IRISH SOIL IN AMERICA

New Zealand Tablet, 12 May 1910, Page 732

IRISH SOIL IN AMERICA

The turf from Ireland, for President Taft to stand upon while giving his St. Patrick’s Day address in Chicago, reached that city on March 13 over the Lake Shore railroad, in care of the United States Express Company (says, the Catholic Citizen of March 19). Three large crates, the combined weight of which was nearly two tons, bore the small fraction of the Emerald Isle which has been the subject most dear to the heart of every Chicago Irishman for several weeks.

A delegation from the Irish Fellowship Club was present when the porters carried the crates out of the express car in which they had travelled from New York. T. P. McGough, representing the Customs brokers who arranged for the transfer of the precious crates from the St. Louis to the train, and L. A. Hammond, general agent in Chicago for the express company, superintended the unloading. The reception committee was composed of Attorney P. H. O’Donnell, Charles J. Mulligan, the sculptor; James O’Shaughnessy, John Gavin, James J?. Collins, and L. P. Rietz. Reverently they gathered around as John R. Ford, assistant collector of Customs, and M. H. Sullivan, inspector of Customs, carefully looked the crates over to see that all was all right. Then the enthusiasm broke loose. The crate containing the sod which carried the most shamrocks quickly was prized open, and every loyal son of Ireland wrenched loose a bit of the sod for himself. One of the porters, Anthony A. .Louden, only r six months over from Ireland, followed their example and muttered a few terms of endearment in Gaelic as he quickly tucked a bit of the sod under his shirt and next his heart. The same crates that brought the sod also carried three canes, two for President Taft and one for M. J. Faherty, president of the Irish Fellowship Club. The President and Mr. Faherty each will get. a real blackthorn, and the 1 resident also will receive a cane of the Irish bog oak. The Blarney stone will not be present for the President to salute when he reaches Chicago, but the surroundings will have an authentic Irish touch, nevertheless. Blarney Castle will he represented among the surroundings, and the * ould sod will have a rival attraction.