“THE ENGLISH IN IRELAND.”

Kumara Times, Issue 2086, 8 May 1883, Page 2

“THE ENGLISH IN IRELAND.”

This was the subject of a lecture delivered in the Theatre Royal last evening by the Hon. Mr Bromby (late Attorney-General of Tasmania). There was a fair attendance of both sexes. His Worship the Mayor (W. Barnett, Esq.) presided, and briefly introduced the lecturer by stating that the object was towards the re-building of a cathedral at Hobart Town. .£15,000 had been spent in building, when it was discovered that owing to some eri'or it would have to be rebuilt. Since then they had spent £IO,OOO in re-building, thus making a total of £25,000; and further contributions were now required to complete the cathedral. Mr Bromby commenced his lecture by stating that he wished his hearers to understand that the conclusion and deductions which he ventured to draw were from facts, which he would not mention, but which were admitted to be true. Although he took a very strong view of the subject himself, he had never yet read a history of Ireland written by an Irishman ; all that he had read was mostly from the works of English authors, who for the most part were hostile to Ireland, and the facts could be substantiated by reference to the archives in London and Dublin. The lecturer then gave an epitome of Irish history during the sixth century, at which time the Irish had embraced Christianity; he remarked that before the University of Oxford and Cambridge were thought of, Ireland sent forth missionaries to christianise the world—[applause] ; Ireland first sent missionaries to Scotland. What student had not heard of the personal character and life of the Irish saint and scholar St. Columba, of the sixth century, and of the forming in that era of societies of devout and learned men 1 It was this saint who gave utterance to the memorable words—[the lecturer delivered them in Latin, and afterwards gave the English I’endefiug as follows] — “ If you deprive a man of liberty, you take away the dignity of his manhood.” [Great applause.] After referring to Christianity generally, the lecturer remarked that amidst the unity that existed in Ireland upon religious matters, there was an almost uninterrupted spirit of quarreling amongst the old Irish chiefs, the O’Briens were against the O’Tooles, and the O’Donnells against the ONeills, and each party rather than be defeated, would call in English help, to whom they gave their lands. Mr Bromby then gave a brief outline of the principal course of events during the reigns of the Plantagenet kings, and of the historical and political opinions then held. What right, he said, had England to force a religion upon [reland which the people did not want, whilst India, with its 240,000,000 people, was allowed to live in Paganism I —[Applause.] It is said there is perfect liberty in Ireland. Perhaps there is; but the people have had their lands taken from them. Instead of continuing to punish Irishmen, restoration ought to be made, and in the name of justice those lands which had been taken away should be restored. —[Applause.] We hear very much in these days of Irish atrocities, but no one lamented them more than the Irishmen do.—[Renewed applause.] Ulster endeavoured to strike a blow for Ireland, but failed in the attempt. The most fertile lands in Ireland got into the hands of Englishmen—many of them Protestant clergymen, and the cost fell almost exclusively upon the poor Irish peasant to support them; and for centuries Irishmen were never allowed to hold property. Yet the Irish soldier has always been the first to come to the assistance of England, and so late as in the Egyptian war, Irish soldiers were among the foremost in battle. The same at Waterloo, and other places he might mention,— [Applause.] Englishmen were in Ireland on the lands which did not belong to them; then he would say the holders and not the tenants ought to be ejected. —[Applause.] If a wrong has existed for a long time, he did not see why it should continue to do so.— [Repeated applause.] Mr Bromby concluded by stating that time did not permit him to tell of many other things; but he hoped that brighter days were yet coming for old Ireland.—[Applause.] Mr Dungan then went on to the platform, and addressing Mr Mayor, Ladies, and Gentlemen, said he begged to propose a vote of thanks to the Hon. Mr Bromby for his able and interesting lecture. The position he had taken up this evening in delivering the subject matter of his lecture “The English in Ireland,” marked, as it had been, by a singular display of candour, of courage, and of ability, he did not hesitate to ?ry b 1 hi n toitk! to be highly instructive, helping to dispel the clouds of ignorance that existed regarding 1

the history of Ireland and of its people, and in the elucidation of which so much had been done to-night—-so much that redounded to the manly stand taken by the Hon. Mr Bromby. Further words from him would only spoil the effect that so eloquent a lecture had left on the minds of those present, and which had been so well and ably delivered. The lecture spoke for itself, and would leave its own reward ; a more eloquent lecture he had never listened to.—[Applause.] He might say that for spirit, beauty of language, and intellectual vigour, it had exceeded his anticipations, and they knew it had been warmly applauded. Of Ireland he would now only say (for he belonged to that land) that of her history and of her people it had been a sad and a sorrowful one ; but the words of our own poet Moore he would re-echo— Erin, O Erin! though long in the shade Thy star will shine out when the proudest shall fade. [Loud applause.] Mr O’Hagan seconded the proposition. He was pleased to see an Englishman coming forward to do justice to a down-trodden nation. He was quite sure if Englishmen generally understood the question, they would have come forward in larger numbers tonight, and they would have gone away with a very different impression to that which they now hold.—[Applause.] The Mayor said they could only come to one conclusion, and that was that Mr Bromby had been a great student of the history of Ireland.—[Applause.] Mr Bromby replied that although he had lectured in many places, he had never in any part of New Zealand had a more cordial reception, nor a vote of thanks proposed in a more able manner than to-night.—-[Applause] Because the wrongs of Ireland were unredressed, he was reminding his fellow-countrymen, and endeavouring to stir them up to get those wrongs removed ; and when they were redressed, he should be more proud to learn that they were redressed.—[Applause.] The audience then withdrew.