Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-22
ERIN At THE FAIR|
Interesting Exhibits lllustrat.
ing The History, Art, Indus.
try Of The Emereld Isle
Memorials OF Distinguished
Irish-Americans
iBy 7. w. Rolleston.1

llOu VI Aiisu AAuuoy uau
has been opened on the Pike is a con-
Germ Of a twofold character. A pri.
vate concession on the n hand, It
is aided by the new State Depart
ment lately established in Ireland,
which has filled the two stories of a
hall of great size with exhibits illus
trating the history, art and industry
Of Ireland from a period long an.
terror to the introduction of Chris
tianity down to the present day.
Architecture, sculpture, metal work
in gold, bronze and silver, embroid-
cries, carpets, handmade laces, STAIN
ed glass, wooden materials, and last
but not least the u~nriyalled linen
fabrics Of Ireland in every variety OF
shade and texture, are all represented
here, together with other examples OF
Irish taste and workmanship too
numerous to particularize.
The Irish, except in a part OF the
North of the island. have few factory
industries, but they show a taste and
skill in every variety Of handicraft
and of artistic industry which are
rare in the modern world.
The bronze sword-blades made In.
Ireland about 500 B. G. are perfect In
their beauty and form. The brooches
cloak pins and ecclesiastical vessels
and ornaments made between the fifth
and twelfth centuries Of our era are
wrought with such delicate elahora-
ton that they might be thougat the
work of fairy hands, as in popular De,
lief they are sometimes thought to be
All the things, right down to the
rich and noble designs of the modern
Donegal carpets, which form SO bril-
liant an exhibit at the end of the hall.
are marked with the impress of a ma
tional individuality, persistent through
a period of some 5000 years. The
spirit, even the decorative motives
and symbols of the antique workers,
are guiding the hand of the l:lsh
art-craftsman of to-day. In this re-
spect the exhibition Is unique, and
uniqely impressive. So long, SO con-
tinuous and so vivid a representation
of the national life Of a people will
be sought in vain among the other
displays of the Exposition, richer and
more glorious as of course they often
are.
Among the exhibits Of special his
torical, as apart from artistic, interest
may be mentioned a w~ell-executed
replica of the Antrim cottage in which
the ancestors of President Mckinley
lived, with several Of the articles OF
furniture dating from the period
about 1898. Irishmen will take special
interest In the relics Of O'Connell,
Grattan, Parnell, Robert Emmett,
Father Mathew, Edmund Burke and
other eminent men of their race. A
standing clock Of simple but very Gle.
giant design by F%romanteel of Lon
don, which belonged for over a cen
fury to the family Of Daniel O'Con-
nell. is an object which attracts much
attention. 1t was made nearly 300
years ago, yet the works still faith
fully keep time and tell the day OF
the month as well as the hour.
Last week an important addition
was made to the exhibits in the shape
of a collection of memorials of Irish
men who have distinguished them
selves in the United States from the
war of the Revolution onward. This
collection has been put together al
short notice by an influential commit
tee formed in New York, and includ-
Ing the Hon. w. Bourke Cochran
NIudll mani NV " JuHh ~ 1lihi
Minis, Mr.. Eugene Kelly, Mr.. James
Byrne, Mr.. John Quinn and Chief Of
Police William McAdoo. Mr.. 7. II.
Murray, Honorable Secretary of the
Irisa Historical Society Of Boston,
has brought the relics to st. Louis
and has been engaged in installing
lhem. They include the battered bat
lie flag carried by Meagher's Brigade
up Marye's Heights when that splen'
did force was practically-annihilated;
the Royal pardon granted to o'Dono'
van Rosa with the Great Seal p
England attached; autograph letters
portraits, military commissions, and
other personal memorials Of deep In
terest for the history Of the Irish In
the United States.
Altogether the Irish Exposition IL
IN of wide and varied interest, one
which every one will regard viii
admiration, and Irishmen with pride
DR.. l.. A. Jones, the mining engin