The Old Irish Parliament House

New Zealand Tablet, 15 November 1906, Page 33

The Old Irish Parliament House

The old Irish Parliament House, -which, according to rumor (sa7s the London 'Daily Chronicle'), may be ocrcupied by a National Council under a devolution scheme ere long, "is one of the architectural glories of Dublin. In its exterior -aspect it remains the same as it was, when in possession of the Lewis and Commons of Ireland, but - internally it has been knocked about to meet the requirements of the Bank of Ireland, into whose hands it passed after the Act of Union. The legislative hall of the Commons, which once resounded with- the eloquence of G rattan, Curran, Plun- ' ket, and Flood, has been practically" destroyed, and the' present public banking chamber occupies part of its site. But the • House of Lords remains intact, just as it was at the time of the Union, and is the most interesting and attractive part of the building to visitors. Curran, who was a determined opponent of the Union, was one day passing the old Parliament House in the company of a member who bad voted for /it. That member displayed signs of irritation, and expres-. sed a wish to see the building removed. '" I am not surprised,' said Curran, ' there never yet was a murderer - who was not afraid of a ghost.' The Irish, House of Commons sat for the last time on. June 10, 1800. It was the duty of Lord Gastlereagh to move" the third reading of the Union Bill, . • and he discharged the duty with the utmost apparent equanimity.- Other members were not so composed, andto 'conceal their emotion hurriedly left the room. The Speaker, who hated the measure, rose to put, the'fateful question. He" held up the Bill for. a moment- /in • silence, and looted, according to a spectator's accountof the scene, steadily round on the last agony of -the ' expiring Parliament. :He at length repeated in- an- - emphatic tone, "As many as are of opinion that . this , Bill do pass say Aye ; the contrary ' say No:" ''' The affirmative was languid but , indisputable. Another momentary pause „e nsued.-; Again_-his" lips seemed ' to r de-V cline their office". At length, with an eye averted from the. object which -he rhated, he": proclaimed with a subdued voice, " The Ayes have it." The fatal sentence . was now pronounced— for., an instant -be. stood "statuelike, then indignantly, and with disgust, "flung the Bill upon the table and sank into his chair with' ari exhausted spirit.' t . .._ ....