Irish News.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVII, Issue 52, 28 December 1899, Page 9

Irish News.

ANTRIM.— Death of a Representative CatholicMr Charles L. Nash, J.P., Greencastle, a member of one of the oldest Catholic families in Ulster, passed away on Ootober 27, fortified by the rites of the Church, of which he wan a devoted member.

Honouring the ex-Lord Mayor of Belfast.— The Royal University of Ireland has conferred the degree of LL.D. honoris cauta on the Rt. Hon. W, J. Pirrie, ex-Lord Mayor of Belfast.

A New Altar for Ballybay Church.— a handsome altar dedicated to St. Joseph has been erected in St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Ballybay. The table and benches ara of highly-polished Sicilian marble, and rising from the centre is a massively-carved canopy of Caen Btone, with Cork red marble pillars. A life-sized statue of St. Joseph occupies the space inside this canopy. The caps under the table are also of Caen stone, with Cork red marble pillars. The panels are elaborately carved, the cenbre one representing St. Joseph. The altar was executed by Mr Ryan Lowe, Dominick street, Dublin, and is a pleasing addition to this attractive parish church. The altar is the gift of Messrs Fee Bros., druggists and grocers, Ballybay.

A Protestant Newspaper on Street-preaching.— The ! JrUh Church Kewt f the organ of the Dist stablisbed Church in Belfast, unburdens itself in this fashion regarding street preachers : — 1 A few Sunday evenings ago we were in High street, Belfast, and at the Albert Memorial our progress was impeded by the presence of a semi-disorderly mob. Under the statue of Prince Albert, on the front of the clock tower, was a Union Jack, and under its folds was a little man, praying — or, as we heard it put by a man in the crowd, *' instructing Almighty God." We wanted to hear what it was all about — and we question if it was worth the trouble — bat one thing was borne in upon us, viz., that the laws of public meetings in this country are abused, and that the abuse is winked at by our local representatives of law and order. To our mind it is simply intolerable that a creature endowed only with the gifts of illimitable clap-trap, an unqualified quantity of impudence, backed np by an illiteracy which is probably the staple of his stock-in-trade, should be allowed so inflame the minds of others as ignorant as himself, without let or hindrance on the part of the powers that be.'

CORK-— The Duties of a Catholic Priest— The Most Rev. Dr. O'Callagan, Bißhop of Cork, writing to the local papers in reference to a libel action threatened against Dr. Keane, 0.P., by an Opera Company for condemning from the altar as immodest and injurious to the morals of youth the pictorial posters announcing a coming play, says that whilst a priest is strictly forbidden by the Decrees of the Synod of Thurles and Maynooth to denounce individuals in the pulpit without the permission of the proper authority, there can be no doubt that it is the duty of a Catholio priest charged with preaching the Word of God to cry down Bcandals with all his strength, and even in the strongest words.

DONEGAL.— AnnuaI Re-Union of Donegal Men in GlaßgoW. — The twenty-second annual Donegal Re-union was held on the evening of October 30, in the City Hall, Glasgow. Cardinal Logue presided, and had the support on the platform of the BishopAuxiliary of Glasgow, Mgr. Grady. Canon Mcßrearty, Canon Chisholm, Canon Morri?, Councillor O'Hare. Messrs. Francis Henry, J.P., Edward Gallaher, J.P., Dr. P. A. Smith, J.P., etc. Mr. W. G. M'Fadden (secretary) read the address of welcome to the Cardinal, who, in his reply, referred to the want of unity and co-operation among Irishmen.

DUBLlN.— BelleekPotteryWorkfl— lnareeentisßueof £Aawheru 1 Journal there is an interesting article contributed by Miss Mary Georges on the Belleek Pottery Works. Belleek ware, as everybody knows, is the most delicate and exquisite produced anywhere, and Belleek is in Ireland. Miss Georges traces the career of the great industry which has made Belleek famous all over the world, from its earliest beginnings to the present day. That career has not been always one of great success. There have been periods of doubt and difficulty ; but at present, thanks to the energetic and enlightened management, it has been thoroughly established on a sound basis.

An Illicit Still in the City.— The oity of Dublin is the last place one would expect to find an illicit still, yet only a few weeks ago the police discovered that a man named Brady was making whisky, figuratively speaking, under their very noses. The still was found in full working order at Brady's residence, Lower Gloucester street. The solicitor for the Excise authorities mentioned that the accused had been oonvicted in November, 1 884, for having an illicit still at Bessborough Avenue, and was fined £100 or twelve months' imprisonment. On account of that conviction the prisoner could not now be let off lighter than by a similar penalty. Brady was fined £100, or in default twelve months' imprisonment.

Departure of a Priest for America.— Father J. s. Megannety, 0.C.C., was presented with a handsome, illuminated address by St. Joseph s Altar Society and the Children of Mary's Sodality attached to the Carmelite Church, Dublin, on the eve of his departure for America.

KERRY —An Unnecessary Innovation.— Lord Kenmare has refused to allow the Killarney Development Syndicate to place electrio gondolas on the lakes of Killarney next season, as being an unnecessary interference with the existing boatmen's occupation.

LIMBRIOK.— An Old Tobacco Firm.— We are informed (says the Irish Tobacco Trade Journal) that Messrs Spillane tobacco manufacturers. Limerick, whose Limerick roll and ' Garry* owen plug have obtained such world-renowned repute, are about to erect a new factory with frontage in Robert Btreet and Denmark street. From what we hear, the factory, when equipped, promises to be a model one in every respect, and we heartily congratulate this old-established firm on their spirit of enterprise.

BLIGO.-A Successful Student— Mr. Thomas Soanlan,*, native of Sligo, and a former student of Sligo College, was successful in obtaining a scholarship prize of £15 offered for competition by St. Andrew's University recently. Mr. Soanlan, who is now a resident in Dundee, is a law student and well known for fail interest in Catholic and Nationalist affairs in that oity.

GENERAL.

Decrease in the Acreage Under Flax.— Reoent statistic* show a serious decrease in the aoreage under flax— Ulster's staple industry. In 1864 there were 305,000 aores under flax, in 1889 this bad fallen to 112,486, and in 1898 to 34,215 acres. This is a serious thing for farmers in the North.

A Peculiar Law. — By a curious provision in the Act of Union between Great Britain and Ireland, Irish peers are allowed to sits for British constituencies in the House of Commons, although they are ineligible for Irish constituencies. Thus, daring the last generation Lord Palmerston and Lord Mayo, afterwards GovernorGeneral of India, although Irish Peers, sat in the House of Commons as members for constituencies in Great Britain.

Death of a Well-known Lady.— Mrs. Blood, who died on Sunday morning (says the Dublin Freeman of October 21) at the age of 84, was a very handsome woman to the last. As a girl in Kildare she was very beautiful, with a beauty that was transmitted to her two daughters, of whom Lady Colin Campbell alone is left. Mrs. Blood was twice married — first to Mr. O'Beirne. who was a oousin of Lord Wolseley. He left her a widow of 19, and some years afterwards Mrs. O'Beirne (nic Fergusson) married Mr. Edmond Maghlin Blood, the representative of the Bloods, who settled in Clare in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Mrs. Blood was also half-sister to the last Earl of Rosoommon.

The London Irish Literary Society.— The Irish Literary Society in London intends to open the new year with a series of what might be called lectures on the century. They will be delivered in February, March, April, and May as follows: — 'A Hundred Years of Irish Journalism,' ' A Hundred Years of Irish History,' < A Hundred Years of Irish Song and Story,' * A Hundred Years of Irish Wit and Humour ' ; and the respective lecturers will be Mr. Justin McCarthy, Mr. Barry O'Brien, Mr. T. W. Bolleaton, and Mr. R. Ashe-King. Among the new members who have recently joined the society are Lord Justice Henn Collins, the Hons. Cyril and Frank Russell, Mr. Arthur Houston, Q.C , Miss Susan Gavan Duffy, Sir James Matthew, Lord Edmond Fitzgerald, and the Rev. A. L. lilley. The society is quite free from any political bias.

The Medical Profession in Past Ages.— d*- More Madden delivered an interesting lecture at the Mater Misericordiae Hospital, Dublin, recently, on the occasion of the opening of the medical session. Referring to. the history of medical science in Ireland, he said that in distant ages when the lamp of medical knowledge was unkindled in most other countries, its light shone with comparative brilliancy in Ireland. Continuing, he said : All the various faculties of these Celtic Catholio universities, for suoh was the character of many of them, were for long ages crowded with students from every part of Europe, who in some of them were subjected to a course extending over a period far more protracted than even that of the modern medical atudent. From these institutions also were sent forth men such as Alouin, the founder of the University of Pisa, Johannes Sootus, Erigena, who in the ninth century was regarded as the ablest writer of that age as well as the first professor of philosophy in Paris, and countless others, to diffuse the lights of learning and science as well as of faith to the ends of the earth. Nor did that long intellectual pre-eminenoe oease _in medicine at least, until some little time after the ruthless destruction of the Irish Monastic Universities during the reigns of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth, and even down to the middle part of the seventeenth oentury we find the far-extending fame of Irish medicine referred to by authorities of such eminence as Van Helmont. To the destruction of those Celtic Universities may, moreover, be dated the origin of the disabilities in the matter of higher education that for three centuries have pressed, and still press heavily on the majority of the Irish people, and on none more forcibly than on those of them belonging, as bo many here do, to the medical profession. The latter during all these generations hare been thus unfairly handicapped in the race of existence by the impossibility of securing, in aocordanoe with their conscientious oonviotions, that full measure of academic training within the halls of a university which is so conducive to success in the higher walks of professional life or publio employment, and which is accessible to theic compeers of every other persuasion. We may, however, rest well assured that in this, as in all other mattere, justice, although long delayed, mast, like that truth on whioh it is founded, eventually prevail. And therefore can we confidently anticipate that this last vestige of the dark shadows oast o'er our land by the successful intolerance of a by-gone age may for ever be swept away in the day-dawn of the twentieth oentury, which we trust. will usher in the final and equitable adjustment of the Irish Catholio University question.

The Catholic Truth Society of Ireland.— The Catholio Truth Society of Ireland has been successfully launched. On Thursday, October 12 (says the Dublin Freematft Journal), its

General Committee met and chose an executive. Though the Catholic propaganda in Ireland ia not bo urgent a necessity as in Great Britain, the needs of a Catholic defence have been recognised in Ulster and elsewhere in face of a sustained attack. Furthermore, the foundations of Irish loyalty to the old Church can be strengthened by the story of past sacrifices and past conquests. It will be remembered that at the last meeting of the Maynooth College Union an admirable paper on the subject was read by the Very Rev. Dr O'Riordan, of Limerick. Dr. O'Riordan advocated the establishment in Ireland of a Catholic Truth Society on lines similar to the Society which has been doing such excellent work in England. The project so strongly advocated by Dr. O'Riordan was taken up enthusiastically by the Union, and it also received the sanction and approval of the Hierarchy. The Society, it may be said, will not confine itself to the production and dissemination of literature on purely religious subjects. It will devote itself to Catholic literature in the widest sense, to all literature breathing the Catholic spirit. Since the last meeting of the Maynooth Union inquiries were made extensively as to the desirability of establishing such a Society, and everywhere the project was warmly welcomed. The proposed organisation received Bpecial commendation from the Hierarchy, and their lordships were most generouß in contributing to the funds necessary for the starting of the Society. At the meeting of the Organising Committee, the Most Rev. Dr. Shehan, Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, was called to the chair. Amongst those present were the Bishops of Cloyne, Derry, Elphin, Canea, Down and Conor ; Colonel Ross, of Bladensburg ; the Very Rev. J. F. Hogan, D.D., Maynooth College ; Mr. Charles Dawson, Sir Francis Cruise, Count Moore, M.P. ; the Rev. Matthew Russell, S.J. ; Count Plunkett, Mgr. Murphy, P.P., Kildare ; the Rev. Dr. O'Riordan, Limerick, Sir Henry Bellingham, and a large number of clergy. On the motion of the Most Rev. Dr. Browne, seconded by the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, the Rev. Dr. Mannix, Maynooth College, was appointed hon. secretary of the meeting. The Most Rev. Dr. Healy, Bishop of Clonf crt, was selected as the first president, and the vicepresidents selected were the Most Rev. Dr. Donnelly, the Right Rev. Monsignor Murphy, P.P., V.G., Kildare ; W. R. Molloy, J.P. and Count Moore. A general committee was appointed, to consist of the entire hierarchy of the country and all present, with power to add to their numbers. Sir Francis Cruise and the Rev. Daniel Downing, Adm., Pro-Cathedral, were appointed hon. treasurers. The appointment of two secretaries of the Society— one to be a clergyman and the other a layman — was left in the hands of the executive committee. An executive committee was appointed, to consist of the president, vice-presidents, treasurers, and secretaries, as ex officio members, and of the following : The Rev. T. A. Finlay, S.J., the Very Rev. Canon Fricker, P.P., the Very Rev. Canon Ryan, P.P., the Very Rev. Canon O'Hanlon, P.P., the Rev. Dr. Mannix, the Rev. Dr. Hogan, Count Piunkett, Charles Daweon, John Roohford, J. B. Cullen, Judge Carton, the Rev. Dr. Hickey, the Rev. T. M'Cotter, Belfast; the Rev. Father O'Doherty, P.P., Longtower, Derry ; Colonel Ross, of Bladensburg ; Sir Henry Bellingham, the Rev. P. A. Sheehan. P.P., Boneraile ; the Rev. Dr. O'Riordan, Limerick ; Lord Etnly, Stanley Harrington, J.P., Cork ; the Very Rev. Dr. Fahy, P.P., Gort ; the Right Rev. Mgr. Kelly, P.P., Athlone : the O'Connor Don, and R. Kelly, Castlebar.