The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-01-24
From Our Own Correspondent
OUR IRISH LETTER.

DUBLIN, Dec. 29th, 1874.
We have had, on the whole, splendid Christ
mas weather. Such weather as one often reads
of but seldom experiences in actual life.
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and st.
Stephens Day it froze, not too hard !; the roofs
Of the houses and the fields were hoar and
the air was remarkably clear and crisp. 1t
was pleasant to 60 to Midnight or six O'Clock
Mass, and thousands went to both Masses in
all the churches of this city and of all the other
cities Of Ireland. Indeed, the religions oharac-
ter of the festival was kept up in the ira
ditional manner everywhere; and that is say
ing good deal. We have not yet in this
country, thank God, come to regard Christmas
as time merely for eating and drinking and
making merry. There was good deal of all
this also amongst all classes; for the poor in
the workhouses and the various charitable in
situations were, on the whole, not neglected
They were provided with meat dinners and
other luxuries; and the Mendicity Institution,
the Sick and INDECENT Roomkeepers' Society,
the Society of st. Vincent de Paul, and hum
dreds of charitable individuals, cleric and lay,
funted ont and comforted the deserving poor
in the streets and alleys. 1t was the same,
have reason to believe, throughout the whole
country. On st. Stephens Day it is customary
to indulge in out of door amusements, and
thousands frequented the ponds in the Phoenix
Park for the purpose of skating. As usual,
there were some immersions and more than
one narrow escape from drowning. The dark
aide of the picture remains to be described.
Some of the papers say that there was little or
no drunkenness during the Christmas holidays;
and. indeed, I myself did not witness much
during ramble through the streets on Christ
mas Day and the evening of the day following.
But find that the police nevertheless arrested
nearly 200 persons for drunkenness and that
these included many women. It is certain,
that these were only the worst
cases, and that some drank themselves to
death. A dozen sudden deaths are reported as
having occurred in the city on Saturday, and
several of these were undoubtedly due to
undue indulgence in spirituous liquors. The
temperance societies have been very active
but their efforts, on the whole, seem to have
had but q trifing effect in resisting the ravages
Of the Drink Demon. Father Robert Kelly, of
the Society of Jesus, proposed through his ex-
cellent periodical, the illustrated Monitor, q
g truce" in accordance with which one found
himself not to enter public house on Christ
mas Eve, Christmas Day, and st. Stephens
Day; and many persons kept this promise
'eligiously and thus spent hsppy Christmas.
OF Catholic items there are some this week
If interest and one at least of painful interest.
His Grace, the Archbishop of Cashel, is
eriously ill. 1t is, indeed, beginning to be !
doubtful whether he will recover. He has for
! long time been in delicate health. Some
weeks since he became very i'll. Afterwards
le rallied, but now again the news is that he
s PROSTATE and that great anxiety is felt
here anent by his people. On many grounds
lis Graces death would be great calamity.
IS churchman he has the highest reputation,
nd is respected by Professionals as we'll as
catholics for his high personal character, his
loquence, his learning, and the dignity of his
emesnour. In politics he does not interfere
cry often, and when he does interfere he does
OF often go, if he ever goes, on the wrong
ide. A Professor In His Grace's College in
'hurles, the Rev. Mr.. Ryan, has published q
cry able Reply to Mr.. Gladstone's Expostu-
ltion." Tho Catholic Union of Ireland has
Established a lending library and reading
oom=-a sort of club, in fact-for the Catholic
'orking men of all classes in Dublin. In
ralee, county Kerry, many Catholic Homo
ulers refuse TO join the local branch of the
MON because The O'Donahue, NJ. p, is q !
ember of the Council. Father Matt Keefe,
p, Aughaboe, Queens county, and diocese
7 Ossory-who was o. candidate with DIR. !
oran (the present Bishop, for the bishoPric /
: that diocese and is not to be COMPOUNDED &
it'll his unhappy relative, the Rev. Robert
'Keefe, the suspended P. P. of Callan, county ,
ilkenny-is engaged in final effort to obtain !
nds for the completion of his new parish /
lurch-new st. Canioes-whioh lie being I