Kilkenny Exile Honored

New Zealand Tablet, Volume LII, Issue 39, 28 October 1925, Page 19

Kilkenny Exile Honored

CHEVALIER PATRICK J, HALTIGAN GETS FREEDOM OF HIS NATIVE

On Friday evening (says the Kilkenny Feople for August 29) Chevalier Patrick u J.; Haltigan, K.S.S., Reader of the House ;, of Representatives, Washington, was pre- ;■--, sented with the Freedom of his native City 'of Kilkenny. ' Chevalier Haltigan, having formally signed the Honorary. Roll of Freemen amidst ap- .. plause, said: This is a very trying moment -on me, dear friends, and one of the happiest || in all my life (applause). Paraphrasing the lines of the great Kilkenny poet who some ;■ of us knew during his lifetime, the late John : Locke of splendid memory in the Fenian : times, I may say: "This one short hour pays lavishly back For many a year of roaming, ;'£■'■• I'd almost venture another flight There's so much joy in returning 1 , ~ Old friends, old scenes, the old home again, ?'..:' The field, and the cot I was born in, / And, sweeter than all, over Erin's fair hills * Shines the sunlight of Liberty's dawning." Honorable Mayor and gentlemen of the Corporation, and you, my worthy friend, Mr. O'Connell, you are. indefatigable in your patriotic work, and, my dear friends, this surely to me is a, great honor when I think that I am to-night receiving the highest gift in the official life of the City Fathers of my native city. When some years ago I left here, an humble boy, to seek my for- " tune in the Great Republic beyond the sea, and now come back and get this great honor, I assure you, dear friends and dear relatives, that I shall appreciate it all the days of my life. It shall receive an honored place in a golden frame in my humble home far across the sea, and I shall point to it with pride, gratification, and appreciation to my five boys and to my five girls and tell them that it is the gift of my old fellow-citizens of . Kilkenny as a token of their love, their esteem and their admiration (applause). Surely it is a great honor, and next to that which has come to me, dear friends, from the Vicar of Christ Himself, the Sovereign Pontiff, I shall appreciate it most tenderly as long as I live (applause). I am sure, dear friends, that you would like to hear something from me as to how I find- dear Ireland after my long period of absence far across the sea. I am here • to-night to boost my native land and not to find fault; to encourage her brave people, and not to discourage them to commend her for all that has been accomplished in so short a time under her own Government, her own laws, and her own flag. I have been nearly forty years away; I have observed carefully since I returned, and -'I have seen much that is commendable in : hex progress and very little indeed that could SVSjQ justly criticised. Please God, there, is ;.f\ a Wight future in- store for this beauteous land, one of the fairest in all the world. All that. is needed, in my opinion, to make Ire- - land gloriously prosperous and happy is unity

and co-operation among her people at home. JA country is what her people make.it, and, here is the opportunity for Ireland's sturdy; : sons and fair daughters. This is a dream--:, land, of scenic beauty, yes, a wonderland of* sunshine and flowers; of surpassing historic-"' interest; of marvellous natural resources. In/, the rushing Waters of her many rivers re*./ are millions of horse-power of electric energy,.only vaiting to be harnessed to turn"" every '• wheel oi industry in the land, and light ivory town and city at a minimv.ia cot.' On all the seaboards of her coasts, norib, south, east, and west,, are waters teeming with fish, second to none in the world in food value and in great abundance, placed there by God for man's use and benefit; the roads of Ireland are excellent, and they compare most favourably with those of any other country; her people are God-fearing, law-abiding, temperate.,.and generous, with a Faith in Christ that is most edifying and sincere; she has a magnificent Hierarchy, priesthood and religious Orders; she is training her young in the Gaelic tongue, thereby making.her oncoming people bilingual in one of her counties in the Southland lies the most . beautiful spot in the whole of creation; her National Army and Civic Guard v are organizations most admirable in their personnel and deportment in the na r tional games and manly sports • Ireland's young men are among the best in the world ; thousands of her sons and daughters have risen to distinction . and power in countries beyond the sea, and they are now interested in Ireland's welfare and most willling "to aid in her success; she has the good will of every liberty-loving people, and especially so of the people of the United States; thousands of Ireland's scattered children .will come back to visit the motherland in the years ensuing, and I hope she will soon begin to receive and entertain them. . ; O r A country with these splendid attributes not to succeed? Perish such a thought, and confusion to him who would express it. "For she is a rich and rare land, She is a fresh and a fair land— This native land of mine;" ' '■'- " : To the young people of Kilkenny and of • Ireland I would say "Stay at home." All is not gold that glitters far away. If the foreigner can come to Ireland and succeed, why not for her own people? It is different now abroad from what it-was some years • ago, and it is different also in Ireland,. but for the better; Success abroad is now very hard to attain, because this is. an age of education and technical training not attainable by most young . men;, success . at, home will be much easier in the future. . : I hope, please God, to come again in the ,•, near future, and it will be my pleasure to do all that is .in my - power; to ; encourage • others -in America to ; do likewise. ,_ If. I did . not . have heavy family responsibilities 1 would be strongly temptedT'TKr stay" for* fir-

much longer' time, for the summer in Inland is aurely fascinating aid .attractive;. It is; an- ideal summer country, and will yet be the "vacation playground of thousands of the irace from’ far-away countries, where heat and other inconveniences are not congenial. My toast to my native land, now •; in the ..enjoyment of her freedom, is this V , God prosper dear old Ireland, may she ever •••■ ■ - •'•succeed •• - ■; In‘the glory of Liberty’s morning; ■ May her children unite in the full strength of their might. . .Division and strife ever scorning May the Cross and the Flag lead her on» ward and up , To the heights of achievement and glory Their influence unite for justice and right, And proclaim to Mankind her great story Of valor and . love, of victory and peace In bonds which nothing can sever May her future loom bright in prosperity’s fight And her brave people be happy for ever. My dear friends, this is my heartfelt wish for Ireland, for you of my native City of the Confederation, glorious “in a thousand years of Ireland’s unconquerable spirit, and ever true to the noblest aspirations for Ireland s freedom and independence. Thank jou, ten thousand times, Mr. Mayor and gentlemen, for this great honor conferred upon me to-night. - May I prove worthy of your esteem, your admiration and your love. God bless you for ever. , With gratitude and affection I will return to my far-away homo in the glorious American Republic, but ever mindful of your.;generosity; your, kindness and your splendid tribute to ah humble "son of this grand old historic city by the Nore. Chevalier Haltigan paid his respects to the Most Rev. : Abraham Brownrigg, Lord Bishop of Ossory, at Drakelands, on Monday last. He - was • most graciously received by his Lordship, and presented with a hand-somely-bound set of the History of the Diocese of Ossory .in, 4 volumes, in appreciation of his work for the Church in America. Chevalier Haltigan, during his stay in Kilkenny, visited his old home at Loughboy, and the scenes of his boyhood. At the band loom, Kells Road, the Chevalier had a very happy “At 'Home” with the “old boys”' of St. Patrick’s Band, and he was presented : !!$? sie$ ie freedom of the “Village” when the company accorded him a kindly Irish reception. The - Chevalier ' left Kilkenny ,on Tuesday evening for the States, and was seen off by all his old friends, who wished him a God speed. -