Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 6 November 1913, Page 39

Irish News

-' ' ■■*■-■ '■■ ■■" • GENERAL. Most Rev. Dr. Hoare has appointed Very Rev* Canon Langan, D.D., P.P., Banagher, to the pastoral charge of Moate, in succession to the late Very Rev. Canon Kearney. At the autumn show of the National Rose. Society in the Royal Horticultural Hall, a notable feature of the list of awards has been the large number of successes attained by Irish exhibitors. The Department of Agriculture's third crop report (dated September 1) states that since the publication of Crop Report No. 2 at July 11, the same bright, dry summer-like conditions have been experienced almost uninterruptedly throughout the concluding portion of July and practically the whole of August. The results of the long-continued drought and heat have on the whole been beneficial. /• * :■ ' The death took place on September 11 of Professor John Campbell, M.D., F.R.C.P.1., aged 78 years. The deceased gentleman was for many years Professor of Chemistry in the Royal University of Ireland, and was examiner in that subject under the Intermediate Board. He was a man of high attainments and great force of character, and his death will be much regretted by many students of the old Royal. The American Ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary to Denmark, Mr. Maurice Francis Egan, has been in Ireland, studying the agricultural system under the Department with the Right Hon. T. W. Russell and Mr. Gill, and the co-operative movement organised by Sir Horace Plunkett. The Ambassador and Mrs. Egan have also given much attention to Irish art, going through' the marvellous collections in the National Museum with Count Plunkett, and examining some of the fine old houses of 18th century Dublin. J An immense gathering of the Nationalists of Dungarvan and district accorded Mr. Joseph Devlin, M.P., a splendid welcome recently in Dungarvan. The occasion was a public meeting organised in connection with the Home Rule campaign. It was a most inspiring success. In numbers and enthusiasm it equalled the most fervid meetings of the old days, and the proceedings were eloquent of the determination of the people . of the old borough and its neighborhood to maintain their honored place in the movement until the victory, already assured, is an accomplished fact. His Grace the Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Archbishop of Tuam, assisted by the Right Rev. Dr. Higgins, Auxiliary Bishop, recently dedicated St. Colman's new Church, Inishbofin. Never in the history of that little island off the coast of Galway was there such an impressive spectacle, aifd boats of all kinds, neatly decorated with bunting, plied all day between the island and the mainland. Father J. Coyne, Adm., of Inishbofin and Inishark, was warmly congratulated by the Archbishop on the happy fruition of his labors to provide a suitable church for the islanders. The new hall which has just been erected at Philipstown, near Ardee, under the auspices of the local branch of the Temperance Association, was declared open on Sunday, September 14, at a public meeting, at which the chair was occupied by Rev. Father Branagan. Other speakers, including Dr. Bradley, Drogheda; Mr. W. A. Doran, J.P., Ardee; and Mr. J. T. Dolan, M.A., Ardee, also followed, and congratulated the people of the neighborhood on the magnificent hall they had established, and also urged the support of Irish manufactured goods, and expressed the hope that the temperance movement would spread still further in the district. Most Rev. Dr. Brownrigg, in a Pastoral Letter, asks farmers in Ossory diocese to give no intoxicating drink to those assisting at harvest work; and Very Rev. M. Kavanagh, P.P., V.G., president, and Rev. W. Fortune, P.P., hon. secretary, Ferns Diocese Temperance Society, state that both farmers and laborers have,

in almost all parishes, "sighed pledges not to give or take intoxicating drink during threshing or hayrick making, and not to assist where alcoholic drink issupplied. j.; ' MR. DILLON'S VIEW. Mr. Jo"En Dillon, M.P., was interviewed by a press representative on the subject of Lord Loreburn's proposal, and made a very important statement. He quoted the extract from Mr. Redmond's Glasgow speech with reference to compromise, and went on to fay: ' I most heartily endorse and accept this statement of Mr. Redmond's, but I confess I cannot see that any useful purpose could be served by a conference to which the responsible leaders of the Ulster Unionists were not a party, and which was not based on the admission of the principle of Irish Home Rule. Given those two conditions, which to me seem essential, I should be heartily in favor of a conference. But until we have some indication from the responsible leaders of Unionism in Ireland that they are willing to enter into a practical conference of this character, it' seems to me that proposals for conferences coming from Irish Nationalists or from friends of Home Rule are quite futile and mischievous and are only calculated to encourage the Ulster leaders to believe that their, bluff and threats are intimidating the Government and the National Party.' - THE INTERMEDIATE EXAMINATIONS. The anxiously-awaited results lists of the 1913 examinations under the Intermediate Education Board for Ireland have now been published, and, notwithstanding the vagaries of 'the system' and the consequent uncertainty as to the fate of even the most brilliant students, the Catholic educational institutions of Ireland have again secured a fine record of successes in all grades. The pupils of the Christian Brothers' Schools throughout the country have repeated theirremarkable catalogue of premier achievements in the' number of exhibitions and prizes allotted to them this: year. The Christian Schools, Cork, top the list of successes for all Ireland with a total of 47 distinctions made up of 22 exhibitions, 18 book prizes, 2 medals', and 5 composition prizes—a highly creditable perform--ance. The O'Connell Schools, with Richmond street,. Dublin, are runners-up with 38 distinctions, thus giving the Order of Christian Brothers the first and' second places in the roll of honor for all Ireland ' Amongst the Catholic colleges, the famous Jesuit, establishment at Clohgowes Wood (County Kildare)) occupies first place with 30 distinctions, with Rockwell! and Blackrock Colleges next in order. The convent schools have done brilliantly this; year, although the disturbing influences of the Board's: schemes were calculated to effect a serious diminution' in the number of successes gained. The position of supremacy amongst the girls' schools of Ireland has: been maintained by Loreto Convent, St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, with 31 awards—lo exhibitions, 4 book prizes, 8 medals, and 9 composition prizes. Victoria. College, Belfast-(Protestant) came second on the list with the Dominican College, Eccles street, Dublin occupying third place. A brief analysis of the results reveals some significant anomalies. The amount of prize-money distributed this year falls short of the sum similarly disposed of last year by £356. The exhibition expenditure is £95 less than last year's, and no less than £365 short of the similar expenditure in 1911. It must be remembered that the number of students presenting themselves for examination steadily grows with each successive year, but the discouraging feature is that the attraction in the shape of awards decreases almost in the same ratio! There appears to have been > every justification for the numerous complaints from all parts .of ■ Ireland of the excessive severity of the standard set up in some of the papers ; Under the handicaps which beset the arduous labors of the Irish teachers of all grades it is a matter for : hearty congratulation that so many of them were able to secure the splendid results recorded in this year's lists. J

~ ~ SUPPOSED HIDDEN TREASURE. Professor Edward Spencer Dodgson, M.A., of Jesus College, Oxford, reports a discovery of great archaeological interest which he has just made at Killult, Falcarragh, West Donegal. His discovery takes tne lorni 01 a peeuiiariy-suapcvi stone, which apparently has lain unnoticed for several hundred years, and one face of which is covered with Oghamlike characters. Closer, examination of the inscription subsequently made has had, it is stated, a surprising result. There are indications suggesting that the stone provides a clue to the whereabouts of an extensive treasure belonging to an ancient Irish chieftain, believed to be hidden in the immediate neighborhood. Only a fractional part of the inscription has as yet been interpreted, and no further light on the message can be had pending the arrival of Oghsm scholars. BELFAST BIGOTRY. In the John White Memorial Church, Tennent street, Belfast, on Sunday night, September 14, a sermon was preached by he Rev. W. J. Calvin, Congregational minister, on ' Protestantism or Uarsonism.' The congregation included Mr. Handel Booth, M.P., and Mr. H. Morrison, M.P. The preacher at the outset said he wished to specially refer to a matter which had recently occurred in connection with that church. Those present knew something of a movement tnat had been on foot during his absence on holidays, and they knew the object of that movement. The object was to starve him out of that neighborhood; and he wished to say, with all emphasis, yet with all deliberation, that he was not going to be starved out. Furthermore, all the tyranny that could be devised and all the boycotting that could be organised, and all the, threatening letters that he had received or might receive, would not alter his convictions one iota, nor prevent him, when the occasion demanded, from expressing them in the clearest manner. In the interests of truth and justice he was prepared to take steps that in that city there would be liberty. If such conduct continued he would be forced to visit every centre in England and Scotland'.and submit his case to the Protestants there who were with him in his stand for religious liberty heart and soul. But he believed he still had the support of many right-thinking men in Belfast. - UNITED IN PRAYER. Remarkable scenes of devotion marked the special Triduum which took place during the three days synchronising with the sojourn of the Irish pilgrims at Lourdes. The faithful in every diocese of Ireland united in prayer with their co-religionists at the famous French shrine during the days of grace, and a great wave of devotion to our Blessed Lady was spread over the land — a country which has always been remarkable for the intensity of its love for the Mother of God. Special accounts' concerning the Irish pilgrims in Lourdes were published in the leading Irish newspapers, and the record of the cures which had been authenticated by the evidence of eye-witnesses lent an added stimulus to the devotion and faith of the Catholics of Ireland in the intercessory ... power of our Lady of Lourdes.