Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-11-19
Immense OutpOuring, Process
sion, Illumination, Speeches
and Enthusiasm.
Mayor Presided and Prominent
Officials of All Parties
Participated.
KAYANAGH AND REDMOND SPEAK

Tuesday, November l, the centennial
memorial of the heroes of 1898 was cele-
brated in the town of Wexford by mag
ni6cent demonstration, in the course OF
which the foundation stone of monu-
meut to the memory of the Men OF 1898
was laid in the historic Bull Ring OF
the town by Rev. Father Kavanaugh' the
historian of the memorable year. In
nreparing the site for this foundation
stone the workmen unearthed fragment
Of Wexford's old market cross, round
which men, women and children OF WEEK
ford side by side with their priests were
butchered by the troops OF Cromwell IN
October, 1649. Great as was the demon
stration held in Wexford town on the eve
of the Vinegar Hill massed meeting
earlier in the year, the days popular dis
NAV of adherence to the principles OF
the 1898 men outnumbered it over and
over and over again, and excelled 1t by
manv degrees in enthusiasm. The TACT
of the day being observed as holiday
in honor of the All Saints festival was
sufficient to bring practically the whole
countryside in to reinforce the great as
semblage of townspeople in honor OF the
occasion.
Special trains brought large delega-
lions from Dublin, wicklow and sur
rounding country, who were received by
the Mayor. A procession was formed
which paraded the town, headed by a
mounted cavalcade, followed by carri-
ages with the town officers, clergy, prom
inent citizens and the Lord Mayor and
dignitaries from Dublin.
On reaching the Bull Ring the Mayor
of Wexford presided and delivered a
brief address, introducing Father Kava-
naugh, who was greeted with great en-
thusiasm.
I'll. Godfrey, Secretary OF WEEK
ford Borough Association, read AN adj
dress to Father Kavanaugh' who re-
sponded.
FATHER KAvANAUcH'S REPLY.
Fellow townsmen, we have no hero to-
dav to honor the patriotism OF our an
cestors. the men of 1898, by laying the
foundation stone of memorial 10 De
erected to their memory, and, moreover,
to declare by our presence our hrm de-
termination to adhere to the great cause
for which they fought and died-the
cause OF civil and religious liberty. We
inherit their principles, their love OF lid
ertv and their hatred of oppression, We
have the same love, the same desire for
National independence which they had,
and we have not forgotten in this year OF
1898 what they suffered to gain it cen
turv ago. We maintain las they would
have maintained) that Ireland should be
ruled by Irishmen, not by foreigners and
that il is not bad government alone thai
we protest against, but foreign govern
ment in any shape. Nor do we forge'
that these heroes who sprang from oui
soil, which has been consecrated to free
dom bv their blood, fought and died fol
the freedom of their affairs as we'll as fol
that of their homes, nor that they were
Christian men who feared and honorec
God, if they did not fear the foreign ty
rant.
We, fellow-countrymen, are gathered
together amidst the scenes which wer'
mute witnesses of their triumphs and
their defeats-those defeats which wer'
no less honorable than their victories
because they bore these reverses OF for
time with a fortitude no less admirable
than their bravery. The men who's
memory we honor today died for per
secuted creed as we'll as for an oppressed
country, and, therefore, their memory
doubly hallowed, and religious faith a
well as civic virtue sanctions the homo
we pay them. That faith for which they
died is as dear to us as it was to them
and if we esteem patriotism as grea
natural virtue. we esteem even more tina
religious spirit which consecrates it ant
raises it to higher level, which links 1
with mans eternal destinies. II thes
men did not win freedom they deserved
it. They did all that the bravest met
could do-they gave their lives for thei
country. Fortune did not smile upoi
their heroic efforts, but their blood wa
not poured forth in vain. 1t made tn
earth which drank 1t ever sacred to free
dom; with their expiring breath the
kindled the embers of fire which burn
still.
The descendants of these men ca
surely never sink to the abject conditio
OF contented slaves. They died, br
their memory lives. A century of year
has not effaced it from the minds
their countrymen. 1t cheers their spiri
sustains their hope and strengthen
their determination to win freedom b
every effort, every sacrifice that me
should make for so great, so noble
boon. The honor paid to their memor
In this century year of 1898 was nj
confined to Wexford or to Ireland;
Was paid In every land in which our RAJ