Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-09-29
A FEUD OF CENTURIES ENDED.


In an outlying district Of the counties of
Limerick and Tipperary there is a wild sec
ton Of country in which s.faction-6ghting'
has fingered longer than in other parts Of
Ireland. These fights differ widely from
those maintained in Ulster between Orange
men and CathOlics-which are quarrels of
race and religion-but are fights Of clans
IN which the Celtic blood alone prevails.
II is not like the feud Of the Corsican VEN
delta, which is fight to the death and grow
ing out Of the death Of member of one
side or the other, but originates cften in an
ordinary occurrence, such as ascnftie at a
fair or wake, in which the friends and
relatives of both men take part. The prac-
tlee is to be traced distinctly to the old clan
adhesion Of the early Irish times, but vari-
Gus canses have tended to break up this
senseless system, and in most parts Of Ire
land the diSsensions may be said to have
died out.
In the vicinity, however, Of the little
town or village of New Pallas, in the county
of Limerick, this practice of acknowledging
survived in all its ferocity until within a
few weeks since, when, at the little rural
church Of the place above named, a recon-
Citation toOkS place between the leaders.
AT that time a fraternity was effected by
the Oblate Fathers, religious order estab-
llshed in the vicinity of Dublin. These
fathers as missionary ,riests have recently
established themselves wherever they
deemed their services most needed, and in
all cases they are adapted to the locality
and their congregation. There are serv-
ices for classes, for men and women DIS
tinctly, and relatively to the temptations
and weaknesses which beset all in life.
Faction-fghting was the chief temptation
and weakness Of the population near New
Pallas. The Roman Catholic archbishop
Of Cashel had endeavored by all means in
his power TO arrest the practice, but in vain.
Anathemas had no effect. Magistrates
dealt with the offenders to the full
extent Of the law, but all
was unavailing. The Oblate Fathers
came to the rescue, and succeeded in what
all others failed in. On AIg. 20, which
was the Sabbath, we are told that some six
or seven thousand men, belonging to the
'Three-year olds@ and ''FOur-year-olds--
the two factions into which the population
is divided-met at New Pallas church.
After mass, one of the Oblate friars refer
red to the fierce "ructions" which had
kept the neighbOrhOOd in a condition of
civil war so long, and expatiated on the
sinfulness, folly and evil consequences of
such conduct, and then followed a remark
able scene. He called upon the leaders of
the two factions to come forward, and in
the presence of the multitude to take each
other by their hands, to swear in their own
names and in the names of their followers
to live in peace with one another in future.
The effect of the exhOrtations of the mis-
siOnary priests must have been electrical.
There in the mountains Of Munster, on
that calm Sunday morning, those turbulent
men grasped hands and promised that fac
tion-fghts should end. Half in penitence
and half in determination 20 forget old
feuds they renewed the old fraternal ties,
which We hope may continue.