CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL, DUBLIN

New Zealand Tablet, 20 June 1912, Page 13

CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY SCHOOL, DUBLIN

On the evening of April 18, the annual dinner of the Catholic University School was held in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin. Dr. E. J. McWeeney, M.A., president of the Union, occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance. The speech of the evening was delivered by Very Rev. Dr. F. J. Watters, S.M., in responding to the toast of ‘The old school.’ Once more the honor is mine (said Very Rev. Dr. Watters) of replying to the toast of ‘The old school,’ a toast I think you are so heartily and enthusiastically receiving. I hope I shall meet with a better fate than befell a friend of mine— very ardent Temperance advocate. He was vice-chairman at a Temperance banquet. But in the report of the proceedings by an enlightened, if merciless, press, it was added—‘ The health of the president was enthusiastically drunk, and so was the vice-presi-dent.’ Since last we met it is a sad duty to record the death of one of our early pupils—the cave-dwellers, our president would say, of the palaeozoic age —Dr. Charles O’Farrell, of Yarmouth. Another loss to the order of bachelors, which I record with pleasure, is that of our most solvent treasurer, Mr. J. P. O’Connor. We would do much to encourage those enterprises. Indeed, we take a professional interest in these ceremonies. Else what hope for the permanence of our school? We heartily congratulate Mr. O’Connor on the luck that Providence gifted him with an admirable partner in life. I would like to add that we shall be always glad by . advice and encouragement, and pro-

mises of a handsome presentation, to urge on others to go in and win; to take their courage in both hands and •make other people happy. Of course our school, the ancient, historic school of Leeson street, the only institution left that bears the proud title of Catholic University, is bur central aim and objective. You will be glad to know that we have in active operation a matriculation and senior grade class, middle, junior, and preparatory grades, all doingby the evidence of professional -excellent work. Our roll-call was never more healthy. A feature of the school is the numbers we have of the second generation. That is our aim, to attract members of ..good —they will be welcome with open arms ex nati natorum et qui nascent nr ex ill is. Of course we welcome many others, for there is great work in store for our schools. We happily survive the dark days of defeat, depression, revival, rally, fight, and victory. The forces of the old land are debouching in high spirits from the cold fastnesses of the wilderness into the free possessions of their natural rights—- ‘ We want the land that bore us,' We’ve Vnade that cry our chorus, We’ll have it yet, though hard to get, By the-Heavens bending o’er us.’ There is an amusing protest, a childish wail, put up by some. It reminds me somewhat, in rival contest, of the strident penny whistle against the stately peal of the organ heralding the march of an army to victory. Then, forsooth, to the tap of the orange drum, the danger cry is raised, ‘ Beware of the intolerance of the Catholics.’ Our history, our seared history, in this land is not a record of intolerance. The badge of our tribe has ever been intolerable toleration. We shall now drop the intolerable and hold, as wo have always done, to toleration. The charge of prospective intolerance comes with ill-grace from that quarter. Let them search their hearts arid memories and they will learn, as they know, who have been the destroyers, the exterminators of the people of Ireland. Have they forgotten the Penal laws? Is memory so short? In 1754 the Lord Chancellor declared in public court that in the eyes of the law no Papist had an existence in this country. So stringent and searching were the laws against education that it seemed impossible for Catholics to elude the doom of ignorance. By an Act of William 111. no Protestant in Ireland was allowed to instruct a Papist, and by Act of Anne, no Papist was allowed to instruct any other Papist. Hence the Hedge School and the ' wild geese,’ for our people would drink from the founts of learning. Cardinal Newman, in his . Historical Sketches of the Irish, says: ‘ It is impossible not to admire and venerate a race which displayed such inextinguishable love of science and letters.’ Mr. Gladstone, referring in one of his speeches to the Ireland of the last century, observed that the of things in Ireland 100 years ago was intolerable. ‘ We all look back on them with-a burning sense of pain and shame.’ Then we are threatened with an army advancing under the leadership of a militant lawyer. If the troops survive the march to the big bridge of Dundalk they will have -learned some useful lessons-in geography. And when they reach the bridge they will become acquainted with the hinterland of the North Marsh, and the classic glade of Lisdoo. Nearer home the alarm is raised— * The schools in danger!’ Why, who have been the founders, the feeders, the munificent supporters of our schools in the past—a power abroad in every land where is gathered the sea-divided Gael? The very men who all those years have pleaded our wrongs in a hostile Parliament, and who to-day with banners waving and colors flying are bringing us into our National interitance.. They are all the products of our Catholic schools. The Redmonds, the Healys, the O’Briens, the O’Connors, the Dillons. We need them all. The Great Leader Protagonist of the Irish Party is a brilliant output of one of our first colleges. Mr. Dillon is a distinguished student of the Catholic University, and to the Catholic University

School falls the credit of contributing one of the most active Whips of the Party, Mr. John Pius Boland. Besides it is not our cause the country will ask them to vindicate. It is their own cause, their own interests, their own progress, their own success—that are inevitably bound up with Catholic schools. As parents they have consistently contested and vindicated the inseparability of religion and education. Quis separahit. So, gentlemen, it is good to be alive these days and look out on the golden gleams of dawn that glance on the green hills of Ireland : ‘ Blessed are the lovers and friends who shall live The dawn of her glory to see.’ In calm and temperate spirit, with deepened sense of responsibility, and with hopes rooted in justice and right, we shall enter on the new and smiling chapter in our history, and greet our country—a fair land and rare land, emancipated, rejuvenated, and disenthralled —a ‘Nation once again. 5