Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-07-08

Irish boys ana girls how TO work to best
advantage with their hands. 1t has or
ganized the working people of many coun-
ties, and taught them lace-making, dairy
farming, making, wood-carving,
shirt making, knitting, weaving and many
other trades. Moreover, it has helped the
workers to find a market for their prod
ucts, and has now two large stores, one in
London and the other in Dublin, handling
exclusively the handiwork of the pupils
and dependents of the association. These
stores are not only self-supporting, but
last year were able to turn over to the as
sociaton profit of s25, 600, and this money
WAS used in extending the organization SO
as to give much larger number of needy
people the benefits of its teaching and
help.
The other village, known as the Dro-
ghe,la castle, was built by Mrs. Alice Hart,
for similar purpose Ten years ago two
English women journeyed through parts
of Ireland expressly to observe the condi-
tion of the people. They travelled not by
railway, but by the familiar jaunting cart,
which passed through the highways and
stopped at the doors of the houses and
humble homes of the poor. They saw so
much poverty and suffering, 80 much will
ingness to work IL only the opportunity
could be found, SO much heroism and self
sacrifice and at the same time somanydeft
fingers that could work to good advantage
if they had but the chance, that the hearts
of the English women were touched and
they resolved to do what they could, be it
I...Y ,,1t ,tt.f ha nAn
Of those unhappy people. They returned
to London, organized an association,
sought assistance and found it, and speed
lily opened schools and factories and ar
ranged for markets. In ten years they
have been able to put thousands of idle
hands TO work and to bring peace and
comfort into homes where poverty and
hopelcssness formerly reigned.
These Irish villages are so much alike
that to describe one Of them is to describe
both. Taking the one nearest the gate,
we pay a quarter for ticket which admits
us to everything in the enclosure. FIRST
We enter charming reproduction of far
famed Muckross abbey. Here the cloisters
are cool, the grass grows green in the
church ward, a tree stands within, and
ones thoughts are of the graves and the
heroes cf bygone days. But the Irish vii
lage is nothing if not practical. and the
visitor must not linger long in the clois-
ters. There is much else to see. Emerg-
ing from these sacred precincts one finds
himself confronted by an array of real
Irish cottages in which the inhabitants of
this busy little community ply their in
iustries.
Here is one large room which takes us
cross the sea to the shores of the Emerald
isle There is a turf-fire in the chimney,
and over it hangs the potato pot. The
hare wood floor is scrupulously clean.
Neatness but not luxury are visible every
where. In one corner, near latticed
window, sits Ellen Aher, who was trained
1t the Presbyterian convent of loughal to
make the fine needle point lace which is
perhaps the most admired Of all the prod
ucts of Ireland. She works as fast as she
can from early morning till late at night,
but is unable to supply the demand. Near
by Kate Kennedy illustrates the making
Of applique lace as il is done in the cot
tape homes of Carrickmackrnss, and
Mary Flynn, little farther along, is hard
MT work upon the fine crochet stun made
by the poor women in the vicinity OF
Clones, County Monaghan, and already
we'll known and much admired in Amer
lea. Ellie Murphy, one of the bonniest Of
the p.any bonHy Irish lasses in the village,
shows how Il G pretty light Limerick lace
is made, which Is fast regaining its old
time popularity since Mrs. We're O'Brien
and other ladies and gentlemen have made
efforts to improve the designs.
The Irish girls are SO fresh of fa,e, so
winsome Of manner and yet so earnest In
their work that one dislikes to pass on,
INT there are many more cottages await
ing inspection In the next one Bridget
Mckinley huns an Irish ditty as she
makes her old fashioned wheel sing also
as ii works, turning out the wool for
Patrick Pagan from Donegal to weave
into those delightful homespuns whose
merits have been appreciated of late years
by fashionable folk a. well as by the
fportsman and athlete. Maggie Denneby,
buxom and smiling, sits near by plying
her knitting needles, and showing bow
Miss Fitzgerald, one of the association
teachers. taught the poor women OF al
encia island, County Kerry, to earn their
own living.
There are people who do not like butter
milk, but II they wish to overcome their
'listaste for it my advice to them Is to
visit the dairy in the Irish village and take
glass OF the cooling beverage from the
sosy hands of Johanna Doherty, Kate
BARRY or Maria Connolly. the three dairy
tuaids. These girls were taught the art OF
bEttermaking-which Is a real art-in the
Munster Dairy school an excellent instt-
tuition near Cork, where all branches of
scientific agriculture are taught, to the
/ great benefit Of the people. In the dairy
you may have not only buttermilk but
uiay purchase pretty little pats of butter
to eat with your luncheon on the tables
which are waiting for you in the cool and
shady court near by. While you are eat
! ing pair of lusty Irish boys come out
upon the stage or platform in the center
Of the court, and give you an hour OF re-
/ freshing amusement. Jimmy Touhy plays
I the pipes aud Patrick Brannigan, the
! crack jig-dancer of the South Of Ireland,
ra.ties off some very clever jiys- Willie
| Roche, smooth-faced and bright-eyed. a.
all these Irish boys are, comes out and
| sing
| I s-u an Irish boy nv heart Il full Of Joy,
1 owe my birth to famous Limerick city.
| fcaa hsndie well the fw.s filter an Irish jig
| And give you stavs Of any Irish ditty.
Willie Roche is the finest singer in Bal
| iynookeava. Miss Josephine Sullivan Is q
| noted harpist in the Emerald isle, and shs
often brings tears to the eyes of those whs
sit here in Tara's hall, an excellent repro
| duction which serves as . music hall fol