The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-10-01
IDEAL IRISH WILL GE

An Interesting Sketch of the Irish Exhibit
a, at the Columbian Exposition.
Miss Mary Josephine Onahan, the
brilliant daughter Of Hon. J. Onahan,
has recently contributed the following
sketch Of the Irish exhibit at the Worlds
Fair to the columns Of the Chicago
Herald:
The truth of the old proverb that the
real and the ideal are seldom twin-born
is once more exemplified by the accom-
pan ,ing picture, supposed to be an Irish
industrial village. It is the plan Of the
one to be erected by the Irish Home In
dustries Association at the Worlds Fair
in Chicago in 1898 With it's gabled tur-
rets and ivy-clad cottages it is indeed
village in Arcadia and not in Ireland
Ireland and Arcadia how wide apart, as
many disheartened traveller can testify
but in it's purpose and it's attractive
ness at least it will be one Of the most
interesting of all the exhibits on Midway
plaisance.
The architect is Lawrence A. Melon
nell, % Lower Pembroke street, Dublin
He has been engaged by Lady Aberdeen
and the committee, as soon as the plans
are agreed to, to proceed to Chicago and
have the work carried out under his per-
sonal SUPPLEMENTARY. The whole power
and influence of the Irish Home Indus
tries Association are centred in the
gifted woman, Lady Isabel Gordon, who
stands at it's head. The name of the
countess OF Aberdeen is one, indeed, not
unfamiliar even to American ears, as her
visit of year ago can testify. In Ire
that name is as familiar and as loved as
the music of Tom Moore's melodies or
the songs of Father Prout-of those
wondrous Bells of Shandon
That sound so grand ON >
The pleasant waters of the River Lee.
AS wife of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
and lady of the castle, she with her hus-
band, often proved staunch friend to the
Irish people, and their love for her was
shown in their heartfelt grief at her de-
parture. "rhe castle" had always stood
to the Irish mind for something vile and
ignoble; it was the token and badge of
slavery that they wore, and accordingly
the castle people had been always cor
daily detested. The Aberdeens were
the one exception. When they left Ire
land in 1889. the people of Dublin turned
out on masse to do honor to them; they
took the horses out Of their carriages;
they wept and they shouted and implored
them to come back to them again. Lady
Aberdeen had won their hearts. And
her interest did not cease when she left
Ireland. Rather it became deeper, more
earnest and more active.
While she was in Ireland she ha u made
it her duty to see the lives Of the people,
especially Of the poor people. She found
that agriculture and that of very poor
sort usually-was the only occupation to
which they could turn. Women especi-
ally were at loss for something to do.
They were many of them active, intelli-
gent and, willing, but when their small
housework was done they could only
spend their days in idleness. The Coun-
tess noticed that in small way the Sis
ters of the Irish converts had tried to
employ them at the making Of laces and
embroideries, and, while the results we're
small, they we're good. Irish fingers
once set to work are nimble enough. So
the Countess undertook to organize Irish
industries on large scale and raise the
making of laces and embroideries into a
national occupation for Irish women. 4
There was time when the women OF
Ireland made laces and embroideries
that were the admiration of the world.
The patterns they used still exist in the
old books, and are many Of them as
beautiful as they are quaint. These
patterns we're got out and the movement
was begun. The Countess used her
great social prestige to get many eminent
people of all parties into her society,
which is called "The Irish Home Indus
tries Association" Politics was excluded
from the association, whose sole business
was to help the poor to help themselves.
This association which started in 1887
has depot in London and another in
Dublin. 1t has a powerful social back
ing. It has earnest secretaries who ira
vel all through Ireland taking patterns
to Irish homes, teaching Irish fingers
how to follow the patterns, collecting the
laces and embroideries and paying for
them. The association was not organ
lied to make money It is only bust
ness-]ike effort to increase the happiness
and usefulness of poor people.
AS these goods were new to the market
the Countess and her friends have had to
introduce them. They have made the
Celtic patterns popular in London, and,
as the real merit of the Irish product has
been shown, the things woven at the fire.
sides of Irish cabins are in demand. AL