Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 36, 3 September 1903, Page 9

Irish News

ANTRIM.— A Threatened Invasion

The threatened invasion of Rostrevor by the Orangemen did not come off on July 13. Nearly 2000 soldiers and policemen prevented the brethren entering the peaceful village and wrecking it as they had threatened to do. Mr. Singleton, the Inspector-General who had charge of the combined forces, having given a written assurance to Father M'Givern on Sunday that the processionists would not be permitted to enter the town, the Catholics on his advice remained indoors, and a large contingent that arrived from Dundalk to protect their co-religionists returned home. To the credit of the Rev. Mr. Drury, the Episcopalian minister, he made an earnest appeal for peace on Sunday, and referred to the illness of the Pope in terms of sympathy. CORK. — Scandalous Figures

At a recent meeting of the governors of the Cork District Lunatic Asylum the Most Rev. Dr. Kelly, Bishop of Ross, said there was nothing one admired more) in Mr. Wyndham's recent Irish policy than his action in effecting important economies in the Government of the country, and creating out of the sum saved a benevolent fund which would be used for the development of the resources *f the country. The expenses of the civil government of the country had reached a scandalous figure. His Lordship then produced statistics in proof of this, and quoted from a speech dedivered by the Hon. Mr Brassey, which went to show that while Scotland's contribution to Imperial taxation per year was £14,900,000 the civil government of Scotland cost £4,961,000 a year, which was practically a third of the sum. While Ireland contributed £9,500,000 to Imperial taxation, the civil government of the country cost no less than the enormous sum of £7,305,000. DUBLIN.— The Augustinian Order

At a Chapter of the Augustinian Order held in the Priory, Dublin, Very Rev. Dr. Murphy, Prior, was elected Provincial of the Order. A Prelate on a Motor-car

There was quite a stir, especially in Dublin, says the ' Motor Car Journal ' of July 11, when it was- announced that his Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, had taken his first motor-car trip, and that he had been venturesome enough to go over one circuit of the Gordon Bennett course at a speed which in many places was sixty miles an hour. Seated in the tonneau with the Archbishop and his private secretary, we were able to observe how keenly he watched every curve of the road and every turn of the car. The ease with which the vehicle steered, and the marvellous control, were facts which proved impressive, and although the Archbishop frankly confessed he would not have made the trip had he known the speed we intended to travel, he as candidly acknowledged how he had enjoyed the run and that it was not so great an ordeal as he had anticipated it might be. The black clothes of the prelate and his chaplain resembled a miller's suit, and no sombre hues remained to darken the view. Begoggled and bewhitened, the Archbishop was enjoying himself. But when the nasty turns began and the road grew as insidious as a diplomatist, its sinuous course puzzled his Grace, and perplexed his chaplain. ' Quietly,' said the Archbishop, as we dashed over Mageney Bridge as though the race had already begun. But when all the corners had been negotiated and we swept into the straight road from Athy to Ballyshannon both reverend gentlemen were delighted with their wonderful ride. And then we drove to Cookstown, where the Archbishop was going, and great was the surprise of th<? priests awaiting his arrival as they saw him draw up in a state of dusty dignity. Most hospitable were our hosts and most interested was the Archbishop, whose zest for motoring has thus been whetted. GALWAY.— An Historic Spot

His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Archbishop of Tuam, on Sunday, July 12, dedicated the Church of St. Brendan at Annaghdown, County Galway, and subsequently preached an eloquent sermon appropriate to the interesting occasion. The new church is built a short distance from the spot where St. Brendan died on the shores of Lough Corrib. The Bishop of Clonfert

Replying to a resolution of the Loughrea Town Commissioners tendering him their sincere congratulations on his elevation to the Bishopric of Clonfert, the Most Rev. Dr. ODea writes : ' I have already received more than sufficient evidence that the cordiality invariably exhibited by the Irish people towards their pastois will be extended to me in a liberal measure when I come to take up my residence in my new home. For the present I can

only promise that I shall do what I can to merit a continuance of those Jeelings, and hope to work earnestly and continuously for the people of the diocese, and I have the fullest confidence that their co-operation will be readily and cordially given. 1 LIMERICK.— A Peaceful County The crimeless condition of the country has been strongly emphasised before the judges -at the summer assizes. In Limerick the Lord Chief Justice had only one case to investigate. He congratulated the Grand Jury on the fact, and referred to the large decrease in the number of intoxication charges reported as compared with the corresponding period of last year. The decrease, he said, was satisfactory and creditable to those engaged in the philanthropic work of temperance, and peculiarly satisfactory to everyone who knew as he did that 70 per cent, of the crime of the country was due to intoxication. The Anti-treating League

In the current issue of the ' Irish Ecclesiastical Record ' Dr. Hallinan, Newcastle West, has an article, in .the course of which he says 11,000 people have taken the anti-tre&ting pledge in West Limerick, and he believes that the bulk of them have kept it. He says that if the Anti-treating League be taken up earnestly and worked effectively through the country for five or six years it will, as far as one can forecast, do as much, if not more, towards ending intemperance than any movement hitherto started in Ireland. LOUTH.— In Memory of Boyle O'Reilly Sunday, .July 12, saw the unveiling of the memorial of John Boyle O'Reilly at Dowth, near the historic city of Drogheda, the scene of his birth and early life. It is most gratifying to learn of this tribute of respect to one of the most intellectual and noble-minded Nationalists of the last half of the nineteenth century. The remains of the patriot lest in Boston, the city of his adoption and exile, where he lived a long and honored career. His own wish would have been to be buried in the old churchyard at Dowth. The monument, which takes the shape of a beautiful Celtic cross and bust, stands 14ft. high, has an appropriate inscription in Gaelic, and above it is a marble bust of Boyle O'Reilly, while on either side are emblematic figures representing Erin and America. The memoual has been acknowledged by competent authorities to be such a one as befits the man to be honored, and the place in which it is set up. The demonstration on the occasion was an imposing one— an eloquent testimony to the fact that the principles of which the dead patriot was a life-long example are still cherished and revered by his fellow-countrymen. A large body of Nationalists went specially from Dublin to participate in the ceremony ; the Drogheda Trades, true to their oldtime traditions, mustered in force with their many splendid banners ; the Drogheda Corporation attended in state. It was a unique celebration on the Twelfth of July on the banks of the Boyne, and one altogether National and Irish. RuScOMMON— Appeal Sustained

It will be remembered that some time ago Mr. John Redmond and those who are associated with him (as defendants in the action brought by Lord de Freyne for damage^ on account of the agitation on his estates) applied to the Irish Vice-Chancellor for leave to have the action tried before the Vice-Chancellor and a jury, instead of before the functionary himself. Of course the Vice-Chancellor refused the application. The defendants appealed, and their appeal has been sustained, the Court of Appeal having decided that the matter must come before a jury. TYRONE.— An American Visitor In the early part of July the Hon. Mr. Gibbons and wife paid a pas.sing visit to the new Church of the Sacred Heart, Omagh. Mr. Gibbons lives in New Orleans, and resembles his eminent brother, the Cardinal, in height and appearance. He was so much pleased with the Church, whose second spire is just being completed, hat he called on Monsignor M'Namee and congratulated him on having the ' most tasteful ' church in Ireland. He also added a handsome subscription as a testimony of his admiration, and said he was so much pleased with the beauty of the church that he would recommend it for assistance to some of his rich friends in New Orleans. This unsolicited compliment is highly appreciated by Monsignor M'Namee and the people of Omagh. GENERAL Domestic Economy The Board of Agriculture for Ireland has presented to every village library in that country a copy of a reading book on domestic economy lately written for Irish schools, in the lorm of a story, by Miss Charlotte O'Conor Eccles. To some extent it is on the lines of the excellent primers on housekeeping, hygiene, garden-

ing, and the care of animals which are used in the French and Belgian technical schools. A Potato Spirit

The Department of Agriculture is now turning its attention to the problem of producing from beetroot and potatoes a spirit suitable for motor-cars. Such potatospirit lacks the ' bouquet ' dear to the connoisseur's palate, but it does very well for purposes of combustion. The supply of petrol has lately been so largely drawn upon that several manufacturers, especially in France, have applied themselves to the manufacture of alcoholdriven cars-, and it is quite possible that a successful Irish industry might be created by using the potato no /onger as an article of diet, but as a source of alcohol, for which its composition (it practically consists of nothing but a starch reservoir for the plant) eminently fits it. A Graceful Act

King Edward (says the ' Freeman's Journal ') has done a graceful thing in directing that the gold ornaments, which were the subject of litigation, should be presented to the president of the Royal Irish Academy. The Irish members, who, by their watchfulness and energy, succeeded in handing these ornaments to the King as treasure-trove, are entitled to a share of the thanks. The decision of his Majesty puts a stop to the rumors that the authorities of the British Museum were still hankering aftex possession of their ill-gotten prize. The cost of the litigation was referred to in Parliament, but it has had at least one effect, that it has added to the historic value of the ornaments, which are interesting now, not only as objects of ancient art but as the subjects of a famous modern lawsuit. A Strong Man

The London correspondent of a Dublin paper writes : As I informed you, it is quite true that Sir Antony MacDonnel does not contemplate resignation. There was a critical interval in the progress of the Land Bill. It arose upon the minimum price, which seems to have been a departure from Sir Antony's theory of what ought to be. Hanging on to this were other points, which ware partially met by Mr. Duke's amendment and by Mr. Wyndham's also. But during the congested interval it appeared almost certain that the Bill would be lost owing to the fiim stand made by the Nationalists, who, indeed, presented an ultimatum. It was at this critical conjuncture that the Under Secretary put his foot down. He insisted upon an honorable acquittal for the original plan, in which he was personally concerned, and made it known in the most unmistakable language that, if the Bi'l were withdrawn, he should resign his post in Dublin Castle. Thereupon he set out for Dublin, ' washing his hands of the entire business.' The situation was keen and strenuous. The Irish landlords are dissatisfied, and in a certain sense disheartened, but Mr. Wyndham took sides against the Marquis of Londonderry and Mr. Chamberlain, who both opposed the surrender, and from this surrender there can be no di awing back, save at the loss of both the Chief Secretary and Sir Antony McDonnel. Mr. Chamberlain was furious, I hear, at the triumph under such untoward conditions of the Nationalists, and it is said surveyed Sir Antony fiercely through his single eyeglass, upon which the Irish Under Secretary retorted by surveying the Colonial Secretary none the less boldly through his own monocle. But Sir Antony proved the better man in this Egyptian idyll.