The Sun.
London, England, 1863-10-17 00:00:00

The Duke of Devonshire.

On Thursday last his Grace the Duke of Devonshire
honoured the Presentation Convent of Bandon, County
Cork, with a visit, and perhaps no more striking proof could
be given than the singular heartiness of his reception on
the occasion of the gratitude of the Irish heart towards its
real benefactors, without distinction of country, class, or
creed. The Bandon Convent stands on an elevation to the
north-west of the town, has a southern aspect, and com-
mands a most extensive and delightful view of the surround.
ing country. It was founded in 1829, through the generosity
of the late duke, who gave the grounds, four acres in ex-
tent (which are most tastfully laid out) rent free for ever,
together with an annual grant of £45, which has been con-
tinued by his successor. Here upwards of 500 children daily
receive the blessing of education at the hands of the good
sisterhood, who have dedicated their lives to the sublime
task of training the young mind in the paths of knowledge
and virtue. His Grace was accompaniedr.by his daughters,
Lady Louisa Cavendish and the Hon. Mrs. Bernard, and
was met at the gates of the convent (over which a
handsome arch had been erected) by the Very Rev. J.
O'Brien, P.P., and the Rev. T. Holland, and at the hall.
door by the Superioress and nuns, and immediately con-
ducted to the schools, where he was received with cheer-
ing by the assembled children. To look on so many hundred
intelligent and happy faces radiai.t with delight, and listen
to their protracted shouts of applause, one could not help
reflecting that this was no mere formal greeting got up for
the occasion, such as his Grace and other eminent men arc
too much accustomed to and know how to estimate, but a
spontaneous and irrepressible manifestation of gratitude
and affection, of which even a princely Cavendish might be
proud, as indeed it was apparent that he was. The lofty
and capacious school-room was spanned at the upper end
by three arches and tastefully decorated with festoons of
flowers and evergreens, while mottoes and devices appro-
priate to the occasion met the eye at every corner. Under
the central arch a chair surmounted by a harp, with Erin-
go-Bragh" had been placed for the distinguished visitor.
On his Grace being seated, the Rev. Mr. O'Brien in-
quired whether he would de them the honour of accepting
an address, which the sisters were desirous of presenting to
him on the occasion of his first visit to their community.
This having been cordially assented to, Mr. O'Brien said
that before the address was read he felt called upon to
make a few observations. He felt himself highly honoured
—the sisters who presided over the moral and religious
training of the children before him, felt themselves highly
honoured—by the visit he had condescended to pay them.
The children felt themselves proud to stand in the pre-
sence of their benefactor. They had all just cause for gra-
tude to his grace, for the convent had been the means
of doing an incalculable amount of good, and owed its exist-
ence to the princely munificence of the House of Cavendish.
He begged to inform his grace that nearly every Catholic
mother in Bandon had been educated in that convent; the
future mothers in Bandon he saw before him. His grace
would agree with him that the greatest blessing that he
could bestow on any town, or any land, was to have a well
educated motherhood to preside over their families, and that
greatest of blessings his gi ace's liberality enabled them to
enjoy. In proof of the superiority of the intellectual train-
ing imparted in their schools, it was sufficient to mention
that many of the children then present had greatly distin-
guished themselves at recent competitive examinations held
in the town hall, and had carried off first-class premiums.
The rev. gentleman's remarks, of which we have given a
mere outline, was listened to by his grace with a marked
degree of interest.
Miss Annie M'Carthy, one of the pupils of the school,
an extremely interesting and intelligent young lady, now
stepped forward and read the following address :
My Lord Duke—Separated from the outward world, and
but little acquainted with the conventional forms and usages
by which suitably to addr, ss your grace, we earnestly crave,
and feel assured you will Accord, your gracious indulgence.
In our own simple way therefore we beg to convey to your
grace our deeptelt appreciation of this august visit, in which
Sou have condescended to include our hurable community;
and we eagerly embrace the auspicious occasion to proclaim
our inexpressible gratitude to your grace for continuing
without stint the munificent favours conferred upon us by
your great and noble. hearted predecessor. What then re-
mains for us further to say, save that, our prayers shall
weary Heaven to perpetuate your illustrious line in un-
broken splendour; and for yourself, my lord duke, we shall
pray—oh, how fondly and fervently I—that you be long
spared to adorn the lofty eminence you enjoy, and that
when the term of life's close shall have come, toll of years,
and honours, and virtues, you be translated amid the exult-
ing hosts of heaven to the realms of the blest !—Signed by
THE SUFERIORESS AND NUNS OF THE CONVENT,

The beautifully distinct and expressive manner in which
this address was read by Miss M'Carthy drew frm his
grace the flatteling compliment, "You are an honour to
your name and a credit to Bandon."

His Grace said,—Ladies, I have to offer my best thanks
for the beautiful address which you have presented to me.
The reception I have met with here to-day has taken me by
surprise. I certainly was not prepared for such a reception
at all. It has been my pride at all times to promote the cause
of education wherever I move, and I have always felt a
deeep interest in these convent schools. I have to present
my grateful acknowledgments to your gifted parish priest
for the kind manner in which he has alluded to my ances-
tors, and to the slight acts of liberality which it has been a
pleasure to me to perform in connection with this convent,
and which I hope to continue for the future. I coincide in
everything he has so eloquently said on the subject of edu-
cation, and feel that you are indeed engaged in a mighty
work, in which I wish you every success. His grace c n-
eluded by assuring them that he had derived great gratifica-
tion from everything he had seen and heard, and by again
thankimg them for the warm reception they had given him.
At the conclusion of his grace's reply the following verses
were sung by the entire school with a most pleasing effect.
They were composed for the occasion by Miss M'Carthy,
who read the address, a young lady 14 years of age :
This is a day of jubilee,
A happy, happy day.
How I leased are we, his grace to see,
And greet him on his way.
Chorus—This is a day of jubilee,
A happy, happy day;
This is a day of jubilee,
A happy, happy day.
To him the utmost praise is due
Who labours for the weal,
And happiness of fellow- men
With never tiring zeal.
Chorus—This is a day of jubilee, &c.
And those who own his gentle sway,
How happy is their lot;
No terror of "the landlord" dwell's
Within their peaceful cot.
Chorus—This is a day of jubilee, &c.
Our princely Benefactor,
To him our thanks we give—
May God reward his generous deeds,
And happy may he live
Chorus—This is a day of jubilee, &c.

Having bowed his acknowledgments, his grace entered
into conversation with the clergymen and nuns, and with
Lady Cavendish and Miss Bernard, minutely inspected va-
rious articles of crochet work, lace and embroidery done by
the children, which were very much admired. Here Miss
Minnie Brennan, an interesting and artless young creature
of perhaps five years of age, presented his grace with a bou-
quet of beautiful flowers. His grace having accepted the
gift shook hands with the juvenile donor. Three cheers
having been given for "our noble duke," for Lady Louisa
Cavendish, and for the Hon. Mrs. Bernard, the Nation al
Anthem was sung, and with the warmest expressions of
goodwill to all, the distinguished visitors took their depar-
ture.—Cork Examiner.