Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 11 May 1899, Page 9

Irish News.

CORK —St. Patrick's Day.— On St. Patrick's iDay there was a revival of the edifying custom of a state visit of the Mayor and Catholic members of the Council, Cork, to the churches. At 12 o'clock the Mayor and aldermen in their robea, accompanied by the mace and sword bearers and other attendants,, were present at St Mary's Cathedral, where High Mass was celebrated with fuU pomp and magnificence. His Lordship the Most Rev. Dr. O'Callaghan Bishop of Cork, presided. An eloquent panegyrio on St. Patrick was preached by Rev. Father O'Laverty, and at the conclusion of the sacred ceremonies the mayoral party drove to the Bishop's palace Farranferris, where his Lordship received them. '

DERRY— A Grand Old Derry Man— The patriarch of the Canadian Senate, the Hon. David Wark, entered on his ninety-sixth year on February ID. Born in Derry in 1804, he emigrated to New Brunswick in 1825, and developed into a prosperous merchant He entered the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1843 and attained Ministerial honours in 1858. In May, 1867, he was called up to the Senate of the Dominion, and has sat there ever since as a Liberal. He has published some political pamphlets dealing with Imperial Federation, Trade Reciprocity between Canada and the United States, and the relations of Canada to the Empire

DUBLIN.— A Hero of Omdurman at Home.— Whatever may be thought of Lord Kitchener's achievements at Omdurman there can be no second opinion as to the bravery of the charge exeouted by the 21st Lanoers, and it is a noteworthy fact (says an exchange) that all the Victoria Crosses awarded in respect to that engagement have fallen to Irishmen in the British service. Foremost amongst the recipients of the distinction was Private Thomas Byrne, who with heroic courage rescued Lieutenant Molyneux from the hands of the Dervishes, though badly wounded himself. Private Byrne is now home on furlough with his people in Donnvoarney, County Dublin. Though his wounds have healed, the fingers of his right hand are still stiff and almost numb. He expects to rejoin his regiment in Egypt within a month.

Exhibition of Old Irish Music Books.— The O'Donoghue of the Glens presided at last meeting of the executive committee of the Fei* Ceoil to be held in Dublin. The hon. secretary announced the reoeipt of an important letter from Mr. Alfred Moffat, London with reference to the Loan Exhibition in connection with the fes' tival. Mr. Moffat said :— ' Mr. John Glen (the celebrated Scotch bagpipe maker), Edinburgh, told me he would be willing to lend you two O'Farrell's, two Burk Thermoth's, Murphy's Irish Jigs and some other books for the Feis Exhibition of Old Irish Music Books I can len d you the Carolan collection, two O'Farrell'a (different from Mr. Glen's copi3 S ), Mangan's " Poets of Munster " (the rather rare Erst edition, 1849), Coffey's " Beggar's Wedding," 1728, a very rare work, with the music, and the original edition of " O'Keeffe's Poor Soldier," 1783.'

Funeral of Colonel BidwilL— The remains of Colonel Bidwill, who died on March 12 at hig residence Sandycove, were interred in Dean's Grange Cemetery, Kingstown. The very large and representative attendance at the funeral fully testified to the widespread esteem in which the deceased gentleman was held by all classes. A Requiem Mass for the repose of his soul was celebrated in St. Joseph's Church, Glasthule, by the Rev. Joseph Murray, P.P. The sth V.B. the King's Liverpool Regiment, commonly known as ' The Liverpool Irish,' which Colonel Bidwill originally raised and equipped, and of which he retained the honorary Colonelcy up to the time of his death, was represented by the following, who appeared in the smart and becoming uniform of the regiment :— Surgeon-Major Edgar Flinn, Lieutenant-Colonel Carruthers. Captain Lewin, Captain Byrne, Captain Ruddin, Lieutenant and Quartermaster Blake, Surgeon-Captain O'Hagan, Regt-Quarter-master-Sergeant Donnelly, Armourer-Sergeant Devanny, SerjeantInstructor Lynch, Sergeant-Drummer Halligan. °

The Secretaryship of the Steampacket Company.— Mr. A. J. Callaghan, L.L.D., 8.L., has been appointed secretary of the Dublin Steampacket Company in succession to the late Mr. Lee. As assistant secretary of the company Dr. Callaghan showed himself fully alive to the commercial importance of f acili tating in every possible way cross-Channel traffic. The appointment is ajvery

popular one, and has given great satisfaction to the commercial community and the travelling public

KERRY.— The Grand Jury and the University Question.—At Kerry Assiees, the Grand Jury, mainly composed of Protestants, passed a resolution expressing their hearty sympathy with Mr. Balfour s desire to satisfy their Catholic fellow-countrymen in the matter of a university, such as may be in accordance with Catholic principle and feeling.

KILDARE— A Memorial to the Late Father McWey — A movement has been set on foot in Kileock for the purpose of erecting a memorial in memory of the late Rev. S. M'Wey, who had been for a long time parish priest of the district.

LIMERICK.-Death of the Oldest SMagistrate.-Mr. P. T. Hartigan, the oldest magistrate in Limerick, died recently at Clounagh, ltathkeale. The deceased had reach ed the ripe old age of 80 years. B

Tribute to the Memory of a Limerick Man.— The following glowing tribute to the memory of Congressman Hon. Denis M. Hurley was paid on the floor of the United States Congress, on March 3, by the Hon. Israel F. Fischer :— I desire to briefly record my opinion of his life, character, and worth. Denis M. Hurley was born m the city of Limerick, Ireland, March 14, 1843, and came to this country when he was seven years old. His early struggles and subsequent successes furnish us with one more example of the possibilities of young men who seek our shores and apply themselves faithfully to their needs and progress. Mr. Hurley's character was one of the grandest ever possessed by any man. He was plain, straightforward, and honest, and his love for the good was so great that he could not bear the company of men who were otherwise. He was so constituted that he could not commit a mean act if he tried. His goodness of heart, his desire to serve others, and his entire unselfishness in all things made him one of the grandest and best of friends and citizens, and I do not violate my conscience when I say that I felt his loss almost as much as I did that of my own parents. The grandest compliment, in conclusion, that I can pay him is to record the opinion of all who knew him, that he was an honest man.

WBXPORD.-Nuns as Hospital Nurses.-At a recent meeting of the Enniscorthy Board of Guardians, Mr. Jonathan Haughton, a Protestant magistrate, well known in the County Wexford, gave expression to his views on the vexed question of the qualifications of trained nurses, the Local Government Board's order regarding which has been the subject of so much discussion at the various public Boards throughout the country. He criticised the order as being too restrictive, and said that if the Local Government Board persevered in the order which they had issued, they would exclude many experienced and competent nurses from employment in public institutions. Mr. Haughton paid a handsome tribute to the Sisters of Mercy for the untiring zeal with which they looked after the sick patients in the hospital. The infirmary had been_ vastly improved since the introduction of the Sisters as nurses, and in every public institution in Ireland where the nuns officiated as nurses the same improvement was recorded. This restrictive order would exclude ladies such as these from coming in as nureea under the Act, inasmuch as they haven't got the training required by the Local Government Board order to entitle the guardians to be recouped in half the salary. He was one of the guardians that proposed that the Sisters be admitted into the infirmary, and he was never sorry for it, for they had done their duty efficiently and satisfactorily in every sense of the word.

WATERFORD.- The Mayor and Sheriff. -Mr. l. c. Strange, solicitor, has been installed Mayor of Waterford under the new Local Government law. At the same Mr. W. D. G Goff of the brewery, Mary street, Waterford, v.as installed High Sheriff The Mayor is a Nationalist ; the High Sheriff is a Unionist and Tory

GENERAL.

Mr. John Dillon Visits Cambridge.- Mr. Dillon, M.P., visited Cambridge University recently on the invitation of the Master of Trinity, and delivered an address to the students on the Irish University Question. The address was so successful that Mr. Dillon was invited to repeat it next day before the female students of the University. He did so. Impressions of a Recent Visitor— Lecturing reoently in the Federation Hall, Sydney, on his impressions during his visit to Ireland, the Very Rev. Father Le Rennetel, S.M., said —On the occasion of his recent visit he found the people cheerful contented and fairly prosperous. Many new industries had been established'

and the fisheries in particular were proving a great boon. Hundreds of farmers had been able to throw off the yoke of the landlord, and, most hopeful sign of all, men who had been driven from Ireland by bad times and extortion were returning from the United States to take up their holdings again. On all sides he was told that the new Local Government must, for a certainty, break the back of landlordism in Ireland. Then the rightful owners of the soil will be left in happy and undisturbed possession. The majority of the landlords will be glad to sell out almost at any price, and big family estates, held by absentees now contributing nothing to Ireland's revenue, will be broken up once and for ever. When the people themselves own the land and industries arc flourishing, it will not be possible to withhold Home Rule. He saw on all &id<-s evidences of a new awakening — a strong and bound revival of national spirit and national prosperity. ' Give Ireland fair play even now,' he said, ' and in twenty years she will be more prosperous than she was 100 years ago.' With respect to the religious condition of Ireland, he had no words with which to express his admiration. He did not notice any improvement in the religious character of the people — that would be impossible. What he did notice was that, as the Catholics improved their condition socially and commercially, every advance in worldly prosperity was btrikingly marked by the erection of new cathedrals, new churches, new colleges, new schools, new convents, and new religious house 3. It was astonishing to see what has been done within the past twerty years.

Irish Industries Exhibition-— The Marchioness of Dufferin opened a two days' sale of work at Downshire Houpe, Belgrave Square, London, on St. Patrick's Day. The sale was under the -auspices of the Irish Industries Association. Lord Arthur Hill, the Chairman of the Committee, briefly addressed the company, tracing the history of the Association, which was started in 1888, since when the total sales have reached £34,558. Lady Dufferin, in formally declaring the sale open, said that as an Irishwoman she sympathised deeply with its objects, and especially with the Irish Distressed Ladies' Fund. On the 14 stalls were exhibited exquisite specimens of needlework, embroidery, and carving, while the famous Irish homespun tweeds were a notable feature. The Marchioness of Hamilton, the Countesses of Lucan, Mayo, and Arran, the Viscountesses Duncannon and Castlerosse were among the stallholders, and the Marchioness of Blandford, Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, and the Countesses of Pembroke and Donoughmore, the Duchess of Somprset, Viscountess Cranborne, Lady Fitzgerald, the Countess of Erne, Lady Helen Stewart, Lady Arthur Hill, and the Countess of Kilmorey also assisted. One of the most interesting stalls was that at which were displayed the products of the girls trained in the Convent of Mercy Schools, Gort. Amongst the articles shown were some beautifully worked cushions, lace fichus in cream, white, black, black and white tambour lace, Irish crochet collars and sleeves, Gort cloaks in grey, white, crimson, and navy flannel, bath rugs of Gort flannel, children's dresses of white washing silk daintily smocked, and Gort linens of different colouis, for which there is a great demand, large dolls dressed in clothes of Gort manufacture, and many other articles too numerous to mention. Lady Gregory, of Coole Park, Gort, who has already done so much for the industries, took charge of the work.

The Irish Club in London-— The opening of the Irish Club was inaugurated a few days ago (says lleijnohl's Nucsjiaper, March 12) by a conversazione at their premises, Henrietta street, London. The club rooms were inconveniently crowded by a brilliant gathering of Irish ladies and gentlemen. Earlier in the day a general meeting of the members of the club was held, and it was then stated that the membership was at that moment over 100, and that after paying all expenses there was a balance of £."iO<)»to the good. It was stated that the Lord Chief Justice of England had become a member, and a letter was received from him regretting that for that evening he had a prior engagement of some standing, otherwise he would be present, and promising to visit the club during the ensuing week. The club is unique so far as Ireland is concerned. Never before, it is to be regretted, has a club of Irishmen of all creeds and political faiths — Catholics and Protestants, Unionists and Home Rulers, Conservatives and Liberals — been formed on a purely social, literary, and artistic basis. Under the direction of Mr. Jerome J. Murphy, of Daly's Theatre, one of the rising singers of the day. a programme of exceptional excellence, all Irish, was rendered. Mr. Murphy himself sang, among other pieces, Needham's 'My dark Rosaleen.' The Rev. J. J. Nesbi't, Vicar of Sittingbourne, perhaps the ablest reciter of the day, gave Gyles' ' Pat Magee,' and so on throughout. The greatest credit for the phenomenal success of the club is due to Mr. Foy, the chairman of the Committee, and to M. Henry Lennane and Captain Gerald Fitzgerald, the honorary secretaries. The subscription for town members is £2 2s a year, and it is expected that in a few months it will be necessary to impose an entrance fee owing to the number of persons who have signified their intention of becoming members.

Amalgamation of the Irish Railways.— A short time ago one of the largest and most influential Irish deputations that have visited London for very many years waited on Mr. Hanbury, Secretary to the Treasury, and Mr. Gerald Balfour for the purpose of protesting against the proposed amalgamation of several railway lines in the South of Ireland with the Great Southern and Western Railway. The deputation was representative of Dubin, Cashel, Clonmel, Cork City and County, Kilkenny, Mayo, Queen's County, Limerick City and County, Mullingar, Roscommon, Sligo, Tipperary, Tralee, Waterford, etc. Mr. Hanbury, in reply, said on behalf of the Treasury that the policy they would adopt in reference to this matter was that they would give paramount consideration to the real interests of the people of Ireland. Mr. Gerald Balfour said in his opinion it would be desirable that the whole matter should be thrashed out before a hybrid committee of the House.