THE IRISH IN ARGENTINA

New Zealand Tablet, 12 August 1915, Page 13

THE IRISH IN ARGENTINA

The Irish are so übiquitous that every one takes for granted their presence in the Argentine Republic. Few, however, seem to know to what high distinction in every department of our national life, though not numerous, they' have made their way. The history of this country before and after its independence furnishes excellent proof of that gift'of assimilation with Che natives among whom their lot is cast that has been the traditional genius of the sons of St. Patrick (says William J. Furlong, of Buenos Aires, in America). The first Irishman who came to this country was Father Thomas O'Fihly, S.J., a native of Limerick, better known under the Anglicised form of Fields. He arrived in Argentina in 1586, and with the aid of Father Ortega, a Spaniard, started the first of the Paraguay Reductions. According to Father Charlevoix, the number of the Indian converts made by these two Fathers reached 200,000. The Irish Jesuit lived to the ripe old age of seventy-seven, having been in the mission field for over thirty years. Another Irish missionary, Father Mahony, also labored in this country during the first half of the eighteenth century. The period of independence found A Small but Strenuous Colony of Irish residents in Buenos Aires. Among them was one of the greatest warriors our history registers, William Brown, whose exploits may be ranked like those of Nelson, ' above Greek, above all Roman fame.' Born at Foxford, County Mayo, in 1777, he came to this country in 1810, and by his naval campaigns against Spain (1814-16) and against Brazil (1826-28) made his name a household word with all Argentinians. Among his companions in arms were enrolled many of his own race. Peter Sheridan, of Cavan, who arrived early in the eighteenth century, and Thomas Armstrong, of King's County, were among the founders of Argentina's wool industry. It is to them and to other Irishmen that Mr. Cooper, the British Consul at Buenos Aires, referred to when he said, in an official report, that ' the progress of Buenos Aires is mainly due to the industrious Irish sheep farmers.' Dr. Hugh Sheridan, Peter Sheridan's brother, served under Admiral Brown. His son, who died here in 1861, was a famous painter of South American landscapes. A friend of his, Bernard Kierman, a native of Deny, discovered a comet in the Magellan clouds, on March 13, 1830. . A remarkable group of immigrants came from Ireland during and after the famine years, among them the Rev. Anthony D. Fahy, who was born at Loughrea, County Gal way. ,No Hiberno- Argentinian will ever forget the apostolic zeal and paternal solicitude 'of this great Dominican priest. His memory holds a hallowed place in every heart, while those who knew him personally speak of him after many years with emotion. To him is due in large measure the

present prosperous condition of his countrymen. 'Take care _ first of all of your souls,' he would say to the immigrant, 'then learn the ways -and language of the country, and save your money to buy land, for this is going to be one of the greatest-nations of the world.' Many who followed his advice now own large tracts of. pasture land in the best parts of the country, such as Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, and Cordoba. I have never travelled in the Argentine rural provinces without hearing of rich estancieros with Celtic names. Some of their ancestors came to this country in the coffin ships during the famine years, but already they have acquired much of the richest -pasture land, and rank high in the progressive movement of the country. The Duggan Banking Company some years ago was said to be the fifth wealthiest banking company in the world. The Irish have been conspicuous in. other fields. Michael G. Mulhall, who in his day was acknowledged to be the greatest living statistician, started (he Daily Standard of Buenos Aires, which is still the most influential English paper on the Southern Continent. William Bulfin also attained prominence as a writer of short stories, and became a .member of the staff of the Southern ('raff, a weekly review founded in 1874. Since 1905 another weekly, the ll iberno-A ri/rnt'nn' Jicvicir, has been published. In the .military world Geucral Donovan is considered one of the ablest commanders of the modern Argentine army: Vice-Admiral O'Connor, by his tactful and diplomatic management of the Argentine fleet in Paraguayan waters, earned for himself a mest enthusiastic ovation from his countrymen, and Dr. Santiago O'Farrell is distinguished among manv who have risen to an honorable place in the walks of political, commercial, professional, and social life. » The Interests of Religion among the Irish have not been neglected. They were first looked after by Father Burke, a Dominican, who is mentioned, in 1820, as 'over seventy years of age, and much esteemed by the British as well as by the natives.' During the second half of the past century, as the Hiberno-Argentine flock was greatly increasing, many priests were brough,t from Ireland to take care of the Irish colonics. Among them were the Irish Passionists, who erected two monasteries Monsignor O'Reilly, who has been working in this country for over forty-eight years: and the Rev. John Sheehy, who has been in charge of the Irish colony at Rosario since 1887. Other names are equally beloved, and suggest a clue to the material and spiritual prosperity of the Irish in this country. To these men must be given the credit for keeping the Irish here intensely Catholic, intensely attached to 'the old sod,' and, at the same time, intensely loyal and devoted to the land of their adoption. Hi proof of this it suffices to state that they have Irish academies and colleges for the education of their children, Irish homes for their orphans, and their own Irish papers and their own Irish churches.