The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-07-07

and end was, by treaty, put to the
famous siege OF Limerick. On the
walls Of Limerick, when the Irish so
long and so bravely held out against
William Of Orange, the women fought,
side by side With the men-a fact that
| is, and ever will be, remembered by
our people with pride. The people in
the garrison of Limerick by their valor
Won from William treaty terms that
if they had been observed, would have
! meant immense relief for the pcnalized
Irish people. But, alas, the stipula-
tons of the famous treaty of Linz
| erick. TO which William put his hand
We're soon disregarded and the treaty
! broken ere the ink wherewith twas
writ We're dry" once again reminding
our people that they could put little
| faith in British promises. Eat the
OH the strength of those promises.
and sailed away from Ireland's shores
| under the banner of France, lived to
avenge the breach of faith on the
| fields OF l'nntenoy, when the Irish
| Brigade under Lord Glare dashed out
upon. shattered and hurled back Lord
Hays conquering column which had
| seemed to the French Irresistible. The
wild battle-cry that carried terror TO
the hearts of the English soldiers was
the words. Remember limerick"
The night of the 23d of June was
at one time. over all Ireland, 1, night
of great Observation-Disclosures night. Like
all the other grand old festivities and
customs. bonfire night was disap-
pearing With the disappearance of our
language, and of late years was seen
only in the more remote parts of the
, country. where still all the hills spoke
tn heaven With tongues of flame. The
, origin of bonfire night" is lost in the
I limness of antiquity but there is
strong reason for believing that it Is
the survival of II Sun Festival. The
/ early Milesans We're, like their eastern
brethren, sun worshippers. The 23d
of June is. in Ireland. termed midsum-
| mer night. as in times long ago. the
sun was on this day supposed to be
longest above the horizon. One OF
the great festivals in his honor was
| celebrated, and the sacred Baal fires
| lighted upon all the hill tops. With
the coming of Christianity the great
| festival lost it's religious significance.
but its festive character still chung to
! it--and still clings. In parts of the
country our bonfire night is still OBJ
served. The boys and girls gather
upon high hlltops in the twilight
sing and dance around them with in
n"cent merriment. And countryside
vieS with countryside as to which shall
pile the largest fire and keeping it
| flaming longest. Up to recent days
people gathered their cattle and drove
them through the still burning embers
of the expiring fires by which the
, animals We're supposed to be rendered
! proof against injury or evil for twelve
months. Brands from the bontires.
I! too, We're, with prayer. borne around
, the crop fields thus blessing them
against blight and enSuring their
, frutfuness.
Mr.. Bryce, Chief Secretary for Ire
l,nd, is Introducing in the House OF
Commons an Irish I.abOrers' bill.
Probably it will not be the means of
overwhelming the laborers with joy.
still it will be beneficial to them. The
last lahOrerS' act that was made Law