The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-18
EVENING ENTERTAINMENT.
Rev. T. =. MeNaiIv ncivcrcd a FOrcibie
and Fitting Address.

The concluding exercise of the ST.
Patrick Days celebration was a liter
ary and musical entertainment under
the auspices of various city divisions
of Ancient Order Of Hibernians. Board
of Erin. in st. Thomas college hall. in
the evening. Rev. +. r. McNally. OF the
West Side. was the speaker Of the occa-
sion and his theme was Ireland" 1t
was an eloquent and stirring address.
couched in beautiful language and
teeming with rich gems of thought.
Here are excerpts from his Introduction
and peroration:
Ireland! What glories are recalled by
that name! What figures of grandue!'
and lowiiness, greatness and degrada tion
come before our eyes as We contemplate te
thee! Ireland an anomaly among the ma
tions. Her great men soaring aloft to the
very zenith OF grandness: their names
rendered illustrious by their deeds and ac.
tiOns. which proclaims the nobility of
their characters. Exceptional. ingenious.
with few equals and no superors in all rhe
higher walks and aims OF life: laboring
under and surmounting difficulties that
other race of men. | see this race q. its
first appearance upon the stage OF time.
and particularly for many years after :he
preaching of st. Patrick.
Ills CHARACTER.
Prudent and sagacious in council, elo-
quent in expression, pure in morals, in
tensely religious. loving ana kind In tho
home circle. peaceful and devoted to teh
arts of peace, wheT peace was hOnora-
BILE; then when the clash Of arms re-
sounded, In the redress of wrongs. in 'hA
defense of their houses terror of the
wrong -doer aid 81 invincible barrier to
the invader. The days that are now pass
ing in review before us were indeed the
golden days of Irish history. the days of
the warrior Celt. when lreland's glorious
banner. the Sunburst, fioated free and
untrammeled over the hills and wales nj
fair Erin and their deeds and actions
were in full play. that gave a life and a
meaning to the irnmorta! words OF Thoin-
as Moore:
''Erin. RENE mber the days of old.
Ere her faithlsss sons betrayed her"
Land of the poet. the sage. the saint.
the scholar! Garden spot of gems. Though
fallen are her fortunes, the memory of
those ancient days shouli prov" an In
centive to emulation to her children and
her children's children the WIDE worll
over
In reviewing the Irishmen in America
today and their interest in furthering
the material, political. social and re-
llgious welfare of the country, he said:
In the carrying out of this noble work
the Irish element must necessarily he Il
prime moving factor They are already a
strong numerous and influential body in
the land and will necessarily multiply and
Increase rapidly in the future. Then.
again. the Irish Catholic is guided by the
salutory teaching Of an unerrng church.
whose divine mission Is to make men viz
tuous. upright and honorable citizens.
promoters and cultivators of every good
cause that has the well-being OF the re-
public as its object.
GREAT MORAL POWER.
Enlightened by this principle no far-see-
ing statesmen can deny the logic of event $
or gainsay the fac; that the Catholic
church Is the greatest moral power for
good in this republic. or that her faithful
practical followers will always be the
staunchest bulwarks of the nations in
stitutions and her devoted and unfinching
defenders in the day of the nations peril
The remainder Of the programme con-
sisted of remarks by G.. r. Boland. who
acted as chairman Of the meeting; two
choruses by the Cathedral choir. two
solos by Miss Susie Little. sketch by
Messrs. Honon and Mullarkey. a recita-
ton by Miss Name Boland, two solos