The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-05-26
Bribes are offered to Fill the
Hibernian Regiment.
OFFICER IS OF CROMwELLlAN BREED
Uniforms are not Pleasing to
the Loyal Britons.

The formation of the Royal Irish
guards may be said to have begun, its
first colonel having been selected and
its first recruit obtained. The colonel
is Sligo man, Richard Joshua Coop
er, a descendant of a Cromwellian
settler, and very appropriately for his
position, an enemy of Irish nationality.
He is just now in South Africa with
the Grenadier guards. The recruit is
Patrick ,Kennan, a clerk of this city,
who presented himself for enlistment in
St. Georges barracks, in London, and
whose name was promptly placed at the
head of the list of Tommies who are
to form the regiment, says the Dublin
correspondent of the Chicago Chron-
icle.
But now, according to the London
Express, which tells the story, "a strange
and altogether unique thing has hap
pened. Three days later his formal dis
charge was received from the war office,
accompanied by the explanatory note
that Patrick Kennan could not be at
tested as an Irish guardsman, for the
queer reason that there was no, such
regiment yet in existence" Are the
authorities beginning to think that while
Pat is good enough to do most of the
fighting for England it would be con-
ferring upon him too much honor to
make him one of the household troops?
Remnants chance, however, to bask
in the sunshine that always, true loyal
lists tell us, surrounds her aged majesty
is yet good, for the officers at the bar
racks persuaded him to join the Scots
guards for the time being, with the un-
derstanding that he is to be transferred
in due time to the Irish guards. Besides
he will be 10 si1iIlings the richer, for it
is expressly stipulated that Irishmen
transferred from other regiments to the
Royal Irish Guards are to, receive that
sum.
Little bribes like this may in time fill
UP the regiment; otherwise the work
might be slow, for the Irish are no long
er eager to enlist. They are following
the advice of the ballad of poor Patrick
Sheellan:
Then, Irish youths, dear countrymen,
give heed to what.I say;
Don't join the English army or you'll
surely rue the day.
1t is reported another young Irish
: man, bank clerk near Bray, sought to
enter the guards, and that he, like Ken
nan, joined the Scots with the same
understanding. If any more had ap-
peared to don their saffron kits, which
has been proposed as uniform for
them, the fact would doubtless be an
nounced cheerfully by the jingo news
papers. And so, after much gush and
bosh about the honor and glory the
creation of regiment of Irish guards
would confer upon Ireland, there have
been just two recruits! What a
phlegmatic and unappreclativc people
the Irish are.
What shame and-a disgrace it
would be il the formation OF the regi-
n,ent had to be abandoned. 1t cannot
be filled up as the London Rifles were,
by Englishmen; nor, like the Scotch and
English regiments, by Irishmen; for
condition cf the new guards is that
every member of the corps shall be all
1rishman by birth, thus making it the
most purely national regiment in the
whole army. In the English and Scotch
guards there are many Irishmen, as the
lists OF the killed and wounded will show
after battle. Active steps for the for
nation of the Irish guards are soon
to be taken. The posters calling for
recruits are printed, but will not be is
sued until the arrival of Colonel Cooper.
The posters are unique from an Off
cial point of view and comprise green
lettering on white ground, with
shamrock in each corner. They will
attract public attention if they do not
true-born young Irishmen. Many
poor, hungry gossoon, however is like
ly to take the Saxon shilling" for the
barracks or emigration are the only
. alternative TO numbers of manly young