Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 10 March 1910, Page 387

Irish News

ANTRIM —Industrial Life in Belfast Belfast (says the Irish Weekly) is a great industrial centre. Its ‘ merchant princes ’ and captains of industry ’ flourish .and grow rich. Its vast army of female workers toil as hard as the operatives in the Lancashire cotton factories. Their duties are as arduous; their hours of labor as long and trying: their average wage is not much more than half the reward of the Manchester cotton spinners’ work. Why? The main reason is to be found in the political conditions of the city, perhaps. While the great employers amassed their dividends, the workers were divided by unreasoning prejudices; and, therefore, the women and girls and little ‘ half-timers ’ who toiled in the factories and made the linen, lived the lives of ‘ white slaves’ generation after generation. We are on the eve of. a better and brighter era for the people who do the world’s work. . ' ■ CARLOWHeIp from America Referring to the fact that the Rev. James Coyle, Leighlinbridge, has received a cablegram from the Rev. James Foley, Ottumwa, lowa, U.S.A., to the effect that he is forwarding £IOO to the Irish Parliamentary Fund, the Carlow Nationalist says that Father Foley is a native of Tullow, and was a distinguished student of Carlow College. He went on the American mission in 1876, and his devotion to the old land is only surpassed by his zeal in the sacred ministry. Our contemporary adds that Father Coyle, himself an earnest worker in the National movement, must have been highly gratified on receiving the cablegram. ■ CLAREWhite Gloves for the Judge The Hilary Quarter Sessions were opened at Ennis on January 18 by County Court Judge Bodkin. When the Court had been opened, Major F. G. Cullinan, SubSheriff, said that, as there was no criminal bnsiness to go before his Honor, he had great pleasure in presenting him with white gloves. His Honor Thank you very much. There is no gift which I value so highly, as it is testimony as to the condition of Clare, which is so maligned on the other side of the water.’ DUBLIN— Irish Viceroyalty It is freely rumored that Lord Aberdeen will retire from the Irish Viceroyalty very soon. The Daily Chronicle suggests that Lord Granard should succeed him, despite the fact that he is a Catholic. If the Liberals are successful they will have the opportunity of remedying at least one Catholic grievance by carrying out the suggestion. A Distinguished Teacher Rev. Brother Noonan, of North Richmond Street Schools, Dublin, who has been appointed Superior of the Christian Brothers’ College, Cork, was the recipient of an illuminated address and a costly* silver timepiece by his pupils, past and present, before departing for the south. Mr. James McCormick, who presided at the ceremony, spoke highly of the many admirable characteristics of Brother Noonan, under Avhose guidance the O’Connell Schools had for years occupied the position of premier secondary schools in Ireland. Mr. John J. Webb, M.A., one of Brother Noonan’s most successful pupils, read the address, after which the recipient replied in feeling terms. He took it that the presentation was not so much a recognition of his personality as a sense of the pride which they felt in their Alma Mater, with its magnificent record and traditions. An Injunction Judgment was given on January 17 in the Four Courts, Dublin, in the plaintiff’s favor in an application for an injunction on behalf of Mr. T., M. Healy, to restrain Mr. O’Shee, ex-M.P. for Waterford, from-further repeating or publishing a statement which plaintiff asserted was false, namely, that he, Mr. Healy, in his professional capacity, took fees from a landlord to oppose the restoration of an evicted tenant. The Lord Chief Baron, in giving the Court’s decision, in which Mr. Justice Gibson concurred, said the contention of defendant’s counsel that Mr. Healy had tried to prevent land being taken for evicted tenants, or for any particular tenant, was unsustainable. His Lordship said that Mr. O’Shee, having failed in everything, must pay the costs. On learning the result of the action taken by Mr. Healy against Mr. O’Shee, his Grace the Archbishop of Dublin sent a congratulatory telegram to the former, which ran as follows: ‘Accept the warmest congratulations of your Archbishop on your unqualified victory in the Four Courts.’ KILKENNY— First Sale , What is believed to be the first sale under the new Land Act was successfully negotiated in County Kilkenny about the middle of January, when the legal representatives of Lady Annaly met the tenants of what was formerly Meredyth’s estate in the neighborhood of Castlecomer. gome months ago Lady Annaly made an offer to the ten-

ants, which has been accepted by all of them. According to the Kilkenny Journal , there are forty holdings on the estate, and first term and non-judicial tenants have got a reduction of 7s in the pound, and second term tenants a reduction of 5s in the pound. Lady Annaly accepted one and a half years’ rent to February 1 next in lieu of the substantial arrears that had accumulated. Charitable Bequests Mrs. Elizabeth Mary Walsh, of Fairview/ Kilkenny, who died on October 21, left personal estate in the United Kingdom valued at £13,610, of which £5321 is English estate. The testatrix left £1325 for the celebration of Masses in various churches; £2OO each to the Convent of St. John of God, Wexford, the Ladies’ Association of Charity and St. Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin; £IOO each to the Men Branch of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, the Hospice for the Dying, Harold’s Cross, and the Convent of St. John of God, Kilkenny; her real estate at High street and Walkin street, Kilkenny,' upon trust to apply the income therefrom for the poor of Kilkenny, to be known as the ‘ Walsh Charity’; and, subject to other bequests, the residue of her estate to the Convent of St. John of God, Kilkenny. LOUTH—Representation of the County Prior to the election his Eminence Cardinal Logue ad’ dressed the following letter to Mr. B. Hamill, J.P., Dundalk, one of Mr. T. M. Healy’s principal supporters in North Louth: —‘l do not think it would be strictly in keeping with my position to take so prominent a part in a contested election as to nominate a candidate, otherwise I should willingly nominate Mr. Healy. I shall, however, endeavor to be in Dundalk on Thursday, January 20, to vote for Mr. Healy. You can make any public use of this fact which you may find necessary for the purpose of contradicting rumors or allegations to the contrary. I. have never sympathised with the determined and persistent attacks which have been made upon Mr. Healy by a section of the press and some politicians for the purpose of driving him out of public life, thus depriving the country of his undoubted abilities, his unimpeachable honesty, and devotion to the interests of Ireland, which, whatever occasional mistakes he may have made, mistakes from which his opponents are by no means 'free, has never wavered, and which has been proved by years of disinterested service. I regret very much that Dundalk and North Louth have been thrown into such disorder and confusion by a contest which I at least believe to have been neither necessary nor useful, and which is little calculated to promote the union of which we hear so much.’ A Fashionable Marriage The wedding took place recently, at Whitemills Catholic Church, Dromin, Louth (says the Freeman’s Journal of Miss Alice Naish, daughter of the late Mr. Richard Naish, Ballycullen, County Limerick, and Mr. Roger Bellingham, son of Sir Henry Bellingham, and brother of the Marchioness of Bute. It was a very fashionable function, and attracted much social interest. The ceremony represents the union of two old and notable ■ Catholic families. The bride’s family’s connection with the County of Limerick dates back to a very remote period, her ancestors being prominently associated with the county since the early part of the thirteenth century. The family, it is interesting to note, have lived uninterruptedly in Ireland, and, in common with the representatives of other distinguished families, have borne the troubles consequent on. the wars of the Elizabethan period, John Naish being killed in 1581 and his brother in 1583, while in subsequent years portion of the lands of the family were confiscated. It is interesting to note in connection with the family history that the bride is great-granddaughter of the late Sir John Gray and granddaughter of the late Mr. Edmund Dwyer Gray. The bridegroom’s father, Sir Henry Bellingham, is Chamberlain to the Pope and filled a similar office to the tw6 preceding Pontiffs. He was prominently identified with the Home Rule movement when he represented Louth in Parliament in 1880 and I§Bs. He has been High Sheriff of the County, and is a Deputy-Lieutenant and : Chairman of the Board of National Education. MEATHOId-Age Pensions Reporting on the working of the Old Age Pensions Act in Meath, the Clerk of the Pensions. Committee has estimated that the sum paid out in pensions during the past year reached the total of £33,000. It is rightly assumed by the Drogheda Independent that the great bulk of this money was spent in the towns and villages of Meath in the purchase of food, clothing, and other necessaries. It is added that a year’s working of the Act in Meath has absolutely falsified the gloomy forebodings of the wiseacres who predicted that the pensions would be misapplied, that the greater portion of the money would be squandered on drink,. and that instead of a blessing the Act would prove a curse. In Meath the aged poor have given' ample proof of their fitness to control the small provision that has been made for them. MONAGHAN—A. Place of Pilgrimage ‘I spent a few days,’ says Dr. Duhig, Bishop of Rockhampton, * at Lough Derg—St. Patrick’s Purga-

j-ory. j-ne little island on which the pilgrims assemble is only about three-quarters of an acre in extent. There are two churches, a priest’s house, and a hospice for, either sex on the island. The place opens every year from June 15 to August 15, and during that time thousands of pilgrims arrive to go through the severe penance prescribed. The practice brings us nearer than anything else known at the present, day -to the forms of penance in vogue hi the early days of the Church. The fervor of the people, young and old, was edifying. Bareheaded and barefooted and fasting, they make their sacred rounds for three days, out of which period one night was spent in vigil in the church, ■ When ■ I was at the place there were pilgrims from all parts'of Ireland,, from England, Scotland, America, Australia, and even New Zealand.~V The Purgatory is situated in the diocese of- Clogher, and is attended by secular priests of the diocese.’ TYRONE— Unfounded Fears The Rev. Father Quinn, of Stewartstown, Tyrone, discussing the fears professed by the Unionist minority in Ulster (remarks the Catholic Herald), said at a public meeting in support of Mr. Kettle the other day, that he failed to understand why the Unionists should be afraid.' During a recent visit to America, Father Quinn had found that the Catholics in New York had appointed Mr. Maxwell, son of a Presbyterian minister in Tyrone, as School Superintendent, and a son of the late Wm. Johnston, of Ballykilbeg, as lecturer on Irish Language. , Such toleration on the part of Catholics can be instanced everywhere, but parallel occurrences where Unionists are in the majority in Ireland are hard to be found. Neither Belfast nor Derry Corporation will appoint a Catholic to anything more than a menial Job, and even Irish Railways and- Irish Banks have had to -be compelled by Parliamentary compulsion to give equality of opportunity to Catholic applicants for appointment. WEXFORD—A New Industry The latest manifestation of the industrial enterprise and activity of Wexford (says the Freeman’s Journal ) is the opening up of a dead meat market in connection with the London markets. The first consignment was shipped from the Macmine Abattoir about the middle of January, and according to expert opinion the meat should command top price. It is noted in connection with this experiment that the farmer is paid for the offal as well as the meat, and in this case the hides went.to Limerick, and the intestines to Dublin. Figures are not yet available, but all who have interested themselves in the project are confident that the prices obtained will prove to the farmer that more money is to be made in the trade than if the beasts were sold in the ordinary way. GENERAL The Four Masters Many people have heard of the Annals of the Fou; Masters, but do not understand what those Annals are, nor know the names of the four Irish scholars whose work is the finest epitaph in the world. The Abbey where the Annals were compiled is now a heap of ruins on the outskirts of the historic town of Donegal. The Abbey of Assaroe, immortalised in song by the ‘ Bard of Erne ’ — William Allingham— where one of the brothers O’Clery received the finishing touches to an already exceptionally sound education. He and his two brothers and a scholar named Fearfeasa O’Mulconry were the Four Masters, who wrote a chronology of events in Ireland from the Delude to the year 1616. ” Contested Elections The Catholic Times, writing during the course of the General Election, said:—The number of contested elections taking place in Ireland, as in Great Britain, is unusually large. Some pessimistic prophets have been predicting that the dissensions which have arisen in certain con” stituencies would breed quarrels in the party, and that they portend trouble for Mr. Redmond. We do not think the Irish leader has any cause for alarm on this score. Apart from Cork and North Louth, where Mr. Healy and Mr. O’Brien openly raised the standard of revolt against Mr! Redmond’s leadership, the contending candidates in the Home Rule constituencies have professed their allegiance to the party. The contests have arisen merely out of differences of opinion as to the way in which Conventions were organised, and, in some instances, out of the ambition of candidates whom Conventions fairly rejected. When the elections are at an end the defeated candidates will bow to the decision of the electors, and hasten to show by their activity in supporting the Irish Party that they are as true as ever to the Home Rule cause. The abundance of candidates and their eagerness for success are, indeed, proofs that the interest in that -cause does not flag in Ireland as the years glide by, but is, on. the contrary, as keen as ever amongst the masses of the people.