COUNTY NEWS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 48, 30 November 1899, Page 9

COUNTY NEWS.

CARLOW.— Reception Ceremony.— On Thursday, September 21, the interesting and imposing ceremonies of Reception and Profession took place at the Bridgetine Convent, Tullovr, Co. Carlow. The novices who made their vows were Sister M. J. Aloysiua Cronin and Sister M. J. Anthony O'Conneli, and the young lady who receive 1 the holy habit, Miss Alice Dwyer. The Most Rev. Dr. Folev presided. CORK.— The Patron Saint of Cork.— From all parts of the diocese of Cork people journeyed in their hundreds on the first Sunday in October to Gougane Barra to pay tribute at the shrine of their patron Saint, St. Finbar, founder of the See and City of Cork, or at least of the old Irish quarter, for most of the city is of Danish origin. High Mass was celebrate! under a pavilion in the ruins ot of the church, the music for the occasion being supplied by a specially selected choir from Cork, under the presidency of Miss O'Donoghue, L.R.A M. The celebrant of the High Mass was the Rev. P. Huiley,P.P., Inchigeela ; deacon, Rev James Brady, C.C , Duntnaaway ; and sub-deacon, Rev. Deais O'Driscoll. C.C, Inchigeela. Immediately after Mass the panegyric of the Saint was preached by the Rev. Father Verdon, S.J., Dublin. Taking for his text the words, " Like a tree planted by the running waters and bringing forth fruit in due season,' from the third verse cf the First Psalm of David, he said their minds and hearts were lifted up to-day, while their thoughts and affections lingered lovingly there round the cradle where their holy religion was first fostered, and from where it spread its genial influence over the lakes and plains, hills and valleys of the land. In the conclusion of his discourse the preacher alluded with much emotion to the sufferings of the Irish Church. ' Through years of sorrow,' he said, ' years of pain, torture, and martyrdom they stuck to that faith, and broken hearts and ruined homes and shattered shrines were monuments to the steadfast adherence of Finbar's sons to that faith and hope and love. What had been the history of their country for nigh 300 years ? Had it not been a struggle for the faith of Jesus Christ for which their forefathers fought and died, and in that struggle faith to them was all in all, while fortune and riches were nothing. Although it might be said they were the poorest p ople on the earth, still they were rich in the Faith of Christ, which was still their dearest treasure.' GAL WAY —Dedication Of a Church.— On Sunday, October 1, at Rossmuch, the Moat Rev. Dr. M'Cormack, Bishop of Galway, dedicated a new church in the Early English style of Gothic, which has been built by a poor congregation with the help won for them from outside by the energy of their parish priest, Father Cassidy, A special feature of the service was the sermon preached by Fathe* John M'Namara, C.SS.R , first in Irish and then in English.

KlLDAßE.— Honouring a Maynooth Professor—His Holiness the Pope has conferred on the Very Rev. James Donnellan, Maynooth, the degree of Doctor in Theology. KILKENNY.— Opening of a New Church at Piltown.— A new church was solemnly blessed and opened at Piltown, Kilkenny, on the last Sunday in September by the Bishop of t'ssory, in presence of the Bishop of Waterford. The new church is a spaoious stone building, the cost of which has been almost entirely defrayed by the pence of the poor. The total cost is £6738, of which £6254 has been paid off, leaving a balance of less than £500 due. This indeed is very creditable when one considers that it i s the work of 104 labourers, the shopkeepers of the two villages of Fiddown and Piltown, and about 23 or 30 farmers. The sermon was preached by the Rev. Dr. M Donald, President of Dunboyne. MAYO.— Death of a Franciscan Brother.— His manyj friends will read with deep regret (says the New Era) the announce- j ment of the death of Brother Bernardine, which took place recently at St. Mary's Monastery, Partry, County Mayo. The amiable Brother, who reached the advanced age of almost 90 years, was a native of Clara, in the King's County. He was educated by the ' Franciscan Brothers, of the same town, and embraced the Third Order of St. Francis, receiving the; habit in the Monastery of St Mary's. WICKLOW.— The Philanthropic Reform Association — The Philanthropic Reform Association, of which the Karl of Meath is president, is justifying its existence (says the New Era). For the second time within the past few months the president has brought together from all ranks and classes a number of social reformers for the purpose of discussing and pushing to a practical conclusion such ameliorative measures aB are urgently needed to make the lives of the poor somewhat happier. Of the subjects dealt with at Kilruddery at a recent meeting, where the members assembled on the invitation of Lord Meath, the housing of the poor came in for a large share of attention, but as was pointed out by the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, Bishop of Canea, the problem was a very difficult one to deal with, especially in cities and towns, since the migration of a considerable part of the rural population caused overcrowding in the tenement houses of the larger towns. This is practically the kernel of the housing question. Much hope is entertained that when the Agriculture and Industries Ait of last session copes into practical operation, efforts will be made to stem this migration by establishing such industries as the various districts throughout the country are capable of affording.

GENERAL.

The Department of Agriculture-— Mr. Horace Piunkett, M.P., will be the first vice-president of the newly-created Department of Agriculture and Technical Instruction in Ireland. Statistics Of Primary Education-— The Commissioners of National Education in Ireland, in their annual report, issued about the end of September, say : — On the 30th Septemb°r, 1898, there were 8651 schools in operation. During the nine months to that date 124 schools were brought into operation, viz, 85 vested in the Commissioners or ia trustees, and 39 noo- vested ; while 104 schools were placed on the suspended list, or removed from the roll of National schools. Th's given a net increase of 20 schools in operation for the nine months to 30th September, 189 S. The average number of pupils on the rolls as recorded on the last dty of the results periods of the sukools was 808,467. The average daily attendance of pupils similarly for the results p nods was 518,799. The percentage of the average daily attendance of pupil- to the average number on the rolls was 64 2. The total number of pupils actually on the rolls of National schools on the last day of their results period was 794,818. The religious denomination of the^e pupils was as follows :— 601206 or 756 per cent, were Roman Catholics, 92,212 or 116 per cent, were of the late Established Church, 87,218 or 110 per ceat. were Presbyterians, 8553 or 11 per cent, were Methodists, 5(521) or 0 - 7 per cent, were of other denominations. Of the pupils on the rolls of the 8604 schools, 255 862, or 37 3 per cent, were in sch *oU attended by Roman Catholic and Protestant children, and 498 283 or 62 7 percent in schools attended solely by Roman Catholics or solely by Protestants. Sacrifices in the Cause of Education— Writing to the clerk of Swineford District Council, the lueuib-ra of which proposed to put the Compulsory Education Act into fore s in the Uuion. the Mo -it Rev. Dr. Lyster draws a striking comparison between the comfort and attractiveness of the primary schools of Great Britain and the d-smal surroundings of those in Irish country districts. In England and Scotland, his Lordehip points out, no means are left undone to induce, and even to entice, children to attend. Recently he visited a public school in Scotland where the very air which the children were to inhale was washed, dried, and warmed before being allowed into the classrooms ; tin coats, cloaks, and caps were dried in a special chamber if they received a drop of rain ; the building was ventilated and heated by elaborate machinery. Now look on the other picture as drawn by Dr. Lyster. On the very day after my return, he writes, I met a child of my own flock trudgi g oneand a-half miles to school, her draggled hair and scanty clothes wet through and through by the chick rain and her two rods of turf under her tiny arm. I a*ked myself this question : In which country are the greater sacrifices m ide f r the sake of education ? There can be no doubt as to the answer to the question Dr. Lyster put to himself. Considering the circumstances, the people of Ireland make great sacrifices in the cause of education. Were it otherwise they would be unworthy descendants of those who gave their very lives for it ' in dark and evil days.' An Appeal on Behalf of the United Irish League — Messrs. William O'Brien, Miohatl Davitt, and James OK. lly, on behalf of the United Irish League, have issued an appeal for assistance to Irishmen all over the world. The first portion of the appeal

is devoted to a Bummary of the objects of the League, which comprise the reunion of all earnest Nationalists in an organisation similar in purpose to the old National Land League ; the National independence of Ireland in the rule of Ireland by Irishmen ; the abolition of Irish landlordism, and the restoration of the land of Ireland to its people ; the better housing' of our working classes in country and town, and the material and social betterment of their condition ; the prevention of famines and of periodical distress in the poorer parts of the country by means of the breaking np of grazing ranches and the providing of more land and better land for small cultivators ; to arrest as far as possible the continual emigration of the youth of Ireland ; and to encourage the revival of the Gaelic tongue among the Irish race. ' The League has already done good work, its o v ganisation and influence have succeeded in obtaining large and valued concessions for the people residing in the so-called congested areas in the west of Ireland. As the objects which the League has been organised to accomplish are such as the majority of our race approve of as essential to the uplifting of Ireland to her rightful status as a Nation, we, therefore, invite your readers and our kith and kin in America, Canada, the Australias, and elsewhere to extend a helping hand to the working out of the great task whioh the United Irish League has undertaken. Our people at home are aiding the movement out of slender resources and will continue to do so. But large measures of support are wanted for a more wide and vigorous spreading of the organisation, and we, therefore, venture to ask tbis help from all who are wishful to see the objects of the League achieved in our time. 1