The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-04-10
IRISH BATTLE FIELDS
FIGHTS OF 1898 TO BE CELRBRAT-
ED IN THE SPRING OF 1893.
The sOjourn in Ireland to Cover a
Period of Six Weeks, TPavers-
ing OId-Time Paths.

A little over twelvemonth from now,
in the spring or 1898, ireland will be in
vaded from the south by determined
army $4,000 strong, says the London
Mail. They win be armed, but not with
sword and rife; they VIII march upon the
interior from the coast but they will not
spread devastation on the way. It will
be quite peaceable landing; their arma-
ments will consist Of monuments; their
conquest win be bought with gold. The
year 1898 is one we'll known to every
Irishman as the year of blood and Draw
cry. 1t was luen that the revolutionary
party in Ireland made It's most gallant
though unsuccessful efreort to throw off
the British rule, and 1t Is to celebrate the
centenary of that struggle that Irish
people from various parts Of the world,
but principally from America, will flock
to their native land in the spring and sum
mer of 1885, Some years ago a modest
little association was started in the Irish
quarter of New York, writes our cores
pondent there, calling itself the Ninety
Eight Club" having for its object the
devising of some plan for commemorate
ing the rebellion. The idea spread.
Throughout the United States Ninety
Eight clubs sprang up in every city
and town having a sprinkling of -4lsh-
men In its population A weekly tax was
collected from every member, concerts
and other entertainments swelled the re-
ceipts until today the association of
Ninety-Eight clubs has close on a quar-
ter of million sterling to Its credit. 1t
was decided that the celebration should
take the form of an invasion OF the old
country by an army Of Irish-American
patriots. So 1t happens that $4,000 men,
women and children with Irish blood in
their veins are pledged to hold a gath
ering Of the race among the glens and up
lands of southeastern Ireland the year
| after next.
An idea of the lnvasion's scope may be
gathered from the fact that three ocean
| liners-the largest that can be obtained
have been already chartered to ferry the
| pilgrims to and fro across the Atlantic,
| The steamers are to land their passengers
at the ports of Kingstown and Water
ford, according to where each family is
| to be billeted.
| The BiIIettng System.
| Inc billetlng system Is one of the fea-
lures Of the trip-a feature, too, which
will pour many thousands into the hands
of the Irish peasantry. For some mon ms
agents of the Ninety Eight Association
have been at work selecting inns, farm
ers' houses, cottages, etc, in the coun-
ties of Wexford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Wa
terford, Kildare and wicklow (the area
covered by the rebellion), and the visi-
tors will be quartered at these places, ac-
| cording to their means.
1t is proposed that the sojourn in Ire
land shall cover a period of six weeks.
| During this time the path of the rebel
| lion is to be traversed step by step. A
| committee of Irishmen learned in their
country's history, has been chosen to
| pilot the pilgrims from battlefield to bat
| Lefeld. An important feature Of the huge
| pilgrimage will be the erection of monu-
| ments on all of the principal scenes of
the rebellion. A handsome cross of black
| Kilkenny marble will stand on the site
of ,he old gates Of Ross, where the Irish
| won a decisive battle. Vinegar Hill, the
| great eminence whose stone-crowned
summit overshadows the town Of Ennis
| corthy, where the insurgents were crush
| ingly and finally defeated, will be adorned
| with a broken granite shaft.
Handsome Monuments.
Handsome monuments will be erected
over the now neglected graves of the
| famous Frs. John Murphy, Beaucamp
Bagenal Harvey, Dudley, Colclough, Es-
mond Ryan and other leaders Of the ris-
| ing.
| "Fr. John" will be honored with
tombstone specially sculptured by one
| of his own kin. Tablets with suitable
inscriptions will be placed at different
points of interest, so that the youth OF
Ireland may READ some portion Of his
tory of the memorable struggle.
What appeared to be a serious obstacle
in the way of the centenary has been
overcome. The British government, 1t was
feared, would not consent to a celebra-
ton clarifying a direct onslaught upon
its authority.
For a month or two a discreet agent
has been busy in London and Dublin in
tervlewing the heads of the government
departments, and the leaders of the two
Irish political parties with a view to
overcoming this difficulty.
The result was that recently the agent
cabled to New York that her majesty's
ministers, while they did not approve of,
would not interpose any objections to,
| the proposed ninety-eight centenary,