Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 31 March 1910, Page 507

Irish News

ANTRIM Appointment The Most Rev. John Tohill, Bishop of Down and Connor, has received official notification .of his appointment as a member of the Intermediate Board for Ireland, in room £. IS , race the Most Rev. William J. Walsh, Archbishop of Dublin, resigned. ; • ; -- _ Unionist Tactics 7 : Forty-one Nationalist electors in West Belfast,who were arrested on an alleged charge of impersonation on - the occasion of; the last election received £7 each as compensation for the indignity to which they were subjected.• ARMAGH—Cardinal Logue and the Press . ■ The following passage with regard to the press occurs in the Lenten ; Pastoral of his Eminence Cardinal Logue: We have often been reproached, and it must :i be : admitted justly, with our neglect to encourage and support the Catholic press. - This neglect has led to serious consequences in the past, and, ’• if not corrected, will lead to consequences more serious still. The press is a power to be reckoned with. . Its influences, for good or. evil, the thoughts and actions of men. This is a truth which is universally acknowledged ; but while the enemies of the Church act energetically on their knowledge, we, her children, are apathetic and passive. -. While they .put. forth every effort, to seize, even to monopolise the organs of public opinion, by which they endeavor to sway men’s minds and nourish their prejudices against Catholic teaching, Catholic practices, and Catholic > interests, our few : periodicals languish or die through lack of ■ support. Strangest of all, we often support those hostile publications, and support them lavishly, while our own few struggling prints are left to starve. Were we guided by experience, and by the repeated exhortations of the late and of the present Pope, we would pay more earnest attention to the spread and welfare of our press. Well has the Holy Father said, that while his predecessors in the past blessed the sword of - the Church’s champions, he blesses the pen of her writers. It is a duty therefore which we should not neglect to give a generous support to our existing press, provided it be genuine, and to co-operate earnestly - in, multiplying Catholic publications wherever the need exists. CORK— Advice - Mr. William O’Brien has received a letter from Father Walter O’Brien, a constituent in North-East Cork, advising the holding of a conference with a view to adjusting the differences between : Mr. O’Brien and Mr. Redmond, and suggesting as delegates Cardinal Logue, Archbishop Walsh, ■ Mr. T. Healy, Mr. O’Brien, Mr: Redmond, arid Captain Donelan. .Mr. O’Brien does not think a conference would be of practical value unless arranged on terms that the Nationalists will not entertain. DOWN—Large Bequests Mr, Patrick Murphy, of Newry, has willed £20,000 to charitable institutions, and the residue of his estate of £103,450 to the Urban Council of Newry to pay the municipal debt. , ■„■■■; . Death of a Christian Brother The death is announced of the Rev. Brother Dempsey, who tor the past eighteen years has been ' Superior of the Christian Brothers at Newry. DUBLlNMonuments of Catholic Faith The Irish Attorney-General, speaking on Sunday, February 6, at a meeting in support of a movement for effecting improvements at Haddington road Church, the Archbishop of: Dublin, presiding, said he could safely state there was nothing which the Catholic laity were so proud of as the spectacle of great churches arising everywhere through : the land. They looked upon them as monuments of Gath-' olic sacrifice and faith—glorious proofs of the fidelity ofthe people of Ireland. - ' The National University •-.‘v In the course of his Lenten Pastoral Cardinal Logue says a brighter future , has been ’opened.-up to Irish Catholic youth by the institution of the new National University. True, observes his Eminence, it falls far short' of the satisfactory establishment for - which Irish .Catholics have long striven, and which was their due, if any pretence of equality is .to be maintained. Like all gifts coming from the same quarter, its merits are marred by its shortcomings. It bears the stamp of that niggard, spirit, unworthy - suspicion, and groundless prejudice : which has ever marked - concessions -made to Irish’ Catholics. It would! be unjust to lay., the blame for these defects at the door; of the . eminent statesman to whom the gift is mainly due. He did the best he could in the face of . adverse circumstances. -He had to struggle against influences 3 and prejudices which have long been hostile to Irish Catholics ; and he maintained the. struggle with a persevering determination which enabled him] to succeed, in part at least, where so many others have miserably and utterly failed. However vicious it may be

in : principle and deficient in the provision : for its mainh tenance, the National ' University, with its colleges, can be made; safe and profitable for ± our Catholic youth by the care of those to whom its administration has been entrusted. ; Like another institution, the so-called National ? system, sent, like Balaam, to curse • Irish Catholics, it may remain to bless. GALWAY—Success of the Temperance Crusade 7 The Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Archbishop 3 of Tuanx/: in the course of : his ; Lenten Pastoral, says: — We have. ■ every. • reason to be thankful to . God for the- wonderful and, we hope, enduring success of the temperance crusade! which was carried on last autumn, : not only in this Archdiocese of Tuam, but throughout all: the dioceses of the Western Province. The work of the devoted missionaries w as everywhere visibly blessed by God, and has already been, pro-' ductive of innumerable advantages/ both spiritual- and temporal, to all - classes of the community. ■ Everywhere the •magistrates,, and - other Government officials- haver, willingly and; gratefully borne - testimony to the marvellous,i change that has taken place in the habits of the ! people in regard to the ■ consumption • of . strong drinks.' We .exhort and - iridr plore the clergy with all . earnestness to use their best exertions to maintain the ground we have gained in respect of temperance.’ " . . r. • '- The Bishop of Clonfert . ' ' • - / • The. Right Rev. Dr. Gilmartin, who was recently consecrated Bishop of Clonfert, was born , in - Kilkenny Lodge, near Castlebar, in the year 1861. ' After,: - acquiring - the rudiments of his early education in the " local National school (says a writer in the Connaught Telegraph), * ' he studied in Errew Monastery,--where his; uncle,’ Brother, Sylvester, was at the head of the teaching staff, and where he made rapid progress. He was next sent to St. Jarlath’s College to commence his studies for the ; priesthood. A ■ few years later he passed ..to Maynooth. ; His course here ' was unusually short, but ' exceptionally brilliant. In a' class which'--'boasted of quite a 3 galaxy of talent he was at f the top of the distinguished roll. . Delicate health : prevented him from completing the full curriculum- and from enjoying the crowning advantage of the Dunboyne; Course, for he was taken out at the end of his - second year in Divinity. . and appointed to teach in his native seminary. This was about the year 1884. ■ Next year:’ he was - ordained - a : priest. In 1891 he was appointed to a Deanship in Maynooth College, and five years ago to the Vice-Presidency. Dr. Gilmartin wields a graceful and facile pen, and has- been a ; welcome contributor, especially . on matters of liturgy, to the pages of theological reviews. •• , Death of a Well-known Lady ' Mrs. A. N. Comyn, of-Ballinderfy, County Galway, wife of Mr. A. N. Comyn,’ Land Commissioner, and granddaughter of -Daniel O’Connell, the Liberator, died suddenly . at her husband’s residence on Sunday, February 6. : . . KERRY—The Interests of the People; ‘ The Most Rev. Dr. Mangan, Bishop of Kerry, in -a letter to the Killarney Board of: Guardians • acknowledging ■ the receipt of their congratulations on his appointment as a member of the Congested Districts .Board,, says they may- . feel confident he will' use every endeavor to forward the ; interests of the people. ‘ Nri'"!-•: KING’S COUNTY— Prominent Argentine Citizen ' The Freeman’s Journal records the death ; of Senor Bulfin, proprietor of our Catholic contemporary, the Buenos. ; Aires Southern Gross. The death of this brilliant writer, ' • charming conversationalist, and - ardent' patriot took place . at Derrinlough House, Birr, on Tuesday, February! 1. The f Vdeceased gentleman had not yet attained the age of 45 years when he was carried off by a sudden attack of pneumonia.: Senor Bulfin was a native of King’s , County, his • /'people hailing from the neighborhood of Birr, He received his education at the Grammar School at Galway, where he . first acquired his, taste for reading and literature. He was ; : not, however, at this time a bookworm or a pale student, . but a healthy boy, full of rollicking high spirits and fun. ■Many. stories were told • by those who remember him /at this time by. the thousand harmless boyish - pranks ! of 3 the ■ schoolboys in which young Bulfin was usually the :ring- : leader. Senor Bulfin was a most fervent Catholic, and .many anecdotes, are related of 3 him illustrating his unosten- 7 tatious but intense piety. LOUTH Abstinence Society . r r - An event . which excited a good deal - of ,-interest. in Dundalk recently was the celebration of the golden jubilee of i the St. Patrick’s Total Abstinence . Society of that . town. : A week’s retreat was preached by the Rev. M. Phelan, S.J., and on Sunday a sermon was delivered by Cardinal Logue, who reviewed the . history of the society, from :■ its S foundation by Dean (afterwards Primate) - Kieran. His Eminence congratulated the society on its : magnificent record of work done during the half-century just closed: MAYO—Cutting Up Estates The large and extensive estate at Windsor, near Castlebar, and adjacent to Turlough, the property of Mrs. McAlpine Robertson, has been purchased by the Congested Dis-

tricts Board.- There are only two or three tenants on the property, but -there are several hundreds of acres of prime grazing land, which the tenants on the adjoining estates expect to have divided amongst them. At the present moment in West Mayo steps are being taken by the tenants on the Fitzgerald, Phibbs-Irwrn, Palmer and Norbury estates to have the properties purchased by the Congested , Districts Board. TIPPERARY—A Priest Passes Away Universal regret has been felt in Clonmel at the unexpected news of the death of the Rev. Hugh Mockler, P.P.,. Clerihan. On; Saturday morning, February 5, he celebrated Mass as usual in Clerihan Church. Some hours later, about noon, when returning to the church to hear confessions, he was -seized with a sudden faintness, but he managed to reach his residence, and passed away some hours later. The Future of the Church ■’V.-His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Fennelly, Archbishop of Cashel, in the course of his Lenten Pastoral, says, the transfer of the land to the people is, in his judgment, a matter of the greatest importance from the religious, point of view. The agricultural population of Ireland is mainly and intensely Catholic, strong in faith, and deeply devoted to the practices of religion ; and assuming that through the blessings of the . Catholic Church, and the zeal of the clergy, it will; continue so, he can see a safe and great future for Irish " Catholicity securely . anchored in the affections of a people'owning the land they till, thriving on the- soil that bore them, proud of the victory won by the union of priests and people, and determined to assert and protect their individual rights against all irreligious' and Socialistic encroachments. ' ‘ And here,’ adds his Grace, let me say to our clergy that the affection. and fidelity of our congregations deserve, not our admiration merely, but our practical assistance: and sympathy with everything that concerns themtheir "temporal progress, their legitimate national aspirations, and all the other rights to which they are entitled.’ WESTMEATH— Home Very Rev. Dean Kelly, of Athlone (says the Catholic Times) has done a thing for which many in every part of the English-speaking world will be thankful in recommending the County Council of Westmeath to restore the famous old mansion in which Olive'r Goldsmith was born and lived during his boyhood. It was, in truth, the only home Goldsmith ever knew, for his places of residence after he entered upon his chequered career in the world could not be called homes. The Dean says that many from England, Scotland, America, a*nd other lands visit the spot every year to see this shrine of genius. But it seems to us Westmeath has scarcely ever made enough of the honor of having given this rare and marvellous character to literature. Even now there are numbers of readers of his works who are not aware that ‘ Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain is in that county, or in, Ireland at all, or that when Goldsmith, in those charming'poems of his, so full of the beauty of simplicity, was expressing the yearning of his heart for the scenes of his childhood, he was thinking of the delights of a Westmeath hamlet. His numberless admirers will learn with pleasure that the County Council intend to carry out Dean Kelly’s suggestion. GENERAL The Nationalist Party Mr. John Redmond has sent to the president of the United Irish League of America a telegram in which he declares that, while an unnatural combination between factionists and Unionists has caused the temporary loss of a few seats, the Nationalist Party is to-day more united, and therefore stronger, than' it has been for years. He affirms that the outstanding features of the General Election were the enormous power exercised by the Irish vote in Great Britain, the impression made on public opinion by the support and sympathy of the United States, and the establishment for the first time of a clear British majority of sixty votes for Home Rule and against the veto of the Lords. Mr. Redmond has addressed a letter to Mr. T. P. O’Connor, thanking the Irish in Great Britain for their action during the elections. Aid from the United States . Complete returns of Mr. T. P. O’Connor’s recent tour in the United States have now been furnished, and they show that the full amount collected is a little oyer £IO,OOO. The Irish Board of Agriculture The Daily Chronicle safs that the name of Mr. Thos. Lough, M.P., is associated v with the Irish Board of Agriculture as a successor to Mr. T. W. Russell. Mr. Lough is an. Irishman, and a native of County Cavan. '