The Irish standard., 1902-12-06

introduced so gracefully to our notice
as having died Of grief, through inabil-
>ty to bear any longer the burden of his
office amidst the seditions and calam.
tiles Of the time.
There is now one other topic that I
cannot but touch upon as have re.
ferred at all to the numbers of those
who now represent the Catholic Church
IN this Catholic parish Of yours There
are few things more saddening in the
condition Of Ireland today than the
dwindling away of our population
(hear, hear). The county of Dublin Is.
in some sense, in less saddening con-
dition than the rest Of the country,
Our county population, as shown by
the figures Of each successive census,
has been going steadily upwards from
1S41 to the present day. Within that
time, it has gone up from 14O,O67 to
19O,376. Its increase within the last
ten years, from 1891 to 1901, was over
10000. That was the largest increase
recorded since 1871. But this parish
Of Garristown has, unfortunately,
very different story to tell I had oc-
casion last night to refer to the census
returns for a somewhat different mat
ter. But 1T was in connection with
Garristown, and was led on from one
volume to another, as result of what
l saw in the first one that referred
to. This brought before me all the fig
ures showing the population of this
parish Of Garristown, at each census,
from that Of 1851 to that of last year.
will read them for you. They will
come with sad surprise upon many
who may be we'll aware in sort Of
general abstract way, Of the lamenta-
bic falling away Of the population Of
our country. I take, first, the figures
for the two districts, Garristown and
Ballymadun, combined. In 1851, the
population was 2,135. In 1861 It was
down to 1.751. In 1871 it was but
1928. In 1881 it was down to 1901.
In 1891, it had gone even below a
thousand: it was but $685. And at the
census Of last year the population of
this place, which, as I have men
toned, was 2,135 at the census Of fifty
years before, had fallen to $40. This
fall was continuous in both districts,
but in the Garristown district, or par
isl, it was more rapid even than in
Ballymadun. For Garristown the fig
ures, given in order for the five CEN
suses from that of 1851 to that of last
year are: 1,721, 1880, 1910, 935, 745,
and, last year, 663, that is to say, prac-
tically one-third Of what it had been
| fifty years before. Now, these fig
'lrcs convey a practical lesson. You
are far from being numerous people.
You are far from being wealthy peo-
pie. There are amongst you a number
who are well-to-do ALL I have no
doubt, will give, and give generously.
| l occasionally receive anonymous let
ters, usually not of very complf-
mcntary kind, either not very compli-
mcntaly to myself or not very compli-
mcntnry to others for whose action I
may be held to he, to some extent, re-
| spOnsible. 1t is the common fate of
everyone who happens to be in post
Of Importance, or Of prominence in any
sphere (hear, hear). My rule is to take
no notice Of such communications, and
not even to read them, beyond glancing
through them merely to see what they
are about, unless find that they are
intended to convey some useful admon-
| ition to myself. If see that they are,
l read them; that is, If they come to me
at any of those rare intervals when
| have nothing better to do (applause
and laughter). Now, this brings me to
the letter that I am going to read for
you. 1t looked like criticism upon
myself, and upon what was coming
to do here today. But you will see
that, underlying it all, there is heavy
Indictment against the people of Gar
ristown. Here it is: archbishop
Walsh, you are going to Garristown