People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXI, Issue 28, 9 July 1903, Page 10

People We Hear About

Dr. McCarthy, of Melbourne, who proposes to prok?^ ra i n h X artificial means, is a ndphew of Mr. Justin McCarthy, the historian and novelist, and prominent C lT* Ule r Dr " McCftrthv is a graduate of Trinity

It is now fifty-five years since Mr. Justin McCarthy began his journalistic career on the ' Examiner ' published in his native city of ' Rebel Cork.' His sympathies were, of course, with the Young Ireland party, who, if they failed in achieving their ends, at all events succeeded ' in putting a soul into Ireland.'

■Xt c £ ew ss P eaker of the House of Representatives, o- R % Guinnesg . is, like his distinguished predecessor, fc,ir (x. M. O'Rorke, a lawyer by profession. He was born in India, but is of Irish descent, being, we understand, closely connected with the Guinness family of Dublin. He had been for several sessions Chairman of Committees, so that he has had a Rood training for the responsible position he now nils

The ' Freeman's Journal ' notices that several University men and women have been appointed to the executive of the Gaelic League. Mr. John McNeill, tho new vice-president, who comes of a family of Gaelic Leaguers, had a very distinguished university career, and is an official of the High Court. Miss Agnes O Farrelly, M.A., who headed "the poll, is a very distinguished lady student, who was educated at the Dominican Convent at Muckross Park. She is a sister of Mr. Alphonsus O'Farrelly, F. R.U.1., who is a Fellow in Science at the Royal University, and also an ardent Gaelic Leaguer. Dr. Dennis J. CofTey, uho is Professor of Physiology at Cecilia street Medical school, had an extraordinarily brilliant career. He is perhaps the most popular professor in the Catholic University Medical School, and his influence with the students has beea instrumental in spreading the Gaelic League throughout the school.

r~A ? arl of Cork and Orrery, who completed his <4th year on April 20, is one of tlhe very few Liberal Home Rulers amongst the peers of Ireland. There are, indeed, only two others— namely, Lord Greville and Lord Emly. The Earl of Cork was Master of the Horse in the last two Liberal Administrations, and Master of the Buckhounds under a previous Liberal regime. The Boyles rank amongst the most notable of tho Anglo-Irish families. Boyle, the first or ' Great Earl of Cork,' when he arrived in Ireland in 1588 had £27 3s, a diamond ring a bracelet, and the suit of clothes he stood in. But he had plenty of brains and abundance of eaergy, and in tho succeeding troublous years he carved out the rich estates in Cork and Waterford. which have come down to his descendants. He boueht 12,000 acres from Sir Walter Raleigh for £1000. Four of his sons were made lords, and seven of his daughters married nobles.

In reference to the suggestion recently made that Irish artists should devote more attention to Irish historical subjects, it may be well to mention that the very first work submitted to the public by the great painter Barry, in 1763, was the celebrated picture ' The baptism of the King of Cashel ' James Barry, then a poor boy, was induced to exhibit this picture at tho Dublin Society's Exhibition, in 17(i3. and the Society — which then held its meetings in Shaw's Court, on the north side of Dame street— \ oW him a sum of £10 as a testimony to his merit. r J he pictuie attracted considerable attention, and was purchased by some Irish M.P 's, who presented it to the old Parliament House in College Green, where for yeais it adorned the House, until 1792, when it was unhappily consumed by an accidental fire, which almost totally 'destroyed the House of Commons. There is a fine me//o-tint of this worldrfamed academician by himself in the National Portrait Gallery, Dublin.

Sir A J. Cadman, our latest knight, was born in Sydney about 56 years, but was brought by his parents to Auckland whilst an infant, so that he has been a New Zealand colonist for quite half a century. He received a sound primary education, after which he was finished off at a secondary school. He began the real battle of life by servin^ his time at the carpentry trade, and while yet in his teens removed to Coromandel, where he became connected with the timber trade. Like the Premier he began his apprenticeship to public affairs by becoming member of several local bodies, among others the County Council, of which he was chairman for a period of ten years He was elected to represent Coromandel in the House of Representatives in 1884, and re-elected to the two succeeding Parliaments. He toined the Ballance Ministry in 1891. and held the portfolios of Native Minister, Commissioner of Stamps, and Minister of Railways Mr Cadman continued to be a member of the Seddon Ministry until about four >ears ago, when he retired on account of ill-health, and was called to the' Legislative Council. He became interested with Mr. E. M. Smith in the promotion of a company to utilise the Taranaki ironsand, -and has twice visited England in connection with the matter. Two years ago he was made a C.M.G. Sir A. J Cadman is a widower with one son and one daughter.