COUNTY NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1, 7 January 1909, Page 28

COUNTY NEWS

CLARE— A Centenarian On Sunday, November 15, at the residence of her daughter, Mrs. W. N. Kelly, Mullagh, Kilmuryibrican, County Clare, the death, occurred of Jane, widow- of the late Mr. Michael Comerford, timber merchant, Galway, aged 104 years. Deceased was mother of the late Colonel Surgeon Comerford/ Dr. Michael Comerford, Mr. Isaac Comerford, timber merchant, Galway, aiid Mr. George Comerford, Melbourne. CORK — The Late Sir James Mathew The obsequies of Sir James Mathew, late Lord Justice xof Appeal, took place in Cork. The remains were received by the Lord Mayor, the High Sheriff, and a large number of citizens, lay and clerical. The chief mourners were Messrs. Theobald and Charles Mathew, sons, and Mr. John Dillon, M.P., son-in-law. After Requiem Mass, the absolution was pronounced by Dean Shinkwin, after which the interment took place in the family vault at St Joseph's Cemetery. Praise for the Parliamentary Party At a meeting at Queenstown to . start the Irish Parliamentary Fund collection, a letter was read from the Most Rev. Dr. Browne, Bisliop of Cloyne, enclosing five pounds. The letter contained the following : — ' Our "contributions' cannot be regarded by us as a favor, but as a duty to our Parliamentary representatives, who work for - the interests of the country- with such fidelity, perseverance, and success. Moreover, we must remember that the ~ members of the Irish Party work for their country from no motives of selfishness. Even their, enemies dare not accuse them, poor ,men though, they be, of yielding to that indirect form of' bribery when men use public positions entrusted to them by the people to^ secure for themselves a high salary and place from the Government.' DUBLIN— SeIf-Government 1 The inaugural meeting of the twenty-fifth session of 1 University College Literary and Historical Society was held on November 5, when Mr. Thomas Bodkin, a. son of County Court Judge Bodkin, read an interesting paper on ' Home Rule.' He maintained that the country was ripe for selfgovernment. The working of the Local Government Act was a splendid testimony to the capacity of the Irish people to manage their own affairs. The worst foe to be fought now was ignorance, for the British democracy was no longer opposed to Home Hule. Trinity College and the Gaelic Revival At the opening session of the Trinity College Gaelic Society Rev. Dr. Mahaffy said -that when the Gaelic movement was started he criticised it adversely, but he now confessed- that he was wrong. He never thought it would attain the growth and vitality it now possessed. The movement, conducted on its first lines, would in a few ~ years upset the whole intermediate education system ..of Ireland. Dr. Sigerson spoke of Ireland's intellectual pre-~ eminence in the past, and said there was now no^European -■nation in which scholars- had a predominant voice that did not recognise that their culture, after the downfall of the Roman tyranny, was due to the leading thought and education and science which came to their land from Ireland: Mr. Yeats said that at one time the National movement in Ireland was foiinded upon grievances, such as the lajid question. The Irish people now realised that the land question was being settled, and the foundation was being changed to a national basis, and they were creating a national movement similar to that of Norway. \