Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 16, 21 April 1904, Page 9

Irish News

ANTRIM.— A Memorial A movement is on foot in Ballycastle to eiect a memorial hall there to the memory of the late Bishop M'Alhster, of Down and Connor, who was parish priest of Ballycastle for 23 years, and whose remains are buried there. DERRY.— Sale of an Estate The North Derry estate of Dr. Biggar, which formerly belonged to the Grocers' London Company, has been siold to the tenants. The purchasers accepted the landlord's terms — namely, an annual reduction of 5s 6d in the £on first term rents, and 3s 6d in the £ on second term rents. An equitable arrangement with regard to turbary was also arrived at. DOWN.— Opening of a Catholic Hall At the inauguration of St. Colman's Hail in Newry by the Bishop of Dxomore, the Rev. Father Finlay, S.J., in the course of an instructive address, spoke of the usefulness to the youth of the country of such places of resort, both as centres of social intercourse and educational improvement. Associations cluster round the building calculated to inspire patriotic ideals, but the practical benefits which it is to be the medium of affording the youth of the border town, in ofcder to prepare them for the battle of life, have been kept well in view. In his encouraging and practical address Father Finlay referred to his recent visit to the United States as a member of the Moseley Commission of investigation on American educational methods, and related instances of the self-sacrificing efforts of young people there, some only a short time from Ireland, towards advancing themselves in their particular spheres of work. He conceded that in Ireland they had not the same facilities for study that were to be found in America and elsewhere, but there was no occupation in which they were engaged in which they could not improve themselves by methodical study. DUBLlN.— lndustrial Exhibition The Royal Dublin Society Art Industries Exhibition in AJugpst next will be held in connection with Ihe Horse Show, and the Society has decided to erect a slpecial hall for the Exhibition at a co&t of £5000. Franciscan Manuscripts Sir Thomas Esmonde has been informed by the Secretary to the Treaslury that the report of the Inspector sent to Dublin to examine the manuscripts of the Irish Franciscans has only just been received, and the Historical MSS. Commissioners are now considering how they can best carry into effect his recommendations. His report states that there is a good three months' work still to be done over and above the rearrangement of the papers, which he considers advisable, before a satisfact'OTV report upon the MSS. could be placed in the printer's hands. Every effort will be made to complete the publication as soon as possible. A Centenary Tuesday, March 1, was the centenary of a remark. able event in the history of Ireland, namely, the laying of the foundation stone of the Bank of Ireland at the Parliament House in Dublin. On March l 4l 4 1804, the Earl of Hardwicke, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, performed the ceremony of formally inaugurating the transfer of the Old Parliament House to the Governors of the Bank of Ireland. An Act of Parliament had been passed in June, 1802, empowering the Treasury to sell the magnificent senate houses in College Green to the Bank of Ireland for £40,000, subject to a ground rent oil £240 a year. It was not, however, until March 1, 1804, that the actual transfer was made. The prize of £300 for the best design of plans suitable for the proposed changes was won by Mr. Henry Aaron Baker, Master of the Dublin Society's Architectural School. Progress of Temperance » Under the chairmanship of the Lord Mayor, the aWn-ual meeting of the members and friends of ""he Father Mat hew Memorial Hall, Dublin, was held on the last Sunday in February. His Lordship, who has been identified for upwards of thirty-five years with the movement, said he was proud that the first public meeting at which he had the honor of presiding as Lord Mayor of Dublin was one in furtherance of the f&reat and glorious cause of temperance. He thought his ronnectioh with the mdvement had a good deal to do with his occupying the position he was now so proud to fill. The temperance and the Gaelic movements were now great forces in the country ; year after year their influence was becoming greater ; tfoey were teaching the people lessons of thrift, of industry, of self-respect, and of perseverance. The day was not far distant, he

tihoiught, when the people of Ireland, irrespective of class or creed, would be ruling its destinies. Considerable progress has been made d>uring the past year in the onward march of temperance, both in the provinces and in Dublin, in view of the fact that so much depends on the rising generation, it is indeed gratifying to learn from the annual report which was read, that temperance has found a firm foothold among the youth of Dlublin. 'We haVe on our side,' it says, ' the rising youth of the city, who through the revived and right spirit of nationality and patriotism, fostered and cultivated by the Gaelic League and kindred societies, take a high and noble \iew of the duties tjiey owe their country, and who place temperance and total abstinence as the bedrock and foundation of their labors for the uplifting, advancement, and nationalisation of their motherland.'. The action taken by the archbishops and bishops has no doubt done much to bring about this happy state of affairs. For many years past they have admimistered the total abstinence pledge to all children about to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, with the) result now evident on every side. Their wisdom has been abundantly proved. The school children of to-day will in: a few years hence be the men and women of the country. At the present rate of progress it looks as if in a short time we should realise the ideal of one of Ireland's patriot sons : ' Ireland sober, Ireland free.' GALW AY.— Clerical Changes His Gtace the Archbishop of Tuam, Most Rev. Dr. Healy, has been pleased to confer dignities as follows — Dean Barrett, P.P., V.G., Headford, has been jjaised to the position of a Domestic Prelate to his Holiness the Pope, with the title of Monsignor ; Canon Conlon, P.P., Athenry, on relinquishing his Canonry, has been given the important position of Precentor of the Diocesan Chapter ; Rev. Father Lyons, P.P., Castlebar, fills the vacant Canonry, and has been appointed Vicar Forane for the Deanery of Castlebar ; the Venerable Archdeacon Kilkenny, P.P., D.D., Clareiworris, and Canon MacAlpine, P.P., Clifden, become Vicars-General. TYRONE.— A New Church The historic county of Tyrone (says the ' Irish Weekly ') will soon be the richer by one of the most handsome churches yet erected in any provincial part of Ireland This is the new Church of SI Mary, now in course of erection at Aughnacloy The foundation stone was laid recently by his Eminence Cardinal Logue, who has exhibited a particularly gracious interest in the establishment oE this additional stronghold of Catholicity in the Catiliohc county of the O'Neills. The collection on the occasion amounted to the handsome sum of £1500. The Law's Delays Some of the proceedings in the Land Judges' Ceurt (says the ' Freeman's Journal ') are extremely instructive. One case mentioned was that of Mr Francis S. Mansfield, in the County Tyrone An absolute order for the sale of this estate was made seven yeais ago. Negotiations were entered into and concluded for sale to the tenants at 17 years' purchase, the purchase annuities to commence from May, 1898. In Juno, 1899, application was made by Mr. Barton, the agent in the negotiations, for the payment of £77 18s ' remuneration for his services in negotiating sales, at the rate of one per cent, on the gross purchase money agreed to by the tenants.' That, according to the Land Judge, shows that the agent was dealing with the matter as a concluded transaction, but nothing whatever was done as a result of this ' concluded transaction,' and in 1899 a new Receiver was appointed to repeat the same performance, at the same cost, we presume, to the estate. In November, 1899, it was stated in the Court that all arrangements were completed with the tenants. On the 22nd of February, 1900, the Land Judge ruled that there shouM be no further delay, and that the whole matter should be settled within twelve months from that date. Still the matter has not yet been settled. WATERFORD.- French Exiles At a recent sitting in Dublin of the Land Judges' Court Mr. H. D. Keane, solicitor, Waterford, acting on behalf of a French Ofder of monks, purchased the demesne, and estate of Captain O'Dell, Mount O'Dell, Co Waterford, for the purpose of founding a Monastery. GENERAL Historic Irish Pictures An interesting feature in the gallery of Irish art in tho St. Louis exhibition will be a series of portraits of ' Illustrious Irish, also a collection of famous pictures of Irish beauties. For the reception of the latter a boautiftul octagonal room, panelled in white, is being constructed. Each panel will contain a ' Beauty.' Amotigst the pictures lent to this series are Romney's masterpiece, Lady Arabella Ward (Lord Bangor) ; Mrs. Jordan, the actress, by Hoppner (Mrs. Styan) ; Mrs.

Rochford, by Angelica Kauffman (Hon. Mr. Rochford) , Lady Elizabeth Foster, Duchess of Devonshire, by Sir Thomas Lawrence (Sic Vere Foster) ; Mrs. O'Hara, by Hoppner (the Bishop of Waterfoid and Cas-hel) Lady Betty Rochfjord (Mr. Wm. Rochford) ; Miss Gunning, Oquiitess of Coventry, by Francis Coates (Sir Tollemache Sinclair) ; Mary, Countess of Leitrim, by Lawrente (Mr. Charles Madden) ; the Countess of Clonmel, by Romney (Loid Clonmel) ; .and many others. The illustrated catalogue, which wilt be published of these (and the other pictures) will be a permanent souvenir of this unique collection. A Contrast In the course of an article contrasting the toleration practised in Dublin and Belfast the ' Freeman's Journal ' says :— lt is' true that of recent years the Dublin Corporation has abandoned its rule of bestowing the Mayoralty alternately on a Conservative and a Nationalist. But politics alone inspired that decision, and "fohere have been many Protestant Home Rulerb. Whenever a non-Catholic shared the political views of the majority has difference of religion was no obstacle to his elevation. And there is no doubt but that if any noft-Catholic adopted the political policy of the majority, his religion would not stand in his way. The nonCatholic, Alderman Winstanley, was elected High Sheriff in 1888, Mr. Shanks in 1891, Alderman Pile m 1898 Both Mr. Shatiks and Sir Thomas Pile were Lord Mayors. Can the Councils of Belfast or Deny show any such record ? How do trtie official appointments in Dublin stand at this moment ? The head of the Public Health Department, Sir Charles Cameron, is a non-Catholic; the Chief Engineer, Mr. Haxly, i* a non-Cathnlic ; the Secretary of the Lighting and C leansine Qommittee, Mr. Allan, is a non-Catholic ; the chief ofheer Of the Electric Light Department, Mr. Ruddle, is a non-Catholic ; his assistant. Mr. Brew, is b nonCatholic the chief officer of the Mam Drainage Department is a non-Catholic ; one of the City Rate Collectors is a non-Catholic. Again, how do appointments in Belfast compare with these ? Is there in Belfast even one Catholic in any office of importance ? Then take our Dublin County Council, where there is a Catholic Majority. The principal paid officers there are nonCatholic. The secretary, Mr. Blackburne , the assistant secretary, Mr. Ireland ; the chief engineer Mr Lollen are all non-Catholics, elected by a Catholic n.a\ority. Will the County Council of Antrim show us how many Catholics are in similar appointments'* In striking contrast to the libeiality here displayed is the narrow-minded and bigoted exelusiveness displayed by Belfast and County Down. On the intolerant bigot r displayed by Belfast there is no need to dwell lnrrc the rule ' No Papist need apply ' is main-tamed in all its pristine rigor. But the condition of County Do* n is less generally known, and worthy of consideration We believe that in County Down the cownty s,uneym and all his assistants (save one) the secretary to he County Council and all his staff, the clerks of Ibe unions and the masters of the unions, all belong to theProleßiant religion These after all are typical records.