The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-03-18


phenomenon. Some asCrlbe lt 10 our natural an-
tIpatny and opposition to England and everything
Engsn;. others again allege the strong conser-
THE IRISH CHARACTER,
and It's veneraii0n for ancient rites ana usages,
merely because they are ancient, while English his.
torlans land philosophers love to attribute 1t to the
natural obstinacv and wr0ngheadedness which
they say Is inherent In the Irish. do not deny that
among the minor and human causes that Influenced
the religious action OF the irish people, there may
have been hatred and deteslatlon OF England. The
tested hands that had robbed Ireland OF her
crown; 1t was offered at the point OF the sword
that had shed (0ien treacner0usly and foully) the
blood of her Dravest sons; the nauseous dose
OF Professionalism was mixed 10 the bowl that
All nave with The s peo
pie; and also admit that Church ana religion
claiming to he OF God with such dlvinely ap-
pointed head the sanity Henry the Eighth, such
o nursing mother as the cnaste elizabeth, such
gentle missionaries as the humane and TENDER
hearted Oliver Cromwell, may have presented dini-
culties to people whose wits were sharpened by
adversely, ana who were not wholly Ignorant Of the
traditions OF their native land.
We may also admit TO o slight extent the con.
servatism OF the Irish character and It's veneraton
for antiquity. Oh, how much our fathers had TO
love In their ancient religl0ni Their history began
with their Christianity; their gories were all inter-
was inscribed win the emblem OF their faith,
"the green, immortal shamrock;' the brightest
IL collar SC
In the midst Of the monks, and clothed with their
hoiy habit, on an Island OF Lough Ennel, near Null
lingar, in Meath; Brian, "the great king,n upn0d-
ing the crucinx before his army on the morning OF
Cionlar expiring In It's embraces before the sun
set the brave Murkertach 0'Brien answering fear
lessly the threat Of william Rufus-for when the
English King said looking towards Ireland, II Will
bring niher my ships, and pass, over and conquer
the land" "Hdth the King,D asked the Irish
monarch, Gin his great threatenngs SAID, If It
please Codr" And when answered no, ''Then tell
him." exclaimed the Irish hero, IL fear hm not
since he puttetn his trust In man and not In God;'
Roderick O'COnnor, the last high king" OF
Ireland, closing his career Of disaster and OF glory
among the canons or the Abbey OF Cong; saint ana
bard hero, all alike presented themselves to the
national mind surrounded by the halo OF that re-
ligion which the people were now called upon to
abandon and despise. Powerful as was the appeal
OF history and antiquity cannot give 1t any great
weight III the preservation oil Ireand's Cath0llcity.
do not believe that adherence to ancient usage be-
cause Of It's ambiguity Is prominent feature OF
Irish character. We are by no means so c0nserva-
tive as our English neighbors. 1t is worthy OF re-
mark that usages and customs once common to
both countries and long since abandoned and for
gotten In Ireland christmas waits" for instance,
harvest home feasts, May-p0le dauces and the keb
are st kept up faithfully and universally throughout
England. The bells which, In Catholic times called
the people TO early mass on sunday morning. are