and Barrys, the Henrys, the O'Briens, Thompsons and M'Keans of the Rerolu. tion ? W hence came Andrew Jackson, Akdis Emmett, Galhoun and M'Duffle of a later day 1 Whence the projector of the Erie Canal, the inventor of the first steamboat, and the builder of the first American railway ? Whenoeour sculptors, Powers and Crawford 1 Whence our most distinguished political economists, Carey and Baird ? Whence the hero of Winchester ? They were all Irish by birth or extraction. And may I not ask who can doubt the pater* nity of our distinguished President, whose relative waa the oloee friend of the Irish patriot, Henry Joy M'Cracken, the leader of the Ulster rebels 1 And whenoe Fuller and HarJan and Brewer and White and MKenna of our present Supreme Court of the United States 1 Indeed, Irish influence in Amerioa — not to speak of the in* fluence of that broader and inclusive Celtic current — ?s all too vast and varied for adequate treatment in any occasional address. Beyond the merest enumeration, what can be said of that influence flashing everywhere like threads of light throughout all the web and fabrio of American history ? Of that influence in war and peace ; in ait and science and letters ; at the bar, on the bench and in legislative halls ; ani through the myriad quiet ways of private and domestic life—who, in a brief hour, Bhall give voice to words worthy of the majestic theme 1 Thus, out from the twilight of time and poured over all the world has the grand Celtic race stream swept ita appointed way, until here, even the enlarged vortex of ita compulsive course has warmed and vitalised the whole American people." "We are but the instruments of Heaven, • Our work is not design, but destiny." The Government and the Irish Distress,.— ln the House of Commons on the vote of £23,038 for the relief of distress, Mr.

Davitt aßked for information as to the manner in which it was proposed to meet the distress in the West of Ireland by the vote of this paltry sum. In oonsequence of the neglect of the Irish Administration to supply adequate assistance early in the winter, the unfortunate pepple in the West of Ireland were now confronted with a crisis which was daily increasing in gravity and intensity. He hoped the Chief Secretary would not continue his niggardly policy in this matter. Mr. T. D. Sullivan pressed the Chief Secretary to take the more liberal view of the requirements of the dibtressed districts in Ireland. There could be no doubt that at the present moment there was grievous distress in many districts on the West Coast. In reply Mr. Gerald Balfour said it appeared that members from Ireland held Government responsible for everything that occurred on the West Coast, including the weather (laughter). lie had already explained fully the policy of the Government in meeting the distress that undoubtedly existed, and he could only repeat that the way to remedy the scarcity of food that had been experienced at Belmullet and Tory Islands was for the shopkeepers to lay in larger supplies. The Wearing of the Green in the Army.— The Cork Herald gives the following explanation of the tendency to be conciliatory which has lately manifested itself in the attitude of the War Office authority on "The wearing of the green" question: — In the House of Commons on Monday (says our correspondent of March 5), Mr. P. O'Brien put the usual question to the Undersecretary for War regarding the right of Irish soldiers serving in the British army to wear the shamrock on St. Patrick's Day. The reply was somewhat similar to that given on many occasions before, but Mr. Broderick this time seemed to be anxious to have it understood that if permission were asked, in individual cases, there would be no objection on the part of commanding officers. We are not aurprised to notice that a tendency to be conciliatory haa at length manifested itself in the official attitude on this question. The War Office authorities are just now on the look-out for additional men for all branches of the service. They are holding out special inducements to tempt young men all over the United Kingdom to go a-soldiering, and it is well-known that they are particularly anxious to get a big extra supply of Irish recruits, knowing that Irishmen in the army are the best fighting men it is possible to Becure. The privilege claimed by our countrymen to observe the National custom of wearing the shamrock, even while in the service of her Majesty, is a small one, but, nevertheless, it has been persistently refused up to the present. Instances are on record where Irish soldiers were imprisoned and subjected to humiliations of various kinds for daring to observe this custom, while their comrades of other nationalities were allowed to give a very broad interpretation to the rules that were so strictly enforced in the case of the Irishmen. In faot, it is well known that in this matter Irish soldiers have been scandalously treated. The absurd policy of pre> venting them from wearing their National emblem has done as much as anything else to render service in the English army distasteful and objectionable, and as long as the War Office authorities insist on a ridiculous regulation we do not think that even the improved prospects which are now promised will induce Irishmen to join the army. If they do join, it will be from their irresistible desire to see active service, for we can safely say that the Irish soldiers of the Queen are never happy except when there is fighting going on and when they are on the spot to revel in the fun. They would not be the worse, either in peace or war, for the wearing of the green, and yet the War Office will persist in denying them the small privilege of showing to their comrades that though they are Berving the Queen they are not ashamed of their country or forgetful of its National customs. Increase of the Army. — The full details are supplied by our Irish exchanges in connection with the projected increase of the army. There are to be fifteen new field batteries, and it is stated that the force of artillery in Ireland will be augmented. There is now but one field battery at Dublin. It has been decided that a brigade division of a couple of batteries shall be located at this centre, and the increase of the field artillery will permit of this plan being given effect to. There is also, it is said, need for field artillery in the Belfast command. In that district there is not a single field battery, and as the barracks at Dundalk will before long cease to be occupied by cavalry, as under the cavalry reorganisation scheme the three regiments of the 3rd cavalry brigade are to be located in the Curragh command there will be accommodation for field artillery in the Belfast district. It is, of course, well known that six new battalions of infantry are to be raised as soon as possible, and that they will be attached to existing territorial regiments, by the addition of a third line battalion to regiments in cases where it is thought sufficient recruits can be obtained for three battalions. There is authority for asserting that one of the new battalions will be recruited from Ireland, and that the Royal Irish Rifles will be given a third line battalion. It is well known that in the 83rd regimental district at Belfast recruiting has long been brisk, and there is very little doubt that three line battalions could be maintained in connection with the Royal Irish Rifles. AT HOME. To be in Ireland ! Where all roads lead to Tir na n' Og — The shining land of fadeless youth — Where cabins fringing the midmost bog Are homes of beauty, shrines of truth, Of songa wild-sweet and sayings sooth Of Ireland. Sure, each esteems his brother first, And none need hunger, none need thirst. Mavrone 1 to be in Ireland ! ,5, 5 To live in Ireland ! Where t twilight woos the Night For fttfke of the star-glint, tender, true ;

And girleen Dawn, wild-eyed, flower-bright, Makes shy, sweet love to hill-peaks blue ; Ah, rose had never tint of rue In Ireland I Sure, many a river, fancy free, Bounds, bluely, blithely to the sea ; Mo stoir 1 to live in Ireland ! To roam in Ireland ! Where silvern love-bells swing and chime, And Beauty's self, a colleen coy, Hies to the field at milking time, While Cupid struts in corduroy ; It's oh ! to be a farmer's boy In Ireland ! Sure, ever fancy pipers play, ;i Ah, love, dear love !" at dawn of day ; Monuar ! to roam in Ireland ! • * * To die in Ireland ! To tread the trackless leagues of foam Back to the dew-wet shamrock sward — My heart's desire — a last, long home In a quiet nook of the old churchyard, Where willows murmur and elms keep guard, In Ireland. Sure, wind-croon waileth evermore Remembered ones who have crossed death's door, Ochone ! to die in Ireland 1 — From the Southern Cross.