Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-21

Last Monday, st. Patrick's Day, was
quite gala day in Island Pond, and
will long be remembered by the Irish
citizens of the place and by those who
witnessed the proceedings of the day.
The exercises began with services at
the Roman Catholic Church, after
which the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick
paraded the streets. The members
were clad in their regalia, and carried
their elegant new banner and flag,
presenting a neat, orderly and highly
creditable appearance. As the pro-
cession passed the Stewart House the
flags were dipped to Mr.. Richardson as
compliment in return for his kind
actions toward the Society MFR. Rich
ardson responded in few characters
tic remarks and was loudly cheered
In the evening the Island Pond Hall
was crowded to listen to lecture on
Lights and Shades of the Irish Char
acter", by the Rev. Father McKenna,
who, as Mr.. w. A. Richardson in pre-.
senting him to the audience said, is too
well known and too highly respected
to need any lengthy introduction.
Space will not permit what we shoull
like to give, verbatim report, but, in
substance, the Rev. gentleman placed
as the chief and foremost light in the
Irish character love for and tenacity
to her religion through adversely of
every description she clings to her faith.
The next light is her love for her ma
tive land surrounded by strangers,
in poverty and distress, the Irishman
still retains a love for old Ireland,
''where the grass grows green" The
purity and fidelity of the Irish women
was point on which the spea ker made
great stress ; divorces are unknown
among Irishmen. He advanced new
idea by defining the divorce system as
a modified form of Mormonsm. The
The indomitable courage of the Irish
man, he said, had become second
nature from long years of struggling
against enemies and prosecutors. The
generosity of the Irishman he dwelt
on as another of the good points, and
the native born wit and huInor COM
pleted the speakers list of the lights
of the Irish character. OF the shades
of the Irish character the first one was
disunion. This, he said, had been one
of the greatest curses of Ireland. A
great English orator has said "the day
that sees Ireland united, sees her Free"
In few we'll chosen words the speak
er delivered a graphic lecture on In
temperance, which he placed as a
dark spot on Irish character. Pug
nacity was another point; the Irish.
man, he said, was too ready for fight,
and hurt his reputation by always be-
ing in q row, just for love of sport.
Impulsiveness, acting first and think
ing afterwards was great fault of the
Irishman. Disloyalty, he brought for
ward as light rather than shade
the Irishman never admitted the right
OF foreign rule and was not dislo yal in
opposing it. The speaker gave his
hearers a bit OF advice as to their duty
as American citizens, and closed amid
hearty applause. People expected a
treat when Father McKenna was an
nounced us the speaker Of the day,
but the reality exceeded the anticipa-
ton. Such addresses and exercises are
a great benefit to all who have the
pleasure of listening to them, and we
cannot have too many of them. The
hall was Hastily decorated with flags,
and several visiting gentlemen were
on the platform. Bigelow's band was
present and gave several selections Of
appropriate music. One feature of
the day was the orderly, quiet way in
which it was observed, and the Irish
men OF Island Pond are to be congrat-
ulated on their successful observance
of st. Patrick's Day of 1884.