Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 35, 28 August 1902, Page 9

Irish News.

ANTRIM — Brought to Book.

The Belfast ' Irish News,' which Mr. F. H. O'Donnell calls the 'organ of revolution and Jesuitism,' is publishing that gentleman's early views on the evils of mixed education in Ireland and on the excellent teaching qualities of the Jesuits, of which he had personal experience. ARMAGH.- Golden Jubilee.

The Religious of the Sacred Heart, Armagh, celebrated the golden jubilee of their convent in the early part of July. The Cardinal and the Bishop of Cloyne were present. The sermon was ppeached by Mgr. Byrne. CORK.— Obituary.

On Sunday, June 29, Sir George Penrose, a well-known citizen of Cork, died in his 80th year. He was High Sheriff and Mayor of Cork City many years ago. The Exhibition.

At a recent meeting of the executive Committee of the Cork International Exhibition the Lord Mayor, who presided, said he was happy to be in a position to tell the committee that the financial success of their great undertaking was absolutely secured, and if they were to close the doors of the exhibition at the end of July they would be able to pay every man every shilling due to him. He believed the result of their efforts would be that the exhibition grounds would be open for generations to come to the public, and especially the valuable grounds in the western field. He referred to the necessity of securing railway facilities, which, he said, would benefit the railway companies and exhibition alike. He also brought under notice the advisability of organising an industrial and commercial congress, comprised of the leading men in Ireland, to discuss the position and prospects of the country, to be held at the Exhibition grounds during the second week in August. The importance of such a congress, he said, would be very great, and results beneficial to the country would undoubtedly issue fnom it. The Lord Mayor's suggestions were referred to the finance committee to deal with. A further sum of £150 was voted to the excursion committee to advertise the exhibition in England and Scotland and Wales. On the application of Mr. Macartney Filgate), Inspector of tho Department, permission was given for the holding of a conference on sea and inland fisheries at the exhibition, on sth and 6th Au|g,ust. DOWN.— A Sanatorium.

The Most Rev. Dr. Henry, Bishop of Down and Connor, has erected a sanatorium, which is open to persons of eve,ry denomination, at Orlands, near Carrickfergus . It is under the care of the Sisters of Mercy, and will be a great boon to the people of Belfast and the surrounding country. Death of a Priest.

The death is reported of the Ray. Laurence McKenna, parish priest of Kirkcubbin. The deceased, who was born in Magdera, County Derry, was educated at Carlow College, and was ordained in 1870. He labored for years in Loughinisland, Downpatrick, Loughguile, and Balla, being appointed pastor of Kirkcubbin in |389. DUBLlN.— Medical School.

The vacancy caused in the governing body of the Catholic University Medical School, Dublin, by the death of Dr. More-Madden, has been filled uip by the appointment of Dr Michael F. Cor, F.R. C.P.1., Senator of the Royal University, and Physician to St. Vdncent'a Hospital, Dublin.

The Horse Show.

In connection with the great Irish Horse Show in Dublin, which s taking place this week, the Royal Dublin Society is holding an exhibition of Irish art industries, at which prizes amounting to upwards of £200 will be offered for the best specimens of lace, embroidery, woodcarving, metal work, leather work, pyrography or burnt woodwork, and designs . Death of a Priest.

In the first week of July, at St. Joseph's, Blackrock, County Dublin, a zealous priest, Rev. William Gavin, CM., passed to his reward. Father Gavin was born in Kells, County Meath, in 1838. After his preliminary studies at the Seminary, Navan, he went to Ss. Vincent's College, Castleknock, and in 1863 entered the novitiate of the Congjriegation of the Mission. In 1867 he was ordained priest. For some time he was attached to St. Vincent's College. He afterwards served at St. Edward's Church, Cork ; St. Joseph's, Blackrock, where he acted as Master of Novices for 11 years, and Mill Hill, where for 14 years he acted as director of the Sisters of Charity throughout the United Kingdom. After years of devotedness to the work with which he was entrusted^ failing health rendered it necessary that he should hand over his responsibility to another. A Bhort time ago he was prostrated by an attack of pneumonia, from which he never rallied. His personal character was marked by great kindness and charity, and his life as a priest by exemplary piety, and by active and ardent zeal for souls. KINO'S COUNTY.

On July 3 Clara was en fete on the occasion of the celebration of tho silver jubilee of its respected pastor, Rev. Ml. Bracken, P.P. Twenty-five years ago he was ordained priest at St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, and) during the intervening period he has miiniatered in many important missions in England as well as in Ireland. LIMERICK. —An Appointment.

The Most Rev. Dr. O'Dwyer hag appointed the Rev. Edmond Russell, P.P., Killeedy, to be parish priest of) Parteen, in succession to the Rev. Luke Gleeson, P.P., who died recently. LOUTH.

Widespread regret is felt in Drogheda at tho death of Mn. Peter Connolly. Deceased was a member of a very old and respected faniily. His brother, the late Rev. Walter Connolly, was a distinguished ptiiest of tlio diocese of Meath. M,r Connolly was Town Clerk of Drogheda for many years. MAYO. — Decrease of Population.

The population of Mayo C aunty was 244,343 in 1881, and 218,698 in 1891, and, according to tho recent census it has further docreased to 199,166, consisting of 97,564 males, and 101,602 females. Catholics formed, in 1891, 97.5 pcjr cent., but under the recent census they formed 97.7 per cent., so that the decrease in the population has affected the non-Catholic population in a slightly heavier percentage. Those speaking Irish only in 1891 were 1481 nmles and 2753 females, and in 1901 tho numbers were respectively 879 and 1650. Those speakring both Irish and English in 1891 were 52,165 males and 53,966 females. These figures decreased this year to 47,635 males and 49,600 females. MEATH.

On the feast of Saints Peter and Paul the Most Rev. Dr. Gaffney, Bishop of Meath, consecrated a new cemetery which Father Curry, P. P., has procured for the Catholics of St. Mary's parish, Drogheda.

MONAGHAN.-A Blank.

At the Monaghan Assizes which opened on -Monday, June 30, the criminal calendar was blank, there being no cases for trial. Yet Ireland has all the benefits of Coercion Law. QUEEN'S COUNTY.— Statistics.

The population of Queen's County, which was 71,837 in 1881, and 63,855 in 1891, has further decreased to 57,417. Catholics formed over 80 per cent ten years ago, and now form over 88 per cent. Ten years ago there were three in the county who spoke only Irish, and at the present there is one ; but the number speaking both languages haa increased from 187 to 404.

GENERAL.

The King's Visit.

' The Standlard ' states that the King will cruise in his yacht round the coasts of Great Britain. He visits Cork within the next four weeks. It is his intention to make a two months' tour of the districts whereof so much was recently heard iln Parliament, and take every opportunity to study the state of the Irish peasantry. The ' Telegraph *< states that the general feeling in Dublin over the King's visit is on« of extreme satisfaction, and there ia a conviction that his sojourn will be entirely successful. The Marquis of Lansdowne will entertain the King and Queen at Derreen House, Kenmore. A Suggestion.

Mr. F. W. Crossley, the wellknown tourist agent, writes to the Press advocating the elimination of the insulting terms contained in the Accession Oath. As 'an English Protestant settled in Ireland,' he can see no neason why the Government should have permitted an unnecessary insult to be hurled at the vast majority of his Majesty's subjects in this country. Mr. Crossley thinks that it is a matter where his Majesty may be expected to wisely exercise ' a king's prerogative ' in the event of the executive refusing to at once introduce a short bill repealing the terms of the Oath w^icn have ' caused needless pain to »he larger proportion of the population of Ireland.' Political Outlook.

Mr. Wyndham, the Irish CMef Secretary (says the ' CathV c Times ), has dropped his Land Bi'l ouic-a the JriPh members would not promise to treat it as a non-contentious measure. Parliament is the natural arena for the discussion of legisla^ tive proposals, and it is rather a large request to ask members representing an entire country to shut their eyes, and open thoir mouths, and swallow what the Government will give them. So far as the outlook in Ireland is concerned, the .result of Mr. Wyndham's decision is assuredly disquieting. There can be no mistake as to the meaning of the speeches delivered at Limerick by Mn. John Redmond and Mr. William O'Brien, and at Sligo by Mr. Davitt. Fresh developments are to take place in what has been termed, not inappropriately, the land war. Messrs. Redmond, O'Brien and Davitt did not enter into particulars as to the steps which the United Irish League intends to take, but it is not difficult to interpret their declaration that ' coercion is to be met by coercion.' Every campaign of eviction such as that opened on the De Freyne estate will call forth more vigorous action against the landlords. It is quite clear that until the tenants are afforded opportunities for purchasing the soil they till tnere will be neither content nor peaca throughout Ireland. Sooner or later the Government must introduce a compulsory Land Purchase Bill. Brehon Laws.

The report of the Commissioners for the Publication of the Brehon

Laws and Institutions of Ireland has at last been presented to Parliament. In it the Commissioners explain the long delay which has occurred in the completion of the work as being due %o the singular fatalities which accompanied its progress, and to the difficulty of the work itself. Tho work, they state, is now, however, complete, as far as publication from the manuscripts originally contemplated is concerned ; but they point out that there are many Irish manuscripts in other libraries, relating to the Brehon Laws, which have not yet been edited or even properly examined, and they are of opinion that the Government should consider the advisability of employing a competent scholar to visit the Continental libraries and report as to tihe additional matter which may be found there. But whether this be done or not, tho Commissioners believe that the volumes which they have published will place in the hands of Celtic philologists and philosophical" jurists an important body of materials, which must throw a most valuable light on the legal institutions and social systems of ancient Ireland. In conclusion, the Commissioners pay a tribute to the work of the late Bishop Graves in connection with the Commission. Butter Standard.

The recent decision of Mr. Hanbury to exclude Irish salt firkin butter from his proposals limiting the legal amount of water iv fresh butter to 16 per cent., apparently does not meet with the unanimous approval of the butter-makers and butter merchants of the South. This standard of 16 per cent., it was supposed, would allow sufficient margin for the vicissitudes of climate or defects due to want of intelligence, or of appliances. In adddtion, as is proved in the Bill, any person might get rid of responsibility by disclosing the fact that he believed that there was more than the standard limit of water in the butter. This clause, apparently , protected even tho humblest farmer. • But,' si\ s the ' Cork Examiner.' in an article going into the whole question, ' it Would uot suit some sections of Irish dairy farmers; it was claimed that the butter containing a large proportion of salt and of moisture was a special industry without taint of dishonesty, and that this industry would be destroyed if the proposed standard was enforced. Our contemporary holds that this decision hasbeen forced on Mr. Hanbury in tho interests of a small section of the butter industry of the South, and that it will have very serious consequences, tending to lower the reputation in the English markets of nil Irish salt firkin butter ; and it holds that there was no necessity for excluding Irish salt firkin butter from the new Law. Of 6114 firkins received into tho Cork Butter Market from May loth to June 19th, there were 480 rejected as containing more than the standard, and of the remainder the average proportion of water was only 14 per cent. "These return'-,' say s the ' Cork Examiner,' ' arc, I'erlwups, calculated to induce the opinion that for the sake of a ver.y small section of butter-makers the legitimate claims of our national industry havo been disastrously lowered, if not wholly abandoned.' The question is a very important one for the South of Ineland, and apparently needs further consideration. Temperance Reform.

The admirable paper on Temperance, read by Monsignor Hall man before the great assembly of the Maynooth Union (says the ' Freeman's Journal), had the crowning merit of moderation. He makes war upon drunkenness rather than drink, and calls upon all who valise that drunkenness is a great and appalling evil*, at oace demoralising and impoverishing the pdople, to join m the campaign for its suppression. In tins' appeal the total

abstainer and the moderate drinker aro included. Monsignor Hallinan has earned the right to speak with authority upon the subject. In conjunction with the Lord Bishop of Gal way, he has largely contributed to tho inception and the growth of thy movement for the refusal of new licences, which has taken such a hold on the Licensing Authority, and which will now be made secure by Parliamentary enactment). Of the evils of drunkenness ho spoke in earnest and vivid description. Familiarity dissipates surprise and horror. The monstrous evils of drink, tho poverty, the misery, the crime it entails, the pain and ruin it brings, alike on tho innocent and guilty, are familiar to every man's personal knowledge. Jf is, of course, not intended to attempt) to summarise oven the main points of the lecture, which was absolutely exhaustive. Monsignor Hallinan dwelt on tho evil and the remedy. He left no agency untouched or unrecoin-nu-nded which could help to lessen tho evil. He would employ the temporal and spiritual arm in the campaign. The vigilance, the commonsenso of the Licensing Authority, the activity and thoroughness of tho police, the judicious restrictions imposed by the legislature, the preaching, prayer, and all spiritual weapons at the command of tho Church. All these he would invoke and combine against a great and deadly enemy of the well-beimg hero and hereafter of the people.