The Irish standard., 1902-12-20

The Irish press. past aud present,
like Irish politics ut all times, OCCASION
ally marks the history of the Emerald
Isle with !; bold, bright
Pencil of light
That illumines the volume
Ireland's history is il large dramatic
book replete in every page with heroes,
and honor with the Smiles and the tears
in juxt;,positim. Ireland has been. ami
is blessed and cursed with press and
political contrasts. Light laughter. wit
and wisdom, and sunny nirth of her
matchless people so hand in hand with
The victims of want. pale. stl'ickc!!
and gaunt.
All blighteu with faction"
In 17OO writes Col. l.. NJ Mont
yomery in the Western Wachman.
Irelands first journal appeared i'll Il
tight and bright little quarto sheet
with somewhat pompous title, 'Pue's
Occurrences" Pue was Il luasi-prin-
ter, a partly-bred lawyer and Il full
t1edgcd man about town in Dublin:
knowing everybody W orth being known.
and. in Il measure. too we'll known
himself. Then as now Dublin WAS the
hot-bed of gossip. and P,lc was IL
gossiper facile princeps He lived and
died Il gossip. leaving IL binkrupt
reputation that was followed up by
the successors to the 'Occurences" i'll
an ephemeral publication of short life
lnd long title ''Faulkner Journal.
Personalities garnishcd with satire.
scandal, soft nonsense and strong
Jokes, marked these feeble journals in
life and caused some sweet and bitter
recollections after their death. FrOn!
17Oj to 1920, Dublin had 10 solid or
serious journal. Pamphletealing pre-
vailed; and the sarcasm of Ireland was
never so strong, and no sarcasm ever!
now is as strong. as i'll these days
Men and women reioiced in the pos
in addition to tongues fierce and tint
with frenzy rolling. The social his.or!
of Dublin in those days i'm relation t;
gossipy, spasmodic publications
would fill volumes Of entertaining re
views. In 1927 the first leading OF
gan of thought in Ire and appeared ir
Waterford. 1t was styled the 'Water
ford Flying POST ard frequently call
ed by that name minus the Il by tho
wags Of Waterford. 1t appeared once
Il week in the share of an octave let
ter sheet, of handmade linen paper
one of the lost mechanical arts Of Ire
land. by reason of John Bulls tariff
This "Flying POST was a terror Il
princes ro:entatcs and principalitics
and indulyed in jaunty air of "nau
bock-l -lesh" ca dom 't-Care-a-biU style foI
"On our side is virtue and Erin;
On theirs. the Sa, on and guilt
But the Post in Il short period fed
and was not missed until about 1877
when the Belfast News Letter. ap
peared as Il leader of an ultra -conserva
tism in Ireland that is sii Il lIdica
paradox. About TIL S tim Ireland wa:
subjected to spasmodic publ atoms il
the shape of tracts. pamphlets. leatlet:
and similar eruptions of the printing
press of politics. personal grievance:
and patriotic refCrmels. J here was nt
national journalism until 17l3, whel
DR.. Lucas established the first ''Fice
mans Journal Ee brought arOunt
him bright. particular stars, like Grat
tan, Flcod. Yelverton. and some hal
dozen lesser lights. Brains and bust
ness made this journal a power i'll Ire
land and also in IInga"d. 1t was
success from stnctum to treasury. Blu
in the death or DIR. Lucas, in the yea
l774. the ''Ereeman's Journal lost ith
man at the wheel. and pastUresSn Snev
attracted the bril liant staff. Th
r..' ,ravad hitlf Ter, AM
INK beyon Ihel
.. 'front.' leW
iii