Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 22 May 1913, Page 39

Irish News

.-,..,-. ■ GENERAL. - Dr. Wilson, President of the United States, wore a;shamrock on St. Patrick's Day.- His secretary, Joseph Patrick Tumulty, saw that everyone around the executive offices recognised St. Patrick's Day in a similar fashion. Mr. Tumulty distributed the shamrocks sent to the President by Mr. John E. Redmond. The Bishop of Lourdes has written to Right Rev. Dr. McHugh, Bishop of Derry, saying that he has applied to the Pope for certain spiritual favors for those taking part in the forthcoming Irish pilgrimage. The Bishop of Lourdes will do everything in his power to receive and honor the Irish pilgrims in a way worthy of the occasion. The death took place in Nenagh recently, at the age of 101, of Jerry Connors, who was for over sixty years employed by the Guardians and the Urban Council, and retired on a pension three years ago. Lord Kitchener presided at a St. Patrick's Day Irish dinner, given in Cairo, in celebration of the Irish national anniversary. DEATH OF A WEXFORD NATIONALIST. Ireland has lost a sturdy Nationalist by the death of Captain McGuire, Quay House, Wexford. In early life a seaman of the old type, he commanded some fine sailing-ships, and after a successful career settled down in his native town. In the old days of the Land League he was a prominent member, as indeed he was of every national and charitable movement inaugurated during his time. He was Mayor of Wexford three times, and at the time of his death, although eighty years of age, was chairman of the Harbor Commissioners, the duties of which position he discharged with great zeal. The late Captain McGuire was a close friend of the Irish leader, Mr. John Redmond. A fine, stalwart, portly gentleman,. Captain McGuire, until almost the-last, enjoyed excellent health, and took the greatest interest in the shipping and commercial life of Wexford. CRIMELESS IRELAND. The Unionists (remarks the Freeman's Journal) have no reason to congratulate themselves upon the result of the debate raised by them in the House of Commons on the administration of justice in Ireland. In the course of the debate practically every case was given up but that of Castledawson, and the Castledawson case disappeared in the maze of self-contra-dictions by the only Unionist witness. What was established in the debate is the wonderful crimelessness of Irelanda state of peace such as exists in no other country in the world. Mr. Muldoon in his able review of the whole question quoted from the addresses of the Judges of Assize on the reports of crime. In Ulster, with the single exception of Belfast, the record was good. In Leinster every county is peaceful; in Munster every county was reported on favorably, and Clare is described as having experienced a distinct change for the better. So also in Connaught, where Gal way alone was not satisfactory, but improving.' Never in the history of the "country, said Mr. Muldoon, had so good a report been produced from the assizes, and there was nothing to deplore but the glaring failure of justice in Belfast. At these assizes Ireland broke her own remarkably clean record for the absence of crime. That fact was important to bring out, and the country owes some measure of gratitude to the Unionists for having established so clearly on the official record that in this year of Home Rule a state of crimelessness exists in this country that no other nation in its whole history could parallel. The Unionists were driven from their general position as a result of Mr. Miildoon's quotations from the judges' tributes to the peace and good order that reign everywhere in Ireland, and they were forced to concentrate on two isolated instances, one of which was given up as soon as it was mentioned. So that up and down through the country the proposed

censure for the failure of justice was confined to one regrettable incident of religious strife in a northern town. ■ ’ r

DUBLIN NATIONALISTS AND HOME RULE. A meeting of the Nationalists of Dublin was held on Friday nignt, March 28, in the Mansion. House for. the purpose of inaugurating this . year's Home \ Rule Fund. The total amount of subscriptions received was over £I3OO, the largest initial subscription ever raised in the city for a similar object. Large as former contributions to the fund were, this year's will prove a record one, judging by the enthusiasm in the , metropolis and throughout the entire country. Most Rev. Dr. Fennelly, Archbishop of Cashel, in the course of \ a letter enclosing ten pounds to Mr. John Redmond, strongly recommended the fund to Nationalists. His Grace said though we have clung to our national rights with a tenacity similar to that with which we have clung to our faith, the enemies of the Irish cause have insultingly proclaimed that the concessions won . by agitation have, sapped our patriotism and set up an indifference to Home Rule. The response to the appeal will attest beyond all doubt the abiding earnestness of the national demand. Right Rev. Dr. McHugh, Bishop of Derry, in the course of a letter enclosing his annual subscription, said the unstinted generosity of Ireland's friends in America and Australasia too, who can hope for no material gain—should rouse the Irish at home to a sense of their duty to their country, and make them feel proud to contribute their mite towards, the realisation of an object that should be dear to every Irishman's heart. * ;;;

THE DIOCESE OF ELPHIN. • In Sligo Cathedral on Sunday, March 30, took place the consecration of Right Rev. Dr. Coyne, successor to the late lamented Bishop of Elphin. His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Archbishop of Tuam, was the consecrating (prelate. The assistant Bishops were Right Rev. Dr. O'Dea, Bishop of Galway, and Right Rev. Dr. Gilmartin, Bishop of Clonfert. The sermon was preached by the Bishop of Raphoe. It was an utterance of great power. His Lordship remarked that after • centuries of turmoil and repression the life of the nation was becoming once more the free breath of its own people. Already they enjoyed more repose than came to Christendom in the days of Constantine, and if through ages of strife they as a people ever strove to hold the friendship of God in their afflictions, the possession now of public tranquillity, at once a reward of and an aid to virtue, might . well in the ways of Providence bring with it the pursuit of everything that gave dignity to human life before God,? of everything that united them to Him and to one another as His chosen peoplea people spiritually favored beyond anything they had seen for more than a thousand years. Under His grace and mercy, the bonds between priests and people, so indispensable to national concord, would never break, while the Irish priest found, as he did, his place by preference among the poor and the toilers, giving them the priceless sympathy of his warm heart. After the ceremony many congratulatory addresses were presented to the new Bishop. Replying to one from the priests of the diocese, his Lordship said that, conscious of his own authority, he felt encouraged and comforted by the thought that no Bishop could have more devoted or loyal priests than those of the diocese of Elphin. Replying to an address from the Catholic members of the Teachers' Association, his Lordship said that their work from every point of view was a most important one. It brought them into close relationship with the work/of the priesthood itself. It was befitting, accordingly, that the priests and teachers should work harmoniously together. In returning thanks for the addresses from public boards, Right Rev. Dr. Coyne said that he always took a deep interest in the very important work with which the members of their public boards were entrusted. x They were nowadays truly representative of the people of -Ireland. Since the Local Government Act came into operation the representatives of the people had shown

themselves worthy of their trust. They had proved to the stranger that they were capable of managing tiieir own affairs, and so had slowly, but surely, prepared the way for a native Parliament. His Lordship, in reply to addresses presented by various societies, including the Ancient Order of Hibernians and the United Irish League, said that he was in thorough sympathy with all their efforts in furthering the interests of the country. After many years of ceaseless striving the Irish people seemed to have at length arrived at the goal of their most cherished ambitions their own Parliament would soon be restored to them.

FATAL FIRE IN LIMERICK. An alarming fire, involving the loss of three lives, occurred in Limerick early on Sunday morning, March 30. The premises atacked were those of Mr. George Clancy, who had a large drapery warehouse in William street, a central district. On Saturday business is done up to 11 o'clock, and about that hour the premises were closed and the proprietor, Mr. George Clancy, and assistants (sleeping in) retired to their sleeping apartments on the third and uppermost floors. Nothing unusual was noticed until towards 1 o'clock, when smoke and flames were seen issuing from the rear portion of the premises,, and when the alarm was given it was found that the fire had made great headway and was virtually in possession of the four-storey building. The Corporation Fire Brigade and the Royal Engineers, with engines, and the police were sent for, and arrived promptly, but a painful sensation was caused when the proprietor, Mr. George Clancy, and his chief assistant, John Higgins, and another were seen in the upper windows appealing for assistance. There was no fire escape available at the moment, but a man named James Ledden availed himself of a ladder and, with the assistance of the police, Sergeant Browne and others, succeeded in rescuing the two. The Corporation Fire Brigade did all they could to confine the fire to the drapery stores, and in this they succeeded, the damage done to the adjoining houses not being serious. The premises were entirely burned out, and after the rescue of Mr. Clancy and his assistant it was ascertained that three persons in the burned establishment had perished : Peter McDonnell (28), an assistant; George Clancy (14), nephew of the proprietor; and Mary Daly, a servant.

THE IRISH NATIONAL TEACHERS. The Irish national school system was at the outset distrusted by Catholics. With good reason, for there are incontestable proofs that Archbishop Whately and his friends designed to make it an instrument of proselytisni. That danger was warded off, and though in many respects the system was sadly defective, it was accepted and worked for years in a harmonious spirit by the teachers, the managers, and the National Board. But for some time past ,(says the Catholic Times) the teachers have been complaining of grievances urgently calling for redress, and the dismissal of Mr. Mansfield led to an agitation which resulted in the appointment of a Commission of Enquiry on National Education. Unfortunately the Commissioners are conducting their proceedings in private. The teachers have been insisting that the enquiry should be held publicly, and as this course was not adopted they decided to refuse to give evidence. A resolution endorsing that attitude was passed unanimously at the annual congress of the National Teachers' Association in Dublin. It is to be regretted that the desire of the teachers for the publication of the evidence day by day has not been satisfied. Friction between the teachers and the National Board must tell aerainst the efficiency of the system, and the Commissioners' report is not likely to remove the friction that exists unless the teachers as well as the board have confidence in their method of carrying out their work.