The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-03-19
st. patrick's Day Fitting'y Gee
hratea by Appropriate
Exercises.
kasterly Address by James DOnavan
The Play Kathleen
MavOrncen
Well Presented by Home Talent
Large and Enthusiastic
Audience.

served IN Great Fails yesterday n III II
no exaggeration to say the celebration
eclipsed any former efforts in the line
here. There was no parade in the morn
ing as planned owing TO the disagrccablc
condition of the streets. But "a great
many attended high mass in the Catho-
lie church at 10 a. M. The services were
somewhat saddened for Father Dols
owing to the dangerous illness of one OF
the fathers at st. Peters mission. whose
death is hourly expected, and he cur
tailed the ceremonies some.
In the evening the opera house was
crowded. the attraction being an Grafton
by James Donovan and the presentation
Of kathleen Mavourneen" by home
talent. About $50 the exercises com
menced with an introductory address by
chairman in the absence of Thomas
Brady who was detained at home by i'll
ness. Mr.. Gilligan MADE a very fine
opening address. introducing Mr.. DOno-
van and explainei the objects Of the
meeting in Il forcible manner
Mr.. Donovan began by giving a sketch
of prehistoric times in Ireland so far as
known by historians of the Emerald isle.
He described the different races inhab-
ting the country until the Christian era,
from which time the authentic history
Of Ireland dates. Then until A. ID. 1913,
the time st. Patrick was carried captive
into Ireland. the speaker passed over.
briefly touching upon the customs and
religion Of the times. The pagan wOr-
ship was well seated at the time, though
the Gauls and British had some crude
notions of the Christian church in both
England and Ireland. Speaking Of st.
Patrick's arrival in ireland he said:
SUCH WAS THE CONDITION
Ot Ireland when we find a youthful boy,
captured by the maurauding tribes at
age Of l6. carried captive to Ireland by
Irish pirates. Arriving in Ireland, he
AS sold into slavery and in charge, as a
serf, of ilocks of sheep and cattle. Thus
he was seen daily attending to the low
ing herds, gathering them at nightfall
into their safe quarters, and at early
morn he was seen again attending to his
daily duties. Alone on the green hills
of Ireland for six long years. in medita-
non and deep thou ut, he solved the
problem of is after life. Shortly before
he departed from Ireland a vision from
Heaven appeared to him and directed
his wearied footsteps to "A port. where he
found a vessel bound for his " cOun-
try.
II MOST AUTHENTIC
Report hat we have of his early life is
that he was born A. ID. 3S7, at Bonaven:
that is, at B%oulognc, on the coast of
Picardy, then called Armorica. His
CalpuDlus. was a deacon: his
grandfather, Politus, was a priest; and
his mother. Conchessa. is said to have
"A near relative of st. Martin of Tours.
his return from Ireland he went to
Tours and spent four years at the school
pf st. Martin. From Tours he went to
spend a short time with his parents, and
while there visiting. had a dream in
which he beheld the Irish people ca ling
from beyond the sea te return again to
ireland and pass the remainder of his
days in their midst. This he interpreted
AS a call from God. In 41S he made a
visit to St. Gcrmanus, who had lately
been consrcrated Bishop of Auxere, and
by whose advice he vent to the famous
school OF the Island Of LerineB. Again
he returned to visit st. Germanus, who
his master in Spiritual life, and ut
solicitation he visited Rome in
i3l in company with a priest to bear
to the pope, of st. Patrick's
great excellence. He received from the
pope a commission to preach the gospel
to the Irish people, and with the bene-
diction OF Pope Celestine, set out to
his mission.
ON HIS RETURN TO IRELAND.
the death of Paladius was announced,
and st. Patrick was consecrated in his
stead by Amator, bishop OF Evereux.
lie landed in Ireland A. ID. 432 with a
companions. He found the people
be had 30 recently left as "a boy, given to
the worship Of the stars and adored
mountains. The hills and the mountains
we're the sanctuaries OF their gods where
they met for worship. There had been
Tor years previous a sacred notion among
the people Of Ireland that no fire be
upon Easter Sunday until after
the flames of that lighted in honor of
Baal should appear from the hill of
st. Patrick, in violation Of this
strong pagan notion, lighted the fire up
On Saturday and 81 aroused the incense
OF the king by the violation Of this pagan
that the king himself sought
the person who was so bold to VIC
late this sacred custom. Such was the
effect Of this act of st. Patrick's that
Immediately a discussion was arranged
between st. Patrick and the Druids
was to take place the next day at
Tara. st. Patrick, arriving at Tara
upon the following day with his COM
panions, chanting and singing hymns as
they went their way, net a vast con
Of people and there, for the first
upon the beautiful isle, in eloquent
was preached the true doctrine
Of Christ. Such was the influence OF
the exposition OF the Christian faith by
st. Patrick, that the chief poet
md Druid OF the kind became con-
erted to the Christian faith. Many
nllcua1 in tho rnn yarainp and 81 Dat