WEARING OF THE GREEN

New Zealand Tablet, 5 June 1919, Page 39

WEARING OF THE GREEN

t The festival of Ireland’s patron saint was observed this year with religious and patriotic fervor wherever in Great Britain are to be found the scattered sons of the Gael. Special services were held in many places and the churches were crowded. At numberless social gatherings the Irish claim to self-government was put forward, and the oratory was supported by the powerful appeal to sentiment which the songs of Erin made to responsive audiences. . London Celebrations. St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated in London with undiminished fervor and many functions which had lapsed owing to the war were revived. At the Church of St. Patrick, in Soho, Pontifical High Mass was celebrated by the Right Rev. Bishop Butt. . Canon Vere, the veteran rector, was the preacher, and in a noble panegyric he emphasised the fact that Ireland had suffered all.forms of persecution, domination, and tyrailin’ in the attempt to stamp out the Catholic religion, but to-day it was the most Catholic entity in the world. Admiral Sims was the guest of the Irish Club at its dinner, in the course of which Mr. Morris, a Welsh M.P. who sits for a division of Battersea, said that the Catholic community in Wales were respected throughout the principality for the high, ideals and devotion which guided their conduct.——The. Union of the Four Provinces of Ireland Club held a dance at Prince’s Restaurant which was largely attended, while the Gaelic League had its usual national concert and distinguished artistes at the Queen’s Hall. The A.O.H. had a similar successful entertainment. There was also a. special concert at the Catholic Hall. Copenhagen Street, King's Cross, in connection with the mission. At many other parishes, entertainments were given. Lord Ashbourne and Gaelic. St. Patrick's Day was celebrated in Birmingham by a great demonstration in the Town Hall, held under the auspices of the United Irish League, the Irish National Foresters, and the Irish Institute. Canon Villiers presided, and he was supported by Lord Ashbourne, the Rev. B. J. Hogan, and others of the local and district clergy, Messrs. D. Lyons, H. E. Keating, and T. Connolly. The meeting was preceded by an organ recital. The Very Rev. chairman explained that he was acting for Father Hogan (president of the Irish Institute), who was suffering from the effects of an accident. The feast of St. Patrick had brought them all together, whether they were Hibernians, Gaelic Leaguers, Nationalists, or Sinn Feiners. (Loud and continuous applause.) He saw that he had touched the spot. Whatever they might be, they had come together for Ireland’s sake. They were out to-day for peace all the world over, peace in the political world and peace in the economic world : but they could have no peace sc long as Ireland was not at peace. The Irish question was the test question of peace all the world over. Something would have to be done for Ireland, and be done quickly. Lord Ashbourne then gave an address on the Irish

language and its importance in the work of rebuilding the nation. The earlier part of his lordship’s address was delivered in Gaelic, to enable him, as he said, to gather courage. He emphasised the urgent need for the cultivation of a knowledge of the Gaelic language,

and appealed to his • audience to do their , share in that way to set Ireland on her feet again.| The battle they were fighting was not so much for the body as for the soul of Ireland. | In the rush and turmoil of Irish politics that fact was hot always realised. • . ■’ A vote of thanks to Lord Ashbourne was proposed by Father Hanr'ahan. , . m 7.” ■-./‘"v The Rev. James O’Hanlon moved the following resolution, which was carried by acclamation—“ That this meeting of - the Irish of ; Birmingham, assembled for the celebration of the national feast, claims for Ireland a hearing at the Peace Conference, .and asserts her right, in justice, to self-determination, in common with the. other small nations of Europe ; and desires that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to • M. Clemenceau, President of the Peace Conference, President Wilson, and Mr. Lloyd George, Prime Minister of England.” O U .-• ; On the eve of St. Pal rick’s Day, the Irish people on Tyneside held their annual demonstration and concert in the Hippodrome Theatre, Newcastle. The theatre was crowded in all parts, and the proceedings were enthusiastic throughout. Mr. T. Hayes, 8.A., who presided, said that .of all the people clamoring for self-determination, none had a worthier claim than glorious Ireland. Her case was indisputable and unanswerable. No force would ever be able to prevent Ireland’s achieving her aim, and surely it was the bounden duty of all Irishmen to organise in order to secure that by united demand. Behind their unity they had the support of the great democracy of Great Britain, and they had, also the full knowledge that the Labor Party was with them, and would help them to attain their ambition. -Miss M. McDermott, who is the first woman speaker to address the annual demonstration, moved “ That this meeting, representative of the Irish race on Tyneside, endorses the demand of the Irish people for the right of self-determination, and pledges itself to give every legitimate support to this demand.” The resolution was carried with ■ cheers. Mr. J. R. Clynes, M.P., said that the spirit of Irish nationalism was ineradicable and indestructible, and it would never be satisfied until that degree of freedom for which Irishmen had lived and died was conceded. Some people had thought that . the way- to settle the Irish question was to make her more prosperous.' He believed the material prosperity of Ireland was never better than now, but it was at the very moment when her material advancement and prosperity were greatest that there was the deepest disgust with the methods of British government in Ireland, and greater determination than ever not to let the question rest until it was settled in accordance with the desires cf Irishmen. Some people feared that if Ireland got Home Rule and self-determination, that power might be abused to interfere with the faith of the Protestant minority in Ireland'. There ' was no more freedom-lov-ing people than the Irish Catholics, and though ■ they in former days in Ireland had suffered bitterly for their faith, they harbored no desire to interfere with the full freedom of conscience on the part of' other people. fV Mr. Chas.% Diamond and Mr. Win. O’Brien, sec-

retary of the Irish Labor Party and Trades Union Congress, also addressed the gathering. There were enthusiastic celebrations and demonstrations, also, at Sunderland, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other chief centres. , %'