The Sun.
London, England, 1855-12-27 00:00:00

IRELAND.

LIN, DEC. 36.
Christmas being essentially DUB -door festival, is
fortunately but little affected by atmospheric changes,
so that our present cold east winds and drenching
showers have not interfered very materially with the
comforts of the season, which have also resisted both
the war and the income tax, and probably no Christ-
mas-day has been enjoyed with better cheer in Dublin
for many a day than yesterday. The usual civic alms
had been distributed to the various charitable institu-
tions of the city, without religious distinction, and the
inmates of the North and South Dublin Workhouses,
and of the Mendicity institution, were regaled with good
Christmas fare, in spite of the grumbling of a few econo-
mical poor-law guardians. The various Protestant and
Roman Catholic places of worship were well attended,
and the L'ird Mayor, according to ancient custom, pro-
ceeded in state to Christchurch Cathedral, accompanied
by the civic officers, and by several members of the
corporation.
As the Irish newspapers cling to the old privilege of
dropping a publication for Christmas-day, several of the
or.linary sources of news are wanted this roorniug.
The Cork .Examiner gives the following details of tho
effect of the late gales on the southern coast :
" Youghal, Friday Morning.— During Wednesd night and the whole of Yesterday and last night we haday a
very heavy gale from the south, and the sea broke with
great violence along the coast in this neighbourhood. It
is probable that it will be found to have resulted in great
injury to shipping and loss of life. About two o'clock
this morning the John Wesley, of Bristol, Williams mas-
ter and owner, a schooner of about 150 tons, was driven
ashore on the long sandy beach outside Youghal, about
a mile beyond the point called Clay Castle. She was on
her voyage home from Callao with a cargo of guano,
and had put into Queenstown for orders. She left that
port on Thursday last for London, and after being eight
days at sea, she lost her rudder, and was driven back
no where she struck. Fortunately, however,
pwa, the men having all got safely ashore.
to
life lascelost
This day the gale has subsided, but the sea is still very
heavy,. and as the vessel is a good deal strained, her
bottom and bulkheads being injured, it is feared, unless
toa the
the sea moderates, that she will go to pieces A body
i
of the coast guard hasgi bees
rote inc t attendance,
ren-
der assistance andgive p
vessels have been driven ashore.
protection.
n e
of
them both
W In Dungarven twoson
John Bull, a collier, the property of a shopkeeper re-
siding in Youghal named Veale. She was returning
from Cardiff with a cargo of coals,
Sheand was driven into
anchored in the
that port by stress of weather.
pool, when, gale, she dragged
her anchor, struck on the bar, an
from the violence
hasofdth
Newport, to
other was the Elizabeth and William, of
No life was lost
Swansea, with a cargo of copper ore. .i.
e since sunk. The
lost in Ballymacorta Bay, a small inlet about two miles
in either case. It is also stated that a vessel has be en
south of Dungarvan.”

The Cork, Reporter, referring to the Government pro
vision contract, says :

_ ..
" A proposal has been made on the part of the Admi-
ralty to the contractors of last season whose provisions
have been objected to, offering to allow the pork, con-
demned as measly or diseased, to be replaced by an equal
quantity of sound meat, newly made up, at the contrac-
tors' expense ; and, in the cage of pork not rejected for
dis•ase, but because of rust or loss of pickle, to suffer
the contractors to replace it in like manner, Government
paying half the difference bet Ween the value of new and
old provisions. This offer, we understand, is under the
consideration of the contractors as yet."
On Monday the funeral of a Roman Catholic took
place in the churchyard attached to St. Michan's
chuThe rch, in this city, when a singular scene /
oPcncrurrhed. sexton, acting on the orders which
he bad received, refused to allow the Roman Catholic
clergyman to read the burial service over the body,
adjoiningestreet, and there,
deceased, read the e
surrounded priest
by wentthe
fri
inetnodtshoef
tb
an
d t
h
pre-
scribed prayers.
A general riot took place in the streets of Belfast on
Saturdayl evening between the men of the Cheshire and
the Down regiments of militia. As usual, it commence.'