People We Hear About

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXXVI, Issue 23, 11 June 1908, Page 28

People We Hear About

A sister of 'Eva' of the 'Nation,' who still lives in .the old home of the family, states that 'she was born in Headford, near Tuam, at her. grandparents' home.' This statement settles, says the 'Catholic Times,' a much-disputed point. . Miss". Esther Redmond, eldest daughter of Mr. John E. Redmond, chairman of the Irish parliamentary Party, and Dr. William T. Powers, of New Torkj are to be married in the near future. Miss Redmond is a handsome and charming young woman, inheriting not only the good looks; but c to a large extent the literary and artistic ability of her father. A play written by her recently has been favourably reviewed by some of the London critics. Miss Redmond- is about twenty-two years of age. There are not many of the mm nurses of the Crimea left among us (says the London 'Tablet'), not, we believe, more than four — namely, Mother Mary Aloysius, the last survivor of the band of Irish Sisters of Mercy who attended • the sick and wounded in the hospitals at Scutari ; Sister Stanislas and Sister Anastasia (both now at St. ~ John 's Wood), the representatives of the English Sisters of Mercy who gave an, equal devotion to the same service; and Mother St. George, of the Convent of the Faithful Virgin, Norwood. Count Plunkett, M.R.1.A., the Director of the Dublin Museum of Science and Art, has been re-elected President of the Society for the Preservation of the Irish Language. He has betih an earnest propagandist of the Society's aims for nearly thirty years, and, outside his art studies, has found time 1 for work on Irish history and archaeology. With.him are associated, as Vice-Presidents of the Society, Dr. M. F. Cox, F.R.U.1., who won a scholarship in Irish in the old Catholic University ; Father Dinneen, who has produced the most convenient Gaelic Dictionary, and is editor of many popular Gaelic" authors ; Mr. Standish Hayes O 'Grady, LL.D., author of the learned and valuable Silva Gadelica ; and Mr. Richard O 'Shaughnessy, C.8., a ripe Gaelic scholar, oncean active member of the Irish Party under Isaac Butt. The; Council of the Society includes some of the best-known professors of the Irish language in Ireland and elsewhere. A cable message received last week stated that the Duchess of Norfolk had giv«n biTth to a son. ■ The Duke of Norfolk, who is the premier Duke-and Earl, and Earl-Marshal of England, is now in his sixty-first year. He succeeded to the title close on half a century ago. He has occupied many public positions, and was Postmaster-General from 1895 to 1900. He has been President of the Catholic Union of Great Britain since its foundation in 1871, and has always taken an active part in all Catholic affairs in England. He is noted for his charity and for his unassuming character. He was married in 1877 to a daughter of Baron Donington, but his wife died about twenty- years ago. There was issue of this marriage a son, an invalid from birth, who died before reaching manhood. He married again in 1904, his second wife ..being the Hon. Gwendolen Constable-Maxwell, daughter of Baron Herries. The first child of this marriage was a daughter, and the son whose birth is now announced will be heir to- the estates. " The parents of Gerald Griffin, the famous Irish author, lie buried in the Catholic cemetery in Friendsville, Pa., according >to a correspondent "of the 'National Hibernian.' The following are the epitaphs on their tombstones : 'Sacred to the memory of Ellen, wife of Patrick Griffin, of Susquehanna County. Born in the City of Limerick, Ireland, May, 1766. Died October 14, 1831; aged sixty-five years. Revered and beloved by her own- family, respected and esteemed by all who knew her. She presented in her life the model of a tender mother and affectionate wife, and a v sincere Christian. May she rest in peace. This stone is- erected as a tribute of affection by one who loved her as a son. Her nephew, Dr. Herbert Hogan, New York.' 'Sacred to the memory of Patrick Griffin, the first Catholic settler in this county. Born in Limerick, Ireland. Died January 20, 1836 ; aged seventy-two years.. May the Lord have -mercy on his soul through the merits of our Saviour.*