The Irish standard., 1893-04-29
THE IRISH VILLAGE MAIDENS.
They Were Selected and Brought to the
World, Fair by Lady Aberdeen.


has arrived in town all the way from the
banks Of the Shannon to show the visi-
tors to the Worlds Fair that Irish girls
can do other things. than smash the
hearts of all the boys in the baropy
around them, Gays the Chicago Herald.
Miss Murphy did not c me alone. She
had for companions sixteen Of the sweet
est and brightest colleens that ever
tipped toe in an Irish jig. They are
called Lady Aberdeen's girls and they
come to take the various places assigned
them in the Irish village at Midway plais-
ance. There, are among them lacemak-
ers, spinners, dairymaids and knitters.
They are not only experts in the differ
emit branches which they represent, but
they are, every one of them, just like the
maidens whom young Irishmen used to
have in mind whenever they heard poor
"Peek-a-Boo'' Scanlan in his palmy days
sing "Sweet Molly Or
In the choosing Of the girls to come to
the fair Lady Aberdeen thought it just
as well incidentally to have an exhibit of
Irish beauty. And that is how it. comes
to pass that these Irish girls are as
pretty as pictures.
First and foremost there is Miss Muir
ply. Of course she is not the only lace
maker in Limerick. Everybody knows
that Limerick lace is to be found in the
finest houses in every land beneath the
sun. No one girl could make it all and
there are hundreds of young women
whose deft fingers ia .hion it in Limerick.
But all the girls over there give the
palm to Miss Murphy. The bard of Tho
mond has sung her praises and she is
known through Munster for her fairy
lingering. It was but natural then that
Lady Aberdeen should have heard of
her, so she was put on the list for a trip
to America and she gladly consented, for
she rightly thought it pride and an
honor to represent the good old town of
Limerick and it's lacemakers.
There are three dairymaids, Kate
Barry, Maria Connolly and Johannah
Dougherty. They came from the Mum
ster dairy school in Cork and they will
dole out dainty little pats" of butter
that "melts like honey in your mouth"
made from the milk of real Kerry COWS,
half a-dozen of which are to be brought
over one of these days from the McGilli-
cuddy's reeks, within shout of the
lakes of Killarney. One Of the girls will
make the white milk fow," bringing
back old times to the Irish exilee, who
are sure to be always as hand, by singing
for an accompaniment, 1.-The Pretty Girl
Milking Her Cow" or "Rory be Aisy,
Don't Taze Me No More"
Maggie Dennehy is the knitter. She
halls from Valencia, County Kerry, that
town in the next parish to America where
the Atlantic cable ends.
Ellen Ahern is as famous in the County
Cork as Ellie Murphy is in the County
Limerick. She is Iackmaker, too. Her
native town is youghal, the spot where
Sir Walter Raleigh, whose residence still
stands there, planted the first potato
and is noted for it's REPRESENTATION lace, :"
SO called because it was at the local
Presentation convent that the industry
las first started; moro than a century
ago.
By the way, it was here that Sir Wall
ter Raleigh's valet nearly drowned him
when he first saw him smoking a pipe
Sir Walter, it was, who introduced to-
bacco as we'll as potatoes into Ireland,
and his valet thought he was on fire
when he saw him taking Whit of the
dhudeen. The presentation lace is much
priced everywhere and it is regarded as
certain that Miss Ahern will widen the
market for it.
In Annie Gillespie possibly the great
est interest will be conferred. She is the
Donegal spinner, and Mr.. Hatfield, Lady
Aberdeen's manager, says it is sweeter
than listening to Nightingale to hear
Miss Gillespie singing "Shule Aroon,"
keeping time with the whlrr of her
wheel.
County Monaghan is represented by
Bridget Flynn and Kate KelGday. The
two chief towns of Monaghan are Clones
and Carrickmacross. Miss Flynn is
called the Clones crochet. maker and
Miss Kelliday the Carrickmacross lace
maker. They are both wonderfully skill
full and do excellent work. Miss Cos
grove and Miss Dease are'from Ireland
rhey fashion embroidery that is said to
be marvelously beautiful. Miss Goggin
comes from Dublin. She will be in
charge of the beg oak department. In
the boys of Ireland oak black as ebony
with age is being constantly found. It
is carved into Irish embleme, which
bring high price from American tour
lists. Miss Goggin expects to do big
<rodo for aho haa three assistants Miss