MARIE NARELLE

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXV, Issue 2, 10 January 1907, Page 15

MARIE NARELLE

This morning (says the Auckland ' Star ' of , December 27). Bishop Lenihan, •the Hon., J. A. Tole, Mr* W, J » Speight, and prominent Irish and other citizens extended to Madame Marie- Narelle in. the Star Hotel, a' warm, though formal, welcome. The others ' present in the party included Messrs. .P. M. Mackay, P. J. Nerheny, Geo. Higgins, Key. Father Holbrook, T. Buxton, M. J. Sheahan, Trevilhick, Herr -and Madame"* Wielaert, Ti Harle Giles, D. and Mrs. Flynne, Talbot, M. Foley, Walter and Mrs. Impett, J. W. Taylor, M.A., Mrs. De Clive Lowe, Mr. and Mrs. O'Shea "(Brisbane), Mrs. Brandon-Usher (Sydney)*;-- etc. 'lhe Hah. J. A. Tole, at the invitation of Bishop Lenihan, opened the welcome. Their welcome, he saiti, was an Irish one, which in warmt h was always a

•The Queen of Irish Song*

multiple "by many thousands of all the other welcomes. Added to that welcome they desired to thank Madam** Narelle for her popularising the songs of Ireland. She .was their interpreter, and she had shown herself jjustly entitled to the nam.e of ' Queen of Irish Song.' ,She was helping- to promote the harmony of the nation by proclaiming -in minstrelsy the love and loyalty, the patriotism, the valor, and the freedom of the Irish. Bishop Lenihan, in concluding a neat speech, saW :_ 4lt is a happy combination, that yourself and Mr. the Irish envoy, have arrived at the same time in Auckland, to help along the cause in which not only Irishmen but New Zealanders generally— because of their love for Home Rule— are interested, desiring • to" see our country happy and prosperous. 1 7 Mr. -W.- J. Speight said N Madame- Narelle came io Auckland to - enthrall the people of the city, and she had done it. • I am glad,' he said, 4to be here to see. you to-day, because last night 1 could not see you .properly. There ""was' a haze before my eyes. And as I listened to you my memory went back to the songs of the old days. 1 •t . Madame Narelle, replying, said she expected a warm welcome in Australia, but the welcome she had received in New Zealand, where she was an entire strange, and especially in Auckland, had taken her by surprise. She hoped no thought, word, or deed of hers would -displace her from the position she held .in the hearts of the Auckland- people. ' She had a warm spot in her heart for Ireland, and her fondest wish was that God would bless Ireland and give it Home Rule.- She hoped, when the Irish Parliament" was opened, she would be there to join in'the singing of ' God Save Ireland.'

, The .Countess of Kejnmare is a devout Catholic, and her many deeds of kindness have endeared, her to the tenants on her husband's beautiful estate 'in Killamey. Some years ago she established a small carving school, which has, grown, into a flourishing concern, and is known as the K'illarney' Furniture Industry. Besides jtMis she has founded a , school -of industry ■ for girls," where, , cooking laundry work, and needlecraft" are taught; by .qualified teachers, and girls are strained as domestic servants.