The Irish standard., 1907-11-02

AZ AAei1Au Will d H4SHly non
orable record behind them of work
done. Here in Dublin we have the
firms of Mr.. M. Byrne, of ~ James's
street, Mr.. William Spence, of 1o7 Cork
street, and Messrs. w. Curtis and Sons.
Of SO Middle Abbey street, all of whom
have supplied many Irish churches and
cathedrals with peals of bells. Mr..
Byrne is the successor of a Mr.. John
Murphy. who. half century ago, cast
a. peal of bells weighing "a tons, which
were sent to the Catholic Cathedral
of Melbourne. Writing to- the Dublin
papers in 1852, Mr.. Murphy said: "1
commenced church bell-founding about
IA years ago, when all the founders of
England laughed at me for my enter
prise; but succeeded so far that I
dld not see 3 single church helk i'm
ported from England sin3e l. COM
menced. at least for catholik churches,
but quite the reverse Fam supplying
different churches in, England both
Catholic and Protestant. 1 took the
First Glass Medal at the Exhibition of
All Nations from all the bell-founders
of Europe and the world. / had the
honor of supplying eleven Archbishops
and Bishops of the Catholic church
with bells, and some hundreds of
church dignitaries. I am now manu-
featuring peal of eight more for the
Protestant church of the isle of Man"
A noteworthy industrial revivalist! If
the shandon bells are to ring out as
grandly as of yore on "the pleasant
waters Of the River Lee" let us at
least know that the new tenor bell,
which Irish money is to restore, is
made in our own country.
In this connection, the words of a.
famous Cork citizen, the late John
Francis Mcguire, M. p, are peculiarly
opportune and deserve quotation at the
present time. Writing in 1852 he said:
-"From every steeple and tower in
this green island, the bell of Irish birth.
cast in Irish mould, and wrought bv
Irish hands should fulfil its Offices;
which are thus described in schiller's
glorious Lay of the Bell,' rendered into
vigorous English by the hand of Clar-
ence Mangan, that child of genius and
misfortune. who now sleeps TRANQUILITY
In the silent gravel
What here in caverns by the, power
OF fire our mastering fingers frame
Hereafter from the belfry tower
Will vindicate it's makers aim:
Twill speak to man with voice unfail-
In latest years of after days.
, Will echo back the mourner's wailing.
Or move the heart to prayer and
praise.
In many a, varying cadence ringing,
The willing bell will publish far
The fitful changes hourly springing
Beneath mans ever-shifting star"
A Visit to shandon.
Last year (writes correspondent
paid visit to st. Annes, Shandon, and
ascended the old tower where the ia
nous bells are hung. My cicerone, the
, caretaker, did me the honor of playing
couple of Moores melodies, and I
recall that citizens going about their
business in the broad MONDAY were
reminded from shandon that There's
nothing half 50 sweet in life as loves
young dream"
Let me confess that keen as was my
interest in the historic peal and the
old church it was not greater than the
interest which the caretaker excited in
me. In speech he was typica. Cork
man, and he had the humor of the first
gravedigger who parleyed so we'll with
Hamlet. Standing on the summit of
! the tower. whence we commanded q