PUBLICATIONS

New Zealand Tablet, 6 March 1913, Page 27

PUBLICATIONS

Gordon Grandfield: .4 Tale of a Modernist. By the Rev. J. Kennedy. William P. Linehan, 30y and 311 Little Collins street, Melbourne. ... This book shows unmistakable ability, and the story which Father Kennedy has to tell is well worth while —and in these days, when ' of making books vaexe is no end,' that is no small praise. With, a little strengthening of the plot, and a little more development and individualisation of the characters, this volume would take a really high place as a wholesome, well written, and keenly interesting book, with a thoroughly Catholic, Irish, and national spirit throughout. Father Kennedy, we may remark in passing, is a Kerry priest, stationed in Victoria; and we are likely to hear more of him as an ' author. The present story has been thus accurately summarised in the pages of our contemporary, the Southern Cross : ' The scene is mainly in Ireland, though we are carried with some of the characters first to London; afterwards to Messina, in Sicily, during the earthquake; and finally to Australia, where the young Irish priest, whom we meet in the first chapter, just after his ordination, is engaged in mission work. The story has mainly to do with the fall into Modernist errors of Gordon Grandfield, an English cousin of Gerald o 'Moore, the young priest, who belongs to one of the good old Irish families of the South of Ireland. Some charming descriptions of the scenery of County Kerry are given in the opening chapters, including a glimpse of the Lakes of Killarney. There is also a very vivid description of a game of hurley; and the objects of the Gaelic League are incidentally expounded. Gordon Grandfield falls in love with a young Irish lady, Ethna O'Donohoe, an intimate friend of the O'Moore's, who declines to marry him until he regains his faith, which has been destroyed by intercourse with a university companion, Travers, and a little set of Modernists in London, who follow an ex-Jesuit, thinly disguised under the name of "Father Tyson." Travers'- relations with an Italian lady, whom he had deceived by a mock marriage, while he pays court to another, also form part of the plot. Eventually Gordon Grandfield breaks with Travers and the Modernists, and returns to the Catholic faith, going on a long pilgrimage, ending with a visit to his cousin, the young priest in Victoria. In the meantime Travers is stabbed by the brother of the Italian lady, and dies repentant after making reparation. Ethna O'Donohoe, the young lady loved by Gordon, is chiefly instrumental in bringing this about. She had taken up the work of an hospital nurse after dismissing her Modernist lover, and attends on Travers in his last moments. Grandfield meets Travers' widow in Sicily,*and knows these facts; but he goes on to Australia, from which he is recalled to wed Ethna and win an Irish seat in Parliament as a Home Ruler.' We cordially recommend the story, both on its merits and because it is time— such good work is being done amongst us— the reading public in these southern lands should take in hand to encourage the building up of a literature of our own. We believe that Irish readers, in particular, will thoroughly enjoy Father Kennedy's work. Price, 2s 6d.