Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-08
ireland a Nation
of Centenarians
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Star.
DUBLIN, October 81. 1908.
VALES of the extraordinary Ion
gevity of the Irish peasantry
have sometimes been received
81 with some fncredulity but the
British government officials are
now discovering that they are true. The
old-age pensions act has just gone into
force, and the claims which are being
made are proving the claim of Ireland to
be called a nation Of centenarians. Under
the act persons who are seventy years
old or over are entitled to pension OF
S1.25 week. and 1t is necessary for them
to provide the pension officers with salts
factory proof Of their ages before they are
admitted to the roll Of pensioners.
Twelve hundred forms of claim have
already been filed with the post offices in
Donegal. and among them are those which
deserve special mention. Charles Kelly Of
Burbane. In the parish Of Inver, has sub
mitted proof that he is Ill years old
What this means may be realized when
one remembers that he was a year old
when the Irish instruction Of 179S took
place. and that he has lived In three CEN
turtles. John McGinty of Donegal parish
! is JOG years old, and Bryan O'Donnell of
Tower. in the parish Of Inver, is 1OS years
old. The venerable O'Donnell is proud
or the fact that he has never uttered a
word OF English in his long life. and he
cannot understand the language. He still
wears the costume which the young bucks
of century ago affected in DONEGAL
buckled shoes. knitted stockings, with
corduroy knee breeches and a swallow
tailed blue cloth coat. with waistcoat
cants are in excellent mental and physi-
cal health. and they declare that they
hope to live to enjoy their pensions for
many year to come.
A remarkable evidence Of the change
In political conditions in the north Of Ire
land Is the request which has been made
to Lord Pirrie by the leading citizens Of
Belfast. including Sir Robert Anderson
the present lord mayor. that he shall be-
come lord mayor Of the city next wear.
Lord Pirrie Is the head Of the great ship
building firm of Harland e Wolff, Bel
fasts greatest industry: but Lord Pirrie
Is liberal and an avowed home ruler
couple OF years ago his name was
anathema In Belfast. where he was re-
garded by the unionsts as renegade and
deserter of the worst type. Now they are
praying him to accept the highest honor
In the gift of the citizens. It may be
mentioned that Lord Pirrie is not particu-
larly anxious to accept the honor. as he
cannot forget the hard things that have
been said about him by the eminent citi-
zens who are now DESTROYS of propitiating
him.
The Belfast corporation. by the way.
has just narrowly missed allowing the
principal public building in the city, the
Ulster Hall. to be used for a great mis-
sionary campaign by the Mormons The
apostles are just now conducting a great
campaign In Ireland under the personal
direction of Apostle Penrose. who is the
head OF the church in the United King
dom. A few weeks ago some residents Of
Belfast applied to the corporation for per-
mission to use the Ulster Hall October
for religious purposes and the per-
mission was granted without inquiry as
to the particular brand OF religion to be
preached there. A few days after the
permission had been received every board
in the city blossomed out with posters
| announcing great Mormon meeting. The
corporation met hurriedly and rescinded
| the permission TO use the hall. and notified
| the Mormons that IL they attempted to
| enter 1t they would be stopped by the
police. The Mormons tried to hold an
open-air meeting few days ago. but they
| were pelted with stones and mud by the
women of Belfast. and compelled to dis
perse.
A similar attempt to obtain the Town
Hall in Portadown was also almost sue