Here and There

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 13, 8 April 1925, Page 45

Here and There

y Death of a Notable Catholic Journalist. — Catholic journalism in Rome has suffered a • loss by the death of Commander Joseph . Angelini, who served the Osservatorc Romano for thirty years, first as editor and latterly as director. , Commander Angelini was director in chief of the Osservatore until 1920, when his failing health obliged him to resign, and Count della Torre succeeded him as director. From that time Commander Angelini preserved the strictest journalistic silence, breaking it only recently when he wrote a letter to the Italian papers in which he congratulated the Government on having realised those aspirations of the Catholics, for which they themselves had struggled in vain for years.

Pope's Portrait at Oxford. —The Bodleian Library at Oxford has now a portrait of Pope Pius XI hanging on its walls. This is a. gift of the distinguished Anglo-Hungarian artist, Mr. Philip de Lazlo, to whom the Pope gave a number of sittings last year. The portrait, which is said to be an excellent likeness, represents the Pope in his house cassock. The Bodleian is particularly interested in the present Pope, whom it may claim as its most exalted student, whether of the past or the present; for his Holiness made a prolonged stay in Oxford whilst carrying out historical researches at the Bodleian. Curiously enough, another Phis visited the Bodleian, though not as a stills dent. This was Pius 11, who, as Cardinal 1 visited the university in the XV century whilst making an extended tour of England'and Scotland. » » ■ An Irish Composer. —Mr. Hamilton Harty, one of the foremost of Irish composers, has secured a triumph both in Belfast and in Dublin with his "Irislj. Symphony," played Jot the first time the other week. "No other native music," says one of the critics, "is quite so masterly or so full of local color .':'-. . it will certainly make his name known the world over." « * « The Stowe Missal—The "Stowe Missal," or the Lorrha Missal, was written in the Monastery of Tallaght about A.D. 800, said ' Prof. T. P. O'Rahilly, M.A., in an address on the Missal to the Royal Irish Academy, Dublin. From Tallaght it appeared to have been taken to the Monastery of Terryglass, ; on Lough Derg, by its writer, who might well have been Maeldithruib, "the anchorite of Terryglass," who had spent some time in Tallaght. After the absorption of Terry- :, glass in Lorrha the Missal passed into the custody of the latter monastery. -'."When the Lorrha Monastery was dissolved in the 16th {century the Missal was hidden in the wall J of a > neighboring castle, where it came into JSJ the possession of a Mr. Dalton, of Grenan- ;: stown, in Nenagh, and later on a member of the Grace family acquired it and present- « ed it to the Marquis of • Buckingham, in I whose library at Stowe House it remained .* for about ; half a century. .

Manuscript of “Kathleen Mavourneen.” — The original manuscript of “Kathleen Mavourneen,” composed nearly a hundred years ago, has been presented to John McCormack by Judge John J. Patterson, of Philadelphia. The presentation followed a concert at which McCormack sang the song. .Judge Patterson, who was present, had the manuscript of the song with him intending to show it to the famous singer. When the two met, however, the Judge said “Mr. McCormack, I have the manuscript of the song you just sang. I had intended only to show it to you, but after hearing you sing it, I understand that it can never mean as much to me as it does to you. I am going to make you a present of it. McCormack and Judge Patterson are both enthusiastic collectors of manuscripts. Only a short time ago the singer outbid the Judge for the manuscript of Eugene Field’s “Little Boy Blue,” and there have been other manifestations of friendly rivalry between them.

Passing of Dr. George Sigerson. —By the death of Dr. George Sigerson Ireland has lost ' one of her most distinguished sons, (says the Irish Catholic). By three generations of his countrymen he was known and respected, and his scientific and literary attainments had acquired for him a European reputation. His numerous books on the land problem and kindred matters revealed an uncommon grasp of Irish history, but it was as a poet— and especially as a translator of Gaelic poetry that he attained his highest distinction . His “Bards of the Gael and Gall” displays the vast resources of his learning and his intellectual gifts, while his sympathy and understanding were enlivened by his literary style, which was one of rare delicacy and charm. He as one of the deputation which presented a sword to Marshal McMahon on behalf of the Irish race. Dr. Sigerson, who was born at Strabane nearly ninety years ago, was of Norse descent. When the Royal University of Ireland was founded he took his place in it, and later under his aegis the National Literary Society was established in Dublin. Some seven or eight years ago the members of the society marked their appreciation of their President’s services by presenting him with a portrait of himself by Sir John Lavery , the eminent Irish artist. Dr Sigerson was Professor of Biology, University College, Dublin, a Senator . of the N.U.1., and was a member. of ■ the first Free State Senate, and was the first to preside over , its deliberations. He resigned in February, 1923, because of the threats to burn his house, but later withdrew his resignation. In a ripe old age a great scholar and patriot has departed, but he has left behind him a fame that will endure.

Tell us when and where you propose to remove your furniture and competent men with roomy vans will shift it with no inconvenience.—The New Zealand Express Co.