Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, 14 September 1916, Page 45

Irish News

GENERAL.

Suggestions for the reconstruction of the Gaelic League made at a meeting held in the Gresham Hotel, Dublin, have been referred to a Committee with a view to the drafting of proposals to be laid before the Ard Eeis.

The death occurred in the first week in July of the Very Rev. Canon O’Riordan, P.P,, Y.F., Macroom. The late Canon, who was held in the highest esteem by all classes, was formerly at Cloyne, and was only transferred to Macroom in August last year. He was sixtyfive years of age.

An interesting wedding took place the other day in London. The contracting parties were Sir Walter Nugent, M.P., of Westmeath, and Miss Aileen O’Malley of Mayo. The wedding took place in the old Bavarian Embassy chapel in Warwick street, and was largely a military one, the bride’s two brothers being home from active service for a few days. Sir Walter is chairman of the Freeman’s Journal Company and vice-chairman of the Midland Great Western Railway Company of Ireland, and is a well-known Nationalist.

Feis Tirconnail brought together a great gathering from all parts of Donegal at Stranorlar. Most Rev. Dr. O’Donnell presided at Solemn Requiem Mass in the open, celebrated by Rev. Dr. O’Donnell, President Dunboyne Establishment, Maynooth. The sermon, in Irish, was preached by Rev. J. McCafferty, Adm., Letterkenny. At the subsequent meeting Mgr. McGlynn presided and Most Rev. Dr. O’Donnell gave an address. The Feis ode was delivered by Mr. O’Boyce, N.T., and the Feis oration by Dr. Kerrigan. Mr. A. Darley conducted a grand musical programme.

Mr. Lloyd George in a letter to Mr. Redmond, gives some interesting figures regarding Ireland’s share in munition production. The Ministry of Munitions began business in Dublin in August of last year. Since then forty-five private firms in fourteen Irish cities and towns have received contracts for over a million shells and ammunition boxes. The expenditure on new buildings and machinery totals over .£BOO,OOO. War Office contracts placed in Ireland since the war began amount to about four and a-half million in value. Notwithstanding the recent disturbances in Dublin the first National factory maintained uninterrupted output, thanks to the loyalty of the workers, who ‘ carried on ’ at great risk when all industries around them were obliged to abandon production.

DEATH OF AN EX-M.P.

The death has occurred, in his eightieth year, of Mr. Bernard Charles Molloy, an ex-M.P. for King’s County, who had enjoyed a long and strenuous career in famous public events. In his early thirties he joined the French Army, and served as a captain throughout the Franco-Prussian War, receiving a gold medal. In 1880 he entered Parliament, where he remained for twenty years,- an Irish member who went through all the great scenes which occurred during that period. He always repelled the suggestion that he should put into writing his fascinating recollections of those times, but his account of Parnell and the inner story of the famous split would have created intense interest. Born in King’s County, Mr. Molloy was educated at St. Edmund’s College, Ware. He matriculated at the London University, and was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in 1872. He was a Privy Chamberlain to the late Pius IX., and was a member, in 1885, of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the working of the Education Acts.

THE LAST OF THE BARONS.

The retirement from the Irish Bench of Lord Chief Baron Palles robs the Irish Judiciary of its most illus-

trious figure one of the ablest lawyers of recent times (says the Glasgow Observer). Palles is a Catholic — an old Clongowes boy—and was called to the Irish Bar as far back as 1853. He became a Q.C. in 1865, and Chief Baron in 1874; - The Irish Bar, on his retirement, has passed resolutions couched in flattering terms regarding his personal character and his judicial eminence. Perhaps the most striking tribute to his worth came from the Prime Minister, who wrote: ‘ I received your lordship’s proposal (of resignation) with extreme regret, knowing well the inestimable value of the service which you have rendered in one of the highest posts of the Irish Bench for the best part of half a century. As an old practitioner (at the Bar), I venture to say that the judgments of Palles, C. 8., are held in as high esteem by English and American as by Irish lawyers. I cannot, however, in view of what you report as to the state of your health, ask you to reconsider your decision, but I beg you to accept the assurance of my sympathy and respect.’ Although it is now well-nigh forgotten, Christopher Palles played a prominent part in an Irish election contest which was a portent of bigger things to follow. He was in 1874 selected as Liberal candidate for Derry City on, the confident assumption that being a Catholic the Catholics of Derry would support him against the Protestant Tory nominee. A ‘ Nationalist ’ candidate, however, appeared—a new apparition at that time in Irish politics—in the person of Joe Biggar, who polled only a handful of votes, but whose candidature prevented the return of Palles and proved to all concerned that in Irish elections Nationalists were no longer going to be content with being the pawns or puppets of either Whig or Tory. Irish Nationalism has gone a long way since then. That was one of its beginnings, and if Christopher Palles should live to see an Irish Parliament in Dublin —as we all hope he will—he will no doubt look back indulgently on the political reverse which denied him a Parliamentary career, but which virtually began a movement destined to win back the home legislature for his native land.

CAUSES OF IRELAND’S DISTRESS.

Writing in a recent issue of the Daily News , Mjt. J. C. Paget says: ‘The dreadful slums in Dublin are the direct result of the. suppression of Ireland’s National Parliament in 1800. Dublin, for some time before “Grattan’s Parliament” — i.e., before 1782—had been steadily improving; the Viceroys were proud of the capital, and schemes of improvement were frequent. Grattan seemed to have opened up a new era, and Dublin became the seat, not only of an- eloquent Parliament, but of a brilliant society. It was noticed by travellers that artists were accorded a better position there than in London. . . . Efforts were made to benefit the poor. Shortly before the Union, a Bill was introduced to widen the streets, and this was only one of the many improvements. Grattan’s policy had been the means of uniting all classes, when utilising the panic caused by the events of 1798“ the Union,’’ involving the destruction of the Irish Parliament, was forced upon Ireland. The effect upon the city was immediate and lamentable ; the classes vanished ; the residences of the peers were deserted, and are* now tenement houses. Society, which had patronised the arts, fled to England, and Dublin decayed. Of late years, some attempt has been made, and not unsuccessfully, to recover the lost ground but no general advance will be possible until the condition of the city, and especially of the poor, is once more entrusted to the Irish Parliament.’

DEGRADING TRAITORS.

When Sir Roger Casement entered on the career which ended in his condemnation to death as a traitor he must have foreseen the peril of being brought to-the scaffold (says the Catholic Times). What else he -foresaw need not concern us. Nor are we concerned with the fact that his Majesty the King has degraded him from his honors. That was to be expected, once

the Court declared him guilty of treason to his sovereign. -Nor will any Englishman, or any Irishman either, complain that his Majesty has deprived the condemned man of his title. Only, we must all of us wonder why some other traitors have not been deprived of their dignities. The Dukes of Cumberland and of Albany are greater traitors than Casement they are actually doing what he only tried to do. The}’- are fighting for Germany, in the German Army, against our King, who is the fount from which their honors flow. Yet they are not degraded from their dignities. The House of Lords does not protest. Mr. Asquith does not move. The King takes no step. Here are two traitors, as bad traitors as can be, and they continue to be peers of this realm of England. We do not complain of the deprivation that has just been announced. We hope it will at once lead to the degradation of the two ducal traitors, Cumberland and Albany, now in arms against the country to which they owe so much, almost all that they are.