The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-09-14
|RISHMEN ON SPANISH SOIL.
a Brief Description Of. Their Mill
tary Organizations and Educa
tional Institutions.
THE SPANISH PENAL DAYS.

THE SPANISH PENAL DAYS.
The Exile Home Of Several Mem
bers Of the 0'Sulllvan Beare
| Family.
The connection between Spain and
Ireland dates backward for many a year.
In days gone by Spanish sails were
often seen around the Western and
South western coasts of Ireland. Not
only was there thriving trade between
both countries at the time, but many
Spaniards settled down in Ireland and
intermarrled with the natives, proof of
| which lies in the fact that even to-day
one may meet in the streets of Galway
or. in the Claddagh of the old town fair
c0lleens who have all the raven locks,
the Olive-colored cheeks, and the Ian
gushing eyes Of the senorltas of the
southern peninsula.
Dingle, t,o, used to have its Spanish
colony; while Spanish Ireland and
Valentia Harbo1 still bear In their
names close relationship with the chi-
valrous land Of the Cid. Gaelic bards
who sang of the lordly O'Driscolls and
the martial Mace Carthys, whose domin-:
ion ranged along the white foaming
coast, were careful to speak in their
verse of the ''long-masted galleps." and
'noble fleets of wlne,'' bearing down on
the coast from the vineyards of Spain.
Throughout the Penal Days the Spanish
traders used to bring back with them q
freight of the Wild Geese who fought
and bled for the Spanish Standard, or
pilgrims bound for the shrine Of Santi-
ago at Compostella. Well and Loyalty
did these Irish serve under the flag of
the Philips. The Irish levies in the
Spanish service numbered several regi-
ments, one Of which was known as
III Hibernia. and another lion ia., =
SO true was Iha IFis heart to Spzfll tai ttlllatt
on one occasion thousand Or so of our
fellow countrymen who were serving
in the English army under Stanley re-
fused to turn their swords against the
| Spaniards in Holland. Nor were the
! Spaniards callous to such manifesto
t1ons of friendship and loyalty; for
Spain was the first country that well
coined the Irish to It's shores and pro-
vided them with the education denied
them at home. The first Of the many
Irish colleges founded on the Continent
was that at Salamanca, established in
the sixteenth century. After Sala
manca we find seminarles at Madrid,
Alcala, Valladolid and Seville, where
Irish talent was nurtured, and where il
bl0ssomed for many and many a year.
These institutions were supported
partly by the Crown Of Spain and partly
by the contributions of Irish merchants
and the officers Of the Irish Brigade re-
siding in Spain. II is a curious fact
that the Sovereign Pontlffs granted IN
those days a special privilege to the
fishermen of the seaboard provinces in
which the Irish colleges were situated,
whereby permission was given to fish
on six Sundays or holidays in the year,
on condition that the profits went to
the support of these establishments.
A writer in the Ecclesiastical Record"
gave some time ago particulars of Pope
Plus VS. grant of permission to the
fishermen of Andalusia to pursue their
avocations on certain days for the
benefit of the Irish College Of Seville,
| where, by the by, the Irish merchants
Of the city were accustomed to drown
the trefoil In Spanish wines on every
recurring Patrick's Day.
THE IRISH COLLEGE OF MADRID.
The Irish College Of Madrid was
founded In the year 1920. One OF its
rectors was Don Dermisio O'Brien,
chaplain to Philip ". It had long
and successful career, but it is now no
longer the property Of the Irish nation.
The Irish College of Alcala was estab-
lished in 1857 by Baron George Paz, Of
Silveria, who gave it the interest of
e575s. It was incorporated with the
famous university founded bY the great
Cardinal Ximinez. In which the grand
PolygIot was complied. The Irish in
fstitution had for its object the educa-
lion Of students from the North of Ire
land. Strict order, it seems, was by no
means observed within its precincts,
owing, probably, TO the peculiar custom
that prevailed. according to which the
alumni were privileged to elect their
own rectorsa procedure which pro-
duced much discord III the ranks. In
1879 the bishops Of Ireland were anxious