The Irish standard., 1905-04-15
AT WESTMINSTER.

AT WESTMINSTER.
Unique Celebration of st. Patrick's
Day in London.
A unique event to all interested in
the Irish language movement, and
particularly to Irish Catholics, was the
Irish service held on Sunday, March
19, in the new Cathedral at Westmin-
ster, says the special correspondent
of the Catholic Times, OF Liverpool,
Eng. All the Irish people in London
took deep interest in the function,
and from an early hour in the aftef-
noon many of them might be seen
making their way to the Cathedral Az
O'Clock, the time fixed for the COM
| mencement of the sirvice, the vast Ca
| thedral, which is larger than any of
the other cathedrals in England, was
filled in every part, and some hundreds
of those who came late were unable
| to gain admission for want of ROOM
All the Catholic missions of London
supplied their quota, and those present
| were evidently proud of being asso-
ciated with this demonstration In
honor of faith and fatherland.
His Grace, Archbishop Bourne, at
tended in state. The Chapter of the
Cathedral was fully represented. The
ceremonies began with the recitation
of the Rosary by Father Ambrose
Doyle, o. S. S., Stratford, and the re-:
sponses given in the native tongue
showed how general is the knowledge
of the language possessed by Irish
men in London.
The singing was by two distinct
J choirs, a choir of about 100 boys bein
placed in the nave to represent tn.
congregation. They were taken from
+ the schools of Bermonlsey, Packham,
Mapping and Westminster, and were
RO'COnnor, the schoolMasters respec-
lively of Wapping AMI Westminster
rhe choir of boys was reinforced by
small body of young men and women
who frequent the Irish classes of the
Gaelic League. The whole congrega-
tional choir was conducted by Mr.. J.
v. Clayton, the talented headmaster
of st. Charles Schools. Ogle street,
w. 1t is he who, every year since
an Irish service was first held in
London, has trained the choir who
sang the Irish hymns. In preparation
for the Irish celebration of this year,
he has been occupied with the train
ing of the choir since last November.
The choir under his direction sang the
"Posadh Naomhtha Cana" ("The
Marriage Feast Of Cana') before the
sermon, the ancient hymn to st.
Patrick, "Dochas Linn Namh Padraic",
after it, and the farewell, "Bennacht
Leaf Mhuire', at the end Seated
amongst the singers was Mr.. Seamus
Clandillon, from whom the hymns had
been purchased, and who is himself
distinguished as singer of traditional
Irish songs. The other choir was that
Of the Cathedral-fifteen men and
twenty-one boys conducted by the
musical director of the Cathedral, Mr..
r. R. Terry, who also acted as organ
list. In addition to the music for the
Benediction Office, the ancient Latin
IN Do%r
Litany OF the Saints, the boys of the
Cathedral choir sang two hymns in the
Irish language-"A Mhic Mhuire Ma
Ngras" ("The Repentance of John
Hore"), and "Areir is me ag Macht-
namh", the hymn by Patrick Denn
The effect was remarkably impressive,
and the singing gave vivid idea OF
the sublime grandeur of the old church
music of Ireland. The service con-
cluded with Solemn Benediction of the
Holy Sacrament. The bishop of
Raphoe, who preached the sermon in
Irish, spoke with wonderful eloquence
and with a dramatic force that held
| the congregation spellbound. 1t was
| the first time in the history of the
new Cathedral that an Irish bishop
preached in Irish to an Irish congrega-
ton. The congregation included many
well-known people.
DR.. O'Donnell, taking for his text
Matt. xviii, 1920, Go ye and teach
all nations, ETC., dealt on the great
ness of the charge given by Christ
and His apostles to spread the king
dom Of God on earth throughout the
world. From that day to the present
this great and joyful work has been
going on In many climes, and the same
/ apostolic work that was executed by
st. Paul, SO. Cyril and Methodius, SIS.
Augustine and Aidan, and st. Francis