Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-19
WITHOUT BRASS BANDS. The Local Irish Societies Celebrate St
 Patrick's Day.

The Local Irish Societies Celebrate St
 Patrick's Day.
 A small piece of bright green ribbon tied in bow knot to the chandelier was the only decoration in Grand Army hall when I5O members of the local Irish societies assembled Saturday evening to celebrate St Patrick's day. The old way of observ- ing the day with brass bands and parade in full regalia has given place in this city to more quiet celebration. For several years there has been no demonstration, local society simply giving an entertain nent or lecture in the evening. Saturday evening the celebration took on the char acter of an informal banquet andenter- tainment. The affair was in charge of the three local divisions of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and among the guests were officers of the Young Mems Catholic Liter ary society, the w. R.C.T. A. and B. society, and the Thomas Francis Meagher club. Thomas Luddy of the First division, A. Q: H., was master of ceremonies and presided with becoming dignity. He occupied conspicuous seat on the platform and at his right sat w. O. Keenan of the Second division, on his left Mortimer Doran and around about him, J. J. Mcdonald, Emmet F Riordon, Henry Byrnes and Dr J. F. Hayes
 As soon as the company had assembled MT Luddy opened the ceremonies in mas -erly and eloquent address, brief and con ,se but abounding in patriotism and noble
 entiments II am impressed with this Occasion" said MT Luddy, as he rose to his feet and with a graceful gesture got the at tention of the assembled company, 'par- ticularly on account of the day and the events which it commemorates." MT Lud- dy spoke of the festival, telling in brief why Irishmen should keep alive the mem ory of St Patrick and that while there was ao pomp or display the Irishman's love for ais native land was by no means waning. The occasion was no less impressive and the speaker was glad to notice that Irish men never had keener sense of appro- priate things and higher regard for patri- otism as expressed in sentiment rather than in the gorgeousness of parade or the blare of brass bands. ''lrishmen, continued the speaker, 'sshould love to re- call, to repeat, to hand down from one to another the glorious deeds of virtue, of valor and of patriotism for which their an cestors were so noted in order that the rising generation, the Irish Americans of to day, may be inspired with the same zeal | for their country's welfare that has ever characterized their fathers"
 William C. Keenan was the next speaker. He joined with MT Luddy, in expressing himself as favorable to this kind of cele- bration and in speech of fifteen minutes he said many pleasing things in his very entertaining way, sitting down amid an outburst of applause. He told the com pany that he proud to be among them
 md prouder still to be there as a member the noble Order of Hibernians
 [bernianism, said Mir Keenan, is something
 lofty, something pure, its objects are te | +l ;sb tho l.
 world over to respect and cause to be re | spected our holy religion. A man could
 not be a Hibernian without being Roman
 Catholic in good standing and although {
 few years ago the A. o. H. was drowned
 upon by some of our sister cities of Con
 4ecticut the order goes ill a body to receiv
 the Holy Euchrist, wearing their full re
 5alia. The speaker then compliments
 he Old Temperance society and the Youn Mems Catholic Literary association for tn Aoble manner in which they, during try
 ,ng times kept afoat the banner of Iris nationality.
 J. J. Mcdonald recited ''Fontenoy e1iciting loud and prolongued applause. Emmet F. Riordan responded ln behal
 of the Literary society. He said that s
 mnch had been said that the subject ha
 been practically exhausted and that ther was little left for him to say. He spoke i
 flowing terms of the Ancient Order of H r bernians who were the promoters of tn , occasion. % John H. Moran pleased the company
 his recitation of William Collins poeI Decoration day
 The programme now drifted into an in promptu entertainment, in which nearl : everybody took part. Those whose basf
 fitness kept them from singing or givir
 a recitation recovered from their embarras $ ment at the refreshment table which W, $ oountifully supplied with edibles. Dr J. l I Hayes recitation of 'The Irish Banner i vas the feature of the evening and con o pliments were showered upon the docte | tt it's conclusion. The entertainmer e would not have been complete without D. <. Casey's rendering of "The Old Bourene
 and M. J. Nelligan and James Keene
 played an important part, favoring tf | company with selections OH the piano an |. siolin. There were many others who col i cributed much to the occasion, which wi . long be remembered in this city.