THE HOME-COMING OF THE GAEL.

New Zealand Tablet, 6 November 1913, Page 57

THE HOME-COMING OF THE GAEL.

To the Editor, New Zealand Tablet.' Sir, —Knowing that you take a keen interest in all matters pertaining to Irishmen and Ireland, and recognising that your paper is admirably fulfilling the mission for which it has been established, I crave a little of your space to bring before your readers a matter which will soon be occupying the public mind. There are two great events going to happen in the near future which will be of world-wide interest. I refer to the opening of the Panama Canal and the granting of Home Rule to 'lreland. . Although the Panama achievement is a colossal piece of work, still I have no doubt that the Home Rule question will occupy a foremost place in the minds of your readers, and I therefore ask space to throw out a suggestion to those who are scattered, over the length and breadth of Australia. I have been expecting that this suggestion might come from j some other quarter, but I have not seen it as yet. I have no doubt that there is a large number in this continent of ours who are just now making up their minds as to how and when they might be enabled to pay a visit to Ireland during Home Rule year. To many who would wish to do it the time may be of great importance, to others the means wherewith to do it may be of great importance too, whilst to others the means and the time may be of little trouble, having plenty of both at their command. . , " "■■'■ There is a splendid organisation, established some few years ago, called the Irish Home-Coming Association. It has branches -established in nearly all the large cities in the United States of America, and I believe several branches in Ireland, and under its auspices thousands of persons visit Ireland annually. It organises large excursions, arranging with steamship companies for concessions in fares and other advantages, and confers privileges on persons making the trip under its auspices-privileges which would be impossible to persons- travelling as isolated individuals. Now, Mr. Editor, is it not possible that we in Australia might be able to do something, if not in the direction of establishing a permanent organisation, to arrange a trip with some of the steamship lines trading to Australia, with whom, if there were sufficient numbers offering to go, an arrangement might be made for concessions in fares, etc. If the idea is acceptable to you, I hope you will receive suggestions from your readers; —to use a hackneyed phrase —some abler pen than mine might take the matter up. I shall be pleased to exchange views with any of your readers on this matter.— am, etc., ; , 7' "* Francis Mac Donnell. .■. Dublin Chambers, Queen street, Brisbane. -