Irish News

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXII, Issue 49, 8 December 1904, Page 9

Irish News

ANTRIM.— Death of a Centenarian. On Sunday, October IC, an old man named Daniel Magee who, on May 1 last, ha,d attained the remarkably a4ivenced age of 104 years, died at the residence of his sou-ijx-law at Lower Broughsihane, about a couple of miles from Ballymena. For a good stretch of years tihe deceased followed the occupation of a fa-mer, his lands being situated near Crebilly, on what isiknown as tthe Woodside Hoad. Uf late years he lived with his son-ijn-law and daughter, enjoymg well-earned leisure. It is only hut a comparatively short time since, he was a witness in a famous local right-of-way case, heaxd at the assizes at Belfast, and he 'gave his evidence so lucidly that he was complimented by the judge, Who also congratulated him on his healthy-looking aplpearance for a man so far advanced iti life as he was. It may be mentioned that some short time prior to that, ' Old Dan,' as he was familiarly known, travelled to Belfast and iback to his 'home, a distance of übout 60 miles, and the feat* was acknowledged to be a manvelious one in tne way of pedestriaiusm for a man of over a hundred years of age. Deceais/ed retained his mental faculties to the last, w!han he passed peacefully and calmly away. CAVAN.— A Partisan of the Landlords. The ' Cavaai Weekly News,' a Protestant journal, conimenfting qn BisUop Elliott's recent tirade, says : The Bis,hop ;has made himself a strong partisan of tihe landlords. The Ohurch of Ireland has, to a certain extent, failed, k\ her mission by being so prominently identified with "tihat class. T,he metihqds of tjhe Land League and the institution of boycotting are a reproach, not only to England tor -her misrule, but more particularly to landlords for the extortion and oppression of their tenants, wiiiich frequently took place with tjhe concurrence and alpiproval of the clergy of the Church of Ireland. The Larid Co,urts had to be established, to prevent the landlords from cheating the tenants.' CORK.— The President of the Queen's College. Dr. Windle, of Birmingham, one of tihe best-known educationalists in the ranks of the British Catihohcs, has beem appointed President of the Queen's College, Cork. The ' Freeman ' attributes Dr. Windle's appointment to Chamberlain influence. Proposed Memorial. A movement has been inaugurated in Mitchelstown for the erection of a monument to the memory of John Mandeville. About £700 is in hand : an adequate sum for the erection of a suitable memorial. It is suggested that toe monument should take the form of a statue of Mandeville in the Square at Mitchelstiown. DUBLIN.— An Enthusiartic Reception. Mr: John E. Kedmond, M.P., Captain Donelan, M.P., and Mr. P. O'Brien, M.P., the Irish envoys to America, arrived home on October 13 and were accorded an enthusiastic reception in Dublin. Important Resolutions. At a general meeting of the Archbishops and Bishops of Ireland, held in St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, under tihe presidency of his Eminence Cardinal i^ogue. on October 11, a resolution was unanimously adopted reaffirming ttfie statement issued by tiheir Lordships last June with reference to the educational grievances and gcneraPdisabihties from which the Catholics of Ireland still suffer without redress. Among the resolutions adopted by their Lordships was one in which it is stxted that the rents drawn by Trinity College out of lands in almost every part of Ireland which, as the outcome of confiscation, have been reserved during tihroe hundred years as a prize for a State-favored mfnority, are of right the inheritance of the nation at large, and should be devoted, however late in the day, to provide wi an effective manner, as far as they can go, for the wants of all the people of Ireland in the domain of (higher education. Another resolution says that the practical* exclusion of Catholics amd others who are knowa-to entertain popular sympathies, from public offices ar<d employment in the gift ol the Government, is a flagrajrt abuse of Governmental power, w.orthy of the worst) (days of ascendancy, and has its counterpart in the enormous and wasteful expenditure out of Irish taxatiqn to multiply situations for a small section of the comntunity and afford them good reason for callus themselves the loyal minority. Catholic Truth Society. Tihe annual Conference of the Catholic Truth Society of Ireland was a splendid success from every point of view. The attendance was very lar.ge and the discussions whidh took place were of a high order of merit. By

commtopi consent the paper read by the Must Rev Tir sjs-JMtt szsd ssai ss£ Kent strong and vigorous a one as that which he dt hxered on that occasion. Dr. O'Dwyer in his address accused Mr. Baltour and Mr. Wyndham of?ece^ anfti t« tip i«?h f' TeaT eal ?''. zn ? ro P O: > in S a vote of thanks' to the Jiishop of Limcnck. said he did not agree with P . Whra he acous ed the two Ministers of duplicity in reference to this question It was a stateSS 1 V,^ H , €aly ' COuld not ' ondorse - HrSew Something of the inner working of Hhe question, and he honestly believed that both Mr. Balfour and Mr. wyttlluun were from the beginning animated by a sincere desire to Se^ Hi J n a satlsf Mtory way if they could. He accused tihe Ministers i» question, not of deceig or duplicity but of culpable weakness. They were in a shady condition after the reeling blow that had been dealt to the Government by the secession of Mr. Chamberlain and others,, and as they were not in a position to deal with Londonderry as they should have done, they solved the question, amd in his opinion dealt a mortal blow at the union, increased activity and energy in the agitation for the settlement of this all-important question shouljd follow the meeting of the Catholic Truth Society, LIMERICK.— Over the Century. There is at present living at Islandanny, a few . ir. lies from Abbeyieale, one of tihe most remarkable centenarians of t|he age, named Richard Collins. He is at present 103 years of age, hale and hearty, was never an ihosur unwell, and is still a vigorous smoker. He has a distinct recollection of the history 'of the early twenties of the last cent,ury, and often recounts- interestine* anecdotes of Captain Rock, and his experiences of the peruod s,ucccedilng '98. He still walks to Mass six miles distant, every Slmday, being always an exemplary Catholic. " MAYO.— Visit of the Undersecretary. Sir Antony MacDonnell, the Under-Secretary, paid a Mfiit to Castlebar to discuss the question of marine works in JMayo with the County Council. The Urban Ccuncil of Cas'tlebar presented an address of welcome to his native aomnty to Sir Antony, a.nd m his reply he referied to the Land Bill aad the work of Khe Congested Districts Board, spying he looked forward to more rapid progre&s m the work of the latter body. ! MEATH.— Tobacco Culture. Tiie Dublin correspondent of the ' Manchester Guardian ' says :— I had an opportunity of seeing Colonel Nugent Everard's tobacco crop and curing barn at Randalstown, County Meath. The produce of twenty acres amounting Uo oiver 14,000 pounds weight of tobacco leaf is undergoing a process of during and drying, preparatory tio being dispatched to manufacturers. This is the first time that the experiment of tobacco-growing in Ireland has been thoroughly made, as previously curing and 'drying had to be done away from the locality whero the tobacco was grown, and m'afry mistakes were made. In the present case the Department of Agriculture are defraying the cost (£IUUO) of the curing and drying shed, willed is heated artificially, though Oolonel Everard is otherwise carrying out the experiments at his own expense. Professor Harper, of the University of Kentucky, is at present superintending the operations, and he pronounces the leaf to be of excellent qjuality — quite equal to that of Virginia and Kentucky. Colonel Everard has figured out the cost oC production amd the piiccs whuch Dublin manufacturers have estimated it will fetch, and he is now convinced tliat, even paying tihe full duty, tobiacQo can be made a thoroughly paying crop. However, in order to get successfully over the experimental stage, he strongly feels that "tine present system: of making a refund of one-tin nd the 'duty to the grower snould be continued after the five year period lixed by, Parliament has terminated. A Nation of Church Builders. At Ciurraha, near Ashbourne, County Meath, the ney Churcjh of St. Andrew was dedicated to Divine worship on Suniday, October 16, by tjhe Most Re,v. Dr. Galrney, Bishop of the diocese. The sacred edifice, which owes its erection to the untiring zeal and energy of leather Lynch, P.P., is a spacious building, admirably suited to the requirements of the district. All the interior decorations have been carried out by gemer.ous gifts from ir iends of the worthy pa&tor. At the conclusion of High Mass the Rev. M. J. O'Farrell, All Mallows' Foreign Missionary College, Drumcooxdra, preached the de-. dioation sermon. Our forefathers, tihe preacher said, were a nation of church builders, but never, perhaps,;

sines' lreland was called the Island of Saints, ajid first diftuscjd the blessings of Faith, were the Irish people morie fc«alous itn ehurtfh building than at present. In the prairies of America and Australia, in tilie busy hives, of industry in tho new Continent and nearer home, in Protestant .hngland, .splendid tenxples— worthy houses of God— were being raised up by the exiled children of the Irish race. 1 hey weie told that this vast expenditure •was not economic, that their rejhgion was not an economic one. Well, in their adhesion to the Catholic Faith they believed that there was rio expenditure m,ore reprodfuctrve. Our Lord Himself had told them that a cup of waLcr gncn in Ihs name would not pass without its reward. What, then, would be the reward of those who b-uill a Uuuch to His honoi ai*J gloxy ? TIPPERARY.— The Bishop of Killaloe. At tihe final meetiing of the Nenagh. committee having charge of the testimonial to the Most Rev. Dr. Fogarty,|Bibhop of Killaloe, it was decided to present a brougham amd harness to his Lordship. At tihe conclusion of the meeUng a vote of thanks was passed to the cjhairn>an and also to Mr. Malaney for acting as hon. secretary. Mr. Maloney, in reply, sard no thanks were due to him lor anything he had done in connection witjh Uio testimonial to Dr. Fpgarty. It was to him a labor >of love, and he only hoped and prayed that Dr. Fogarty w.auLd be spared tor many years to rule over trie ancient diocese of St. Flanan. TYRONE.— Death of a Priest. The death is, leportod of the Rev. Thomas Markcy, Moy, Cqimty Tyrone, which took place on October 15, asd has created universal regret. Father Markey was noted for many good qualities, and was esteemed and respected amqnigst the people of the parish in which his lot was cast. WEXFORD.— Too Much Bureaucracy. At a public meeting in Enniseortihy Surgeon-General Evafct, who has been asked to report on the Poor Law Medical Service in Ireland, said the bureaucratic management of Irish affairs by Castle Boards was the weak poi,nt in Irish government. GENERAL Potato Blight A cable message states that great distress prevails owing to the failure of the Irish potato crop on the west coast of Ireland, it being the worst since 1879. Stil! They go A Queenstown correspondent states that up to the end of September 27,000 adults lelt Queenstown for America, as against 21,000 for the corresponding period last year. A Letter of Thanks. The trustees of the Irish Parliamentary Fund (the Most Reft. Dr. O'Doii/nell, Bishop of Raptfioe, Mr. John Redmjond, M.P , and Mr. Stephen O'Mara) ha\ c sent a letter to the treasurer of the United Irish League of Amjericja acl(,niowledgiing ' with a deep sense of gratitude' the first instalment ot the £10,000 guaranteed by the League lfci Imerica to the Parliamentary Fund. Mr. Redmond's Views. Mr. John Redmond, M.P., interviewed on his arrival from Amenca at Qucenstow.n by the Piiess Association's correspondent, said he believed the entue land of Ireland would be sold to the tenants in between tqn and nfteejn years. Mr. Redmond had read little about the Irish Reform Association durung his stay in America, and said he was not free to discuss the subject lie remarked, however, that the scheme generally aflorded a pro,of of the progress ot the lns;h movement. He nad fiormod no opinion a s to what majority the Liberal., would have \n the next Parliament. Ail he hoped for was that it would be a small one. While m America he asketd for only fifty thousand dollars, Vvhioh were over-®ubslcnbed. The Iri.sh m America had realised that the Irisjh cause was winning, and were determined to give the Irish Party whatever money they wanted. As long a.s tlhere was unity at home hnancial support from America would be generously given. Regarding the Catholic University question, \he was sanguine li eland would ere long get her just demaoids im a Catholic I'niversity. Mr. Redmond spoke with sorrow of Sir William Hiarcourt's death, amd praised Sir Wilfrid Laurier s whole-hearted sympathy thromghiout with the Irisih mo\ement. Referring to the united declaration of the various Governors of the X'nited States in favor of >a Home Rule Government for Ireland, Mr. Rednnond said it was the myosit remarkable pronouncement of the time. His attention having been directed to the cairymg on to Liverpool latterly of nearly all the American mail n\atter instead of landing it at Qucenstnwn, Mr. Redmonjd said the Irish Parliamentary Party would take the matter u(p with the member for the division, Captain Donelaji, l and demand justice for the Irish ro\ite.