The Irish standard., 1899-08-26
lndorsed by the Inhabitants of
The Premier County.
PATRIOTIC GATHERING AT FETHARD
The Popular Orator Elicits the
Greatest Applause.

A great meeting in support OF the
principles Of the United Irish League
was held on Sunday, July 3o at Fcth-
ard. There was an immense attend
ance OF the people OF that town and the
surrounding districts OF Gortnahoe
ballingarry, Killenaule, Moyglass,
Cashel, Dualla Tipperary, Golden,
lhomastown, Knockcoffan Carrick.
Ballydine, Clarahan, Drangan, Clonecn,
New Birmingham, Grange Mocller
The interest in the demonstration was
shown in the fact that there was scarce
ly county councillor or district coun-
clllor for the South Riding OF Tippe-
rary who was not present.
The whole place was clad in ever
greens. Across the streets there were
festoons OF laurcls, bearing such mot
toes as welcome to William O'Bricn
and James O'Kel1y," Unity! Unity!!
Unity!!"
The venerable Archdeacon Jones pre-
sided. The keynote OF his speech and
OF all the speeches was Unity" He
said among other things:
They were all Nationalists and Home
Rulers, and it was no matter after that
what they were. They were there to
show the common enemy that the peo-
pie were as determined as ever to carry
on their old-timc fight for their rights.
Therefore. let the public unite, fall into
the ranks, and let them not hear the
voice OF disscnsion, but come together
as they used to do years ago, as broth
crs loving each other for the cause OF
their common country. In the past by
union they had won grand victories.
There was only one thing he would ask
them, therefore, to do, unite. They
were there that day to bring back, in
spite OF cheat and sham, in spite OF the
spirit OF disscnsion, to bring back to
the councils OF their country the spirit
OF union and harmony. Twenty years
ago Ireland was crawling on its knees.
The great power was landlordism, the
shonccn, and the abcttor OF landlord
ism That was down to the old Land
League OF ~, that grand old League
Some things might be said against it,
but as ST. Patrick banishcd the snakes,
so did the Land League Danish dissen-
sion from their midst. 1t closed old
parochial differences; it brought fam
lilies together that had been for genera
tions cstrangcd, and it bound in one in
dissoluble bond the whole people. Now
and then the League had been formed,
and once more it started out OF the
troubles OF the faithful people of the
West. Through the cxertions OF that
great and unsclfsh man, Michael Da-
witt, they were all united into solid
army that was irresistible. Now they
had new League starting again from
amongst the faithful people OF the West,
inspired and founded by William
O'Bricn, unselfsh as Michael Davitt,
and as true to Ireland as was shown by
his suffcrings and sacrifices. He had
raised amongst them the banner of the
United Irish League. They all knew
that William O'Brien was man who
would fight on to the end and who
would not surrender until they had
achieved victory. In this movement
they had the sympathy and support of
their great and patriotic Archbishop,
DR.. Croke. They had another element
Of success. They had on that platform
men who were estranged for many
years, who looked with sorrow into each
others faces, and who were there to-day
clasping each others hands. That was
a great victory and great triumph for
the new movement. 1t bode we'll to
succeed. They should be no longer at
the mercy OF bad landlords, the crawl
ing grabber, and the mottled emergency
man. The first principle of this new
League was "Stand together, brothers
ALL" He would not stand further be-
tween them and those who were to ad-
dress them. In addition to Mr.. O'Brien,
they had Mr.. James O'Kelly, a man
who had always fought for ireland, and
one Of the best of Parnellites; they had
their own distinguished member, Mr..
Condor, who had fought and who had
suffered, and who never feared to face
foe. They were all welcome, for they
were all true to the old cause, and they
were all determined to make once more