The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-10-24
Father O'GroWney.
Dublin Freeman.)

We question if there has ever been seen in the
Irish capital such magnificent procession as that
which passed through the streets of Dublin
Sunday behind the remains of Father Eugene
OGrowney. What Father OGrowney had done for
his people needed not to be said at his gravesIde 1t
was there in the long line of children, and young
men and women which stretched for miles behind
his coffin across the city. There were two funerals
III the Irish capital with which Father OGrowneys
Is comparable-ParnelPs and Terence Belew Mae
Manus's Sir Charles Gavan Duffy, the world
goes, was a much greater man than the humble
professor of Gaelic at Maynooth, but what con-
trast between the tributes paid by Ireland to the
remains of the two patriots. Duffy conveyed
to his last resting place amid the regrets of gen
Grafton that is passing away; Father 0Growney
was triumphantly carried to the Broadstone by
generation that is only growing into manhood, and
that is breast-high for his ideas and ideals. The
ParneH funeral was intense so for great
leader gone in his prime, and the MacManus tu-
neral was political demonstration meant to give
the warning note to the EenIans; but Sundays sol
ernn function took the character of both. 1t was
a requiem and tocsin combined The long line
of mourners was conveying to tie grave the men
who re-created the idea of a new Gaelic nation;
but it did not think of the dead Davis sang pas
sionately of priest who, in the proud year of 49,
was indicted while O'Connell, for his devotion to
Ireland, and who like Father O'Growney, died in
harness. and In the midst of his work for the
motherland
Ululu! ululu! Kind his heart!
Walk slower, walk slower, too soon we shall part
The faithful and pious, the Priest of the LORD
His pilgrimage over he has his reward
BY the bed of the sick, lowly kneelng,
To God with the raised cross appealing,
He seems still to kneel. and he seems still to pray,
And the sins of the dying passing away.
That was the feeling of thousands on Sunday
about Father O'Growney. He came from the peo-
pie, he worked for the people, and by the people
he was accompanied to his last rest. 1t Is curious
70 too +bo+b f4ro
California as MacManus did, and after years of an
earlier burial The idea In both cases was the same
MaeManus, the dead Young Irelander, crystahzed
the ideas of the Fenians. Father O'Growney the
dead Gaelic Lacquer, whose whole life was given to
the Gaelic cause, was the very embodiment of the
hopes and ambitions of what has come to be known
as Irish Ireland. He was one of the first If not,
indeed, the very first to strike the note of the new
time; and within the walls of the gray old college
he inspired many a young Irish cleric with a love
for Ireland of a kind so intimate and so beautiful
that it seemed almost sacred In comparison with
the patriotism of the platform and the market
place.
'The sun set; but set not his hope:
Stars rose his faith was earlier up;
Fixed the enormous galaxy,
Deeper and older seemed his eye;
And matched his sufferance-sublime
The tacturnity of time.
He spoke, and words soft than rain
Brought the Age of Gold again."
In the day in which he did his great work
Father OGrowney unknown except to his pu-
pills In Maynooth, to a few Gaelic scholars, to
hundred or two Gaelic enthusiasts. Then i'll
health overlook him and he sought rest and health
in another country. He did not look for fame;
but In his retirement on the far shores of the Pa
ciic, when it might have been thought that he
would have been forgotten. his name became IN
Ireland familiar as a household word. We all
learned fortunately, in this case not when it was
too late what we owed to the late Gaelic profes-
sor at Maynooth Father O'Growney became as
well known in Irish schools and Irish homes as the
catechism or the simple arithmetic and his EASY
Lessons" became as popular the most fasc1nat-
ing detective stories. Who realize what tins
modest priest without the slightest fuss or boast
ing has done for Ireland and for her ancient Ian
guage? 1t is incalcuable And how pleasant IL
was on Sunday to find that Dublin and Ireland
and the Gaelic league fully realized the debt No[h
ing about the procession was so beautiful as inc
enormous proportion of children who took part III
it, nothing so impressive as to see the large mum
Der of Catholic clergymen who walked after tpo
great patriots coffin. Father OGrowney Ta9
worthiy carried through the Irish capital Inc me
honor it did him was well won. lie deserved tno
best tribute his nation could give him; ana II ga'o
it to him on Sunday with reverence and admlratiOn
and most deep affection.