THE '98 CENTENARY IN SYDNEY.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 7, 17 June 1898, Page 5

THE '98 CENTENARY IN SYDNEY.

THE REMOVAL OF MICHAEL DWYER'S REMAINS,

A MAGXIFICEXT and enthusiastic demonstration, in which it is. estimated that no fewer than 100,000 persons took part, was held in bydney on May 22 in connection with the "98 centenary The event •which drew such a vast concourse of people together, including delegates from all parts of Australia was the removal of the remains or Michael Dwyer and his beloved wife from the place where they have been resting to the Waverley cemetery where, a monument which shall oe fittingly commemorative of the part they played in the struggle tor Ireland's liberty is to be erected. In an historical sense the day will mark an epoch in the story of the Irish in Australia.

There were two small coffins in the vault, one tlvit of a child and the other that of Michael Dwyer. The latter had been placed there by the late Father John Dwyer, a grandson, about twenty years ago— s3 years after death at Liverpool. On being opened by Dr MacCarthy s directions, the lead coffin was found to contain adult human remains, which Mrs. Cheevers was perfectly satisfied W £ r \ Se ° her £ rail <lfather. Another person was also present who had seen the coffin placed in the vault. "Of the two coffins containing female remains (Dr. MacCarthy explained) one was that of a very tall woman, daughter of Michael .7 ci 'L the other fchat of a yei 7 sm all woman, Mary Doyle, Dwyer's Z, ' man who P laced the t al l woman in the eofiin identified it by^the position and the peculiar soldering of the lead." " I ordered the smaller coffin to be opened," continued the doctor, -and it was shown to contain the remains of a very small woman in a remarkable state of preservation (after 38 years) ut * a .£ res and hair were Perfectly recognisable. There was a white inn cap on the head, and a white shroud, with gathers at the neck. This body, Mrs. Cheevtrs was perfectly satisfied, was that of her grandmother. She and others recollected distinctly that it was interred with a white shroud, and the other body had a brown shroud of the Carmelite Order. ByVpermission of the relatives a photograph was taken of the face. Particular interest attaches to the name of Mrs. Dwyer, owing to her romantic marriage Dwyer when under arms on Wicklow Hill, went by stealth to her house' and earned her off on horseback (aided by some of his men, to prevent arrest), and they were married by a priest, after which Mary Doyle shared his perils on the hills and his exile afterwards. The remains were each left in their respective caskets, but enclosed in another outer one, which was inscribed as follows •— x.- / H r° r ? m 1 T c de P° sit the remains of the well-known insurgent chief, Michael Dwyer, who died 23rd August, 1825, aged fifty-three years. Also, the remains of his wife, Mary Dwyer, nee Doyle who shared in. his perils and exile, and who died on 12th June, IS6O aged ninety-five. — 8.1.P." ' '

The casket containing the remains was taken to St Mary's about ten o clock on Saturday night, and was met at the entrance by the Very Rev. Dr O'Haran (administrator) and the Rev. Father Whyte, who preceded it to the rear of the high altar, where it was placed on trestles m front of the chapel of « .urLa.lv, and three lighted tapers placed on either side of it. Thousands of persons viewed the casket from an early hour on Sunday, and as the time drew near for the holding of the service, it was deemed advisable to reserve space for the accommodation of the clergy, the relatives ot the deceased, the executive committee, and visiting delegates The service was hel<? at 1.30 p.m., Cardinal Moran officiating his assistants being the Right Rev. Monaignor O'Brien, the Very Rev * w l an (administrator), and the Rev. Fathers Cregan, Phelan." and Baugh ot St. Mary s Cathedral. The relatives profit included Mesdames Cheevers, Murphy, and Courtney (grand children). Mrs Donnelly, Miss Cheevers, Mr. Joseph Cheevers, and Mrs. B. Dwyc-r (great-grandchildren), Mrs. Johnstone, and the Misses Donnelly m (great great-grandchildren), Mesdames Donohue, Young Molonev Doyle, and Quinn, and the Misses Doyle (2). Juoionty, rWW S E ,™ inence ' S*. Cardinal, said he had no intention of detaining them at that ceremony, as he knew that further proceedings awaited them. But ho would avail himself of that opportunity of congratulating the friends of the distinguished patriot on whose remains had just been pronounced the Benediction of Holy Church on the spedi honour which had been to-day decreed to him. For he was a genuine pafcriot-a good man and true. His patriotism was not of tnatclass so common nowadays— a patriotism of words ; it was a patriotism of heart and of deeds. Every man who was faithful to his domestic and social duties might well bo styled a patriot ■ but tne heroism of patriotism was to expose one's life to rio-ht the wrongs of one's country, and to assert its liberties. Michaof Dwyer had not lost his life in the cause of his country, but he had bravely Sff ff ce T yy f Peri i >an< l? aVeabun I(lantproorof1 (lantproorof hCTOic patriotism ij ?rL? rt ? redre f hIS CoU J\ try S Wron^ s ' He Ireland, and Irelana was a country worth loving. He loved her mountains and her aidespreading plains ; he loved her hills, her traditions and hpr E5" a i ' coxx ! lv % to 'fustralia, he loved Australia with the same S3 dl0 7«' an d served it wtth the same heroic patriotism. W needed patriots at the present day, and it was to be hoped thU the example set by this true patriot might excite amongst us the true spirit and raise up men who would be true in their love of country and no less true in their love of religion. Such men would be a blessing to Australia, a blessing to their families, and a ulesrin*- to themselves. p

Tne casket, preceded by the Cardinal and the clerical party who leib it at the main entrance to the cathedral, was then borne and placed in the hearso. It was of polished cedar, with goldplated embellishments. The hearse, a state one, drawn by six horses, was surmounted with a Celtic cross of polished pine, 4ft in height, on the top of which was a laurel wreath, and from its base were suspended an Irish flag on either side, and the Australian colours (white and blue) to the four corners. The pall-bearers were :— Dr. O'Donnell and Mr. Joseph Winter (Victoria), Mr F McDonnell, M.P., and Mr. St. Leger (Queensland), Dr. MacCarthy! Dr. Johnson, Mr. Woods and Mr. Sheehy (New South Wales). The scene outside the cathedral was impressive in the extreme An crowd had congregated, and a long line of vehicles extended right back to Macquarie street on either side ; while in addition to the large concourse in College street, a very lar<»e crowd was compelled to be content with such view of the proceedings as could be obtained from a position inside Hyde Park. Tho ceremony m the cathedral concluded, the procession, which had previously been got into marching order, made a start. The order of the procession was :— Representatives of the '98 committee (includiug delegates from other colonies), the United Irish Societies (including the A.H.C. Guild, the H.A.C.B. Society, and the Irish National Foresters). Then came the general public on toot, the hearse, wreaths, mourning carriages, and vehicles. The hearse was fitted with a model monument in green and white with harps and shamrook leaves in gold, surmounted by a Celtic cross and bearing numerous wreaths of laurel leaves. The horses were covered with green cloths, on which shamrock leaves were worked mold gold. The route to the cemetery at Waverley was crowded with spectators. Almost every window and verandah roof was occupied ; and among the tokens of sympathy exhibited was the draping with black of the verandah along the entire frontage of Mark loys premises. The procession started at about a quarter past two, and reached the cemetery nearly two hours later, thousands or people having viewed it as it passed. At the cemetery the assemblage was enormous. The struggle to get through the gates was great ; the struggle to secure a position near the vault where the remains were to be deposited was greater The best of order prevailed. The service at the grave was conducted by the Rev. Father Kennedy of the Franciscan Order (1 .if.), assisted by a large number of clergy. Stirring: addresses were delivered by Dr. MacCarthy (Sydney) and Dr. O Donnell (Melbourne). The pressure on our space prevents us giving even a resume of what where splendid efforts of oratory «. oo » an q uefc . was s™ in the Guild Hall on Monday evening, the 23rd— the night of the celebration in Dunedin, It was largely attended by the clergy aud laity. The delegates from Victoria and Queensland were also present. " The memory of the dead " was proposed by Dr. McCarthy ; patriotic songs were sung and speeches were delivered by the delegates, Fathers Timoney, O'Callaghan, and others. The banquet closed with the singing of "God Save Ireland On Sunday evening Dr. McCarthy entertained a large party of intercolonial visitors and ladies and gentlemen closely connected with the '9S movement.