Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-21
THE BALLADS OF ERIN's BARDs
Melodies of the Ancient Isle With T
 Narrative of It's Music.

most versatile monologue artists WHO faces the flame and fame Of the 1ooI- lights. Rev Thomas F. Mclaughlin Of New York city, says the Saratogian. Under the auspices of the McMillan Reading circle he delivered to solid, substantial S R. o. audience musical lecture entitled 'Irish Folk Lore and | Ballads.'s In the selection of Father Mclaughlin the members of the circle showed judgment and taste entitlins them, it might be said, to the distine- ! ton if impresarios.
 An unprogramed portion of the even- 1 ing's pleasure was, nevertheless, popu- l lar and timely. It was happy intro duction of the speaker by Village Presi- 1 dent Foley. which served to put tne audience and singer en rapport most i enthusiastically. Senator Foley. in commenting the ability and stability of the McAIillan Reading circle and it's 1 progressive object. complimented tue circle upon its wisdom in engaging Father Mclaughlin. Four years ago the senator and MT RiX had the pleas ure to be fellow passengers with the speaker on a trip to the Holy Land. From the day that the passengers 1 found out that Father McLoughl.n could sing as well as preach and pray, i he was the idol of the ship, but from i that very day he was no longer free man. The passengers loved the sound of his voice and he was not permitted l to remain still. In a felicitous vein ] the village president told that one stilly night he was walking on deck, when ! he came across Father Mclaughlin i holding converse with the moon. anl, ] too, through the medium of filtration 1 song! He had q great range of sub- !! jects and his voice made the waves ashamed of themselves and put tine bounding pillows to sleep. The sena- l tor took rare pleasure in introducing Father Mclaughlin. but it turned ont 1 that the speaker was not to let the Sen- ator escape without divulging q deck romance hitherto unpublished. in which Father Mclaughlin would not say 1 whether the man in the case was Sen ator Foley or not. A fair passenger was seasick and the hero in the case was close by, at whispering distance even. It might be that their heads were together. Father Mclaughlin saw the couple and gallantly inquired of the lady is he could do anything for her. She replied In the negative. Can l do anything for your husband then? He is not my husband. Alas. l wish he was!" No doubt, added Father Mclaughlin. there are many more who have wished the same thing
 On the trip to Palestine. Father Me i Loughlin sang "The Holy City" by Faure, and he opened his program last evening by rendering this sacred solo, which offered ample opportunity for his sweet, tender, tenor voice This was sung in memory of the many hap. py days of the trip. A highly edifying paft or the entertainment was the talk on the rise and development of Irish melodies, which, even from the testi- mony of the enemies of the Emerald lsle' Justified its distinction as the nome of mirth and song. In it's golden age Tor three centuries after St Patrick 1 the Irish bards were the envy and wonder of the world. and unlike tha disadvantages and the merrymakers or continental Europe. they did not rank with the buffoon and jugglers and testers, but had q place and prestioe second only to that of the king. The early melodies of Ireland antedatas other music by many centuries. Father Mcl-oughlin showed where operas. ora torlos and even four-part music was only few centuries old. The harD I user. haunting on tho Irish flag. is of i ltself embiematic evidence of the dis tlnction accorded Ireland as the home of song and mirth.
 The lecture was interspersed with i illustrations of the melodies smoker about. A specimen of an early church chant and folk lore song were given and gradually the singer took his audi ence down to the time of Tom Moore
 singing, among others "The Harn of Tara and ''The Minstrel Boy.,' Sev- eral of the selections. he admitted
 were claimed by the Scotch Among them was "Rohin Adafr." The recito. ton of '.The Bells of Sbandonn hy
 Francis Mahony tFather Prout was the elocutionary feature of an evening Of ~lt and humor song and story. The
 accompanist for Father McLoughlin
 was George '. Myers, whom he com
 pllmented most flatteringly for his mu-
 slcal ability which was. lie said. of ;l
 quality he rarely met with in his lac
 lures. The young pianist blushingly
 acknowledged the audiences endorse
 ment of the priests remarks.
 F. Occupying seats i'll one of the boxes
 last evening were Rev Father Flood
 of Saratoga. and guests Rev Father
 McDonough of Ballston Spa, Rev
 Father Barrett of Salem. and Rev
 Fathers Wynn and Cooper of St Clem-
 ent's college.
 Father Mclaughlin will deliver his
 lecture, Ancient Melodies of Ireland :,
 ill City hall, Monday evening, Aarcn
 l6. The proceeds of the lecture will
 go to St Patrick's church. sacred
 concert will also be given i'll which tue
 best local talent obtainable will take
 part