New-York tribune., 1898-10-02
OPENING OF THE IRISH FAIR.
THE CLERMONT-AvE. RINK LIVELY
PLACE.
PROCEEDS OF THE BIG ENTERTAINMENT TO BE
Used IN BUILDING \ HOSPITAL.

PROCEEDS OF THE BIG ENTERTAINMENT TO BE
USED IN BUILDING \ HOSPITAL.
co,,u aecorated with flags and bunting. and
hriluantlv illuminated with hundreds OF mean
descent lights the first Irish Fair in the history OF
Brooklyn was opened last night in the Clerinoht
Avenue Rink. All day yesterday carpenters were
busily engaged constructing booths and cottages
and soon after o clock the building which FOR
merly had been used skating-rnk, was trans
formed into an Irish village. At o'clock the doors
were thrown open. and in less than an hour ,ihie
the building was well filed. For years the various
Irish societies of this city have contemplated mold
ing an Irish fair. bat they had been unsuccessful
in every previous attempt. When the fact nrst
baca,,,e known that the societies were considering
the idea OF holding a fair, number OF CITY o.
Hcials interested themselves IN the movement Inc
proceeds Of the fair will be for the beheht OF an
Irish hospital. which is to be located III OF near
the Twenty-sixth Ward. The hospital 1t Is said
wiu he conducted on the same plan as the other
local institutions in this city. and viii be open TO
all regardless OF creed or nationality In addi'ion
10 caring for the SICK 6oor in the hospi'"l VIII
be set aside reading-room Tor all those WIN
wish to see the daily papers or read current itera-
ture The COMMITTEES in charge has ALREADY re-
coived large amount of money. and IT Is eX-
pected that at the c.ose Of the fair they VIII nave
sufficient funds to begin work on the proposed nos
p!tal
There were many prominent politicians from this
dent Edward NJ. Grout of the Borough OF Brook-
lvn opened the fair with short address. lie was
followed by J. Grattan Mcmahon, who outlined
briefly the history OF the various irish socieues IN
This city AT the close Of Mr. McMahOn's remarks
Andrew; Mclean the Editor of The BROOKLYN Gu
zen" and Miles Mcfarland, president Oh the An
Gent order of Hbernians. also spoke
The decorations of the building ana the consIruc-
,ion of the cottages reproductions OK an lrSh
Village Suspended from the four sides OF the ga!-
lerv are a number OF large screens, showing scenes
from many points of interest in Ireland In the
centre aisle leading from the CIermont-aVe en-
trance to Vanderbilt are several hatcheu COT
tages They built on the same pan ,a as mos s
seen in the suburban towns Of ireland. The ROOFS
arc covered over with straw, and motto caro-
with the following inscription God bless our
home is hung IN each one OF them one OF the
most noteworthy Of these cottages - one Whlcn Il
said TO be a perfect reproduction OF the ancestral
home of President Mckinley's forefatners' An
other of these cottages Is representation OF the
Samous "shebeen" which was owned ana conducted
bv KATE Kearney in Killarney. -,
proiectoscope views OF lreiand from tne uawu
Of the day 10 moonlight are shown a1teY WhlSn
the caller receives glass Of water taken from 'ne
Irish lakes. - . from tho Countv
Wicklov Mountains, are also on eHhlDi,ioh anu
1rize specimens of Irish handiwork are also 70 De
seen An Irish orchestra and several DdspPehp - a.
ers give concerts every fifteen minutes ana N ihe
intermissons an exhibition of fancy jig and clog
dancing is given. 49,, ....,oore and awnings
o., nv ,hr . weeks and night will be set aside for
each Irish society