CHRISTCHURCH CELTIC CLUB

New Zealand Tablet, 12 June 1919, Page 13

CHRISTCHURCH CELTIC CLUB

At the meeting of the Christchurch Celtic Club, held on Tuesday evening, May 27, Father J. C. Murphy, 8.A., delivered an interesting address descriptive of his recent visits to Ireland on the occasions of his being granted leave from duty as -chaplain to. the N.Z. Expeditionary Forces. In the course of his remarks Father Murphy referred to the growth of the national movement, not only in the South of Ireland, .where practically the whole population is Sinn Fein,• but .also in the North, where the movement for the emancipation of Ireland is making rapid progress. The brutal methods Jof the authorities .in their 'i endeavors to enforce “law and order” were scathingly illustrated ; and attention was drawn to the unsuccessful attempt by Lord French to suppress the Sinn Fein Party by ordering the arrest and imprisonment of the leaders on fictitious and ungrounded charges. The rev. lecturer remarked that the strength of the party was such that fresh leaders immediately stepped into position, and the movement continued to progress. The religious, social, and industrial conditions were alluded to, -as was also Ireland’s prospects under her own government. As. illustrative of the growth of Irish sentiment in song, several of the latest compositions were rendered bv Father Murphy and Miss M. G. O’Connor, Miss K. O’Connor playing the accompaniments. IX j|