IRISH NEWS

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 25, 28 June 1923, Page 43

IRISH NEWS

VOICES OF DESPAIR. The authorities have issued a series of disjatches captured recently from the Republicans. These documents reveal : a state of extreme pessimism, disagreement, and confusion among Mr. de Valera’s followers local militarist describing his “division” as “flattened out,” another stating that the National soldiers will eventually cripple their opponents, and a third recommendingpresumably as a counsel of despairthe destruction of factories as a means of intimidating the hostile working classes. These letters also show’ that Mr. Barry, the noted Cork Republican, has been working within his party in the interest of peace, and that a proposal to abandon armed resistance to the State was recently rejected at a council of militant extremist leaders by a single vote. The general collapse of the Republican organisation is proved, moreover, by a note from Miss MacSwiney to Mr de Valera, in which she angrily complains that the pressmen seem to know more about the situation than she does herself!

LORD KILLANIN’S HOME DESTROYED: SPIDD \L HOUSE BURNED BY INCENDIARIES. Spiddal House, the property of Lord Killanin, was burned down by armed incendiaries on Wednesday night (says the Catholic Herald for May 5). Neither the military nor police have full details of the burning, but it is learned that the work was done very completely. The incendiaries, who approached from the Connemara direction, gave the caretaker and servants, who were in charge notice to clear out, and, then set the house on fire by the usual method. ... ? rd , Klllamn has keen associated intimately with the life of the West for many years. He was a well-known and popular member of the Galway County Council and of many of the local public boards. He lived almost continuously in Spiddal until rather more than a year ami when his chauffeur’s house was raided for arms. Hereafter Lord Killanin left for London, where ho lias lived ever since. His beautiful grounds have always been freely thrown open to the public. There are no troops or Civic Guards at Spiddal.

IRREGULARS’ HOPELESS CAMPAIGN: BROKEN UP INTO PREDATORY BANDS. The Minister for Home Affairs, -Mr. Kevin o'Higo-i ns in reviewing affairs and the recent military operations' points out that the nearer the revolt came to an end the more hopeless it became as a military proposition for the Irregulars, and the greater the crime in its continuance, because the damage that was committed was committed in a wanton, irresponsible spirit. Practically from the start there was very little of the military proposition about the Irregular campaign. The thing was simply one vast crime against the country. Questioned as to whether there were any three or four , men in a position to sign or speak for the whole bodv of 1 the Irregular Mr. O’Higgins replied it was a question ! whether there were any two or three or four men to speak or the Irregulars who were now broken up into predatory bands. It was questionable from the start to what extent ' they had been organised at all in the real sense of the i word. It was more questionable now, and there was a ( certain amount of dislocation on account of the arrests 3 Mr. O’Higgins added that if prisoners keep coming in as 1 they were, at the rate of 200 a week, ‘ it would'not take ] long to clear , up the situation. i •, V, [ % IRELAND’S TRADE: SOME INTERESTING iJI STATISTICS. 'q A return of the export and import trade of Ireland during the year 1921 has just been issued by the Statistical J Branch of the Department of Agriculture and Technical 1 Instruction. It shows that goods were exported to the, $ value of £129,621,000, and imported to the value 1 of £118,971,000, making a /total trade of £248, 592, -Jj

000. The trade in the previous year, 1920, amounted to 406 millions, but while there was a great decrease owing to the disturbance to trade— by the Anglo-Irish hostilities during the first half of 1921—the “balance of trade” was in Ireland’s favor to the amount of 10£ millions in the latter , year. > In regard to cross-Channel trade, 97.9 per cent, of our exports went to Great Britain, and 77.9 per cent, of the imports came from there. A very considerable trade was done in agricultural produce. Fat cattle exported was valued at. 13-£ million pounds, stoics at nearly 85 millions 5 milch cows over 1 million; sheep at about 1’ millions; butter over 6£ millions; eggs -at 92 millions; bacon at 72 millions; poultry If millions. In view of the announcement that three large firms of tobacco manufacturers in England are to open factories in the Free State, it is interesting to note that in the year 1921 manufactured tobacco, weighing 3400 tons,- value £2,207,286, was imported, together with an almost equal quantity of unmanufactured .tobacco, ■ value £450,439. Against this we exported 2870 tons of manufactured tobacco, value £1,611,94/, and about 500 tons unmanufactured, value £136,639.

COADJUTOR-BISHOP OF ELPHIN: CANON DOORLEY APPOINTED. A message from Rome announces that the Very- Rev. Edward Canon Doorley, P.P., Cliffoney, Sligo, has been appointed Coadjutor-Bishop of Elphin. The Very Rev. Canon Doorley was born about 53 years ago in the historic parish of Oran, which is in the neighborhood of the town of Roscommon. His father, who was an extensive and well-to-do farmer, was a member of an old and highlyrespected family in that county. In his early days hediad the advantage of a sound religious and primary education from the Franciscan Brothers at Farragher, near his paternal home. His preliminary studies for the priesthood were Pursued in the Diocesan College of Elphin at Summerhill, Co. Sligo. His subsequent course in Maynooth College was a brilliant one. He was ordained in 1895. After performing missionary work with great priestly zeal in some parishes of his native diocese, the Most Rev. Dr. Clancy, the then Bishop of Elphin, appointed him to the Administratorship of the important parish of Sligo. It was during his tenure of this office that he was elevated to membership of the Diocesan Chapter. He was still the Administrator of Sligo when the present Bishop, Most Rev. Dr. Coyne, succeeded to the exalted station/ which lie has filled with the dignity and success which were the features of its occupancy by his distinguished predecessors. From Sligo Canon Doorley was changed to the pastoral charge of Cliffoney, and throughout his career as a priest he won, as he deserved, the esteem and affection of those amongst whom his spiritual labors were exercised. Hie Coadjutor-Bishop is not only a supporter of the Gaelic League, but is a fluent speaker of his native tongue, and by the Catholics of this extensive western diocese, as well as by the priests, his promotion will be warmly welcomed. It is an interesting fact worth mentioning that not only the present saintly Bishop of Elphin, but the Most Rev. Dr. Gillooley, another of the great ecclesiastics who ruled over the religious destinies of this historic See, were also born in the immediate vicinity of the town of Roscommon.

St. Vincent de Paul Society, Masterton At the Cabaret last night (says the Wairarapa Hath/ Times for June 14) a most successful and enjoyable dance was conducted by the ladies’ committee of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. The society has chosen this very popular form of entertainment in order to raise funds with-which to help the needy. There were about 80 couples present. During the evening the Rev. Father Devlin took the opportunity of re welling Mrs. and Mr. T. Fox, "who intend taking up their residence in Hastings, and presented Mrs Fox with a gold bangle on behalf of the ,ladies’ committee' Mr-” Fox responded on behalf of his wife. Alight supper was provided by the ladies, 'and Messrs. McMillan and Bradbury acted as M.C.’s. That the music supplied by Mr Henry was appreciated was shown by the applause accorded the pianist after every dance. Extras were played by Miss Henry.