The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-03-18

lures. St Patrick was successfully or
dained as deacon. priest and bishop.
and on the authority of Pope Celestine
went to ireland as the first represent
tative of Christianity among the then
heather Inhabitants OF that Island.
Tradition tells of the miraculous
and sanity powers with which he
fought the Druidical priests, cursing
the fertile soil OF. the Druids SO that 1t
became boys; curslng their rivers. so
that they produced no fish: curslng
their kettles. so that they would not
boil. and finally cursing the Druid
priests. 50 that the earth swallowed
them up. Legend says that by-rthis
curse the soil of Ireland Is to this day
obnoxious to the serpent race. although
contemporaneous drawings show the
patron saint as driving out the reptiles,
by beating drum until he Knocked a
hole in II.
Father Fleming told of the signih.,,
canoe OF the Shamrock. the small
clover leaf OF Ireland, adopted as a ma
tional emblem from the days of st.
Patrick. The traditions are that the
patron saint used the three leaves on
a single stem to teach the heather
people the doctrine of the Trinity. and
that from that time it became TO them
an emblem OF their religion.
Following the church services the
various societies, which attended in
their regalia, were formally dismissed
until evening by Chief Marshal Teefey.
Bnnquets Mt Night.
Each of the two divisions of the An
cient order of Hibernians celebrated
the evening with banquet, Division
the Sacred Heart Hall.
The Ladies' Auxiliary of Division One
banqueted with Division Two. while
the auxiliary of Division Two cele
brated with No. 1. At Murphy's Hotel
several hundred persons were gath
cred. three long tables extending the
full length of the banquet hall Mr..
Maurice a. Powers acted as toastmas-
ter having as his assistant Miss Min
ME Mulvey. of Portsmouth. When the
cloths had been lifted. the Rev. Father
Augustus Fleming. the preacher of the
morning. responded to the toast; The
irish Race, amid applause which was
almost continuous.
THE clergy" was responded to by
Rev. Father Fl. j. McKeefrey.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians"
brought forth speech from Mr.. John
ization.
Mr.. Phil G. Kelly responded to the
toast Woman" and Mrs. John Teefey
answered for The Ladies Auxiliary,
Its Achievements and Successes"
Other excellent speeches in response
to various calls were made by Colonel
John Murphy, Rev. Father HanniganI
and Mr.. John Moore, of Manchester,l
patron saint in their own style.
Music was rendered by II. +. andI
Joseph Smith, and Mr.. James Casey, a
former State president, made brief
humorous talk.
Among those at the speakers table.
besides the officers of the local Hiber-
mans, were Mr.. Joseph Burke. of Nor-l
1olk; state president: AR John Flood,
Of Of, Portsm1nth, State secretary; Miss
secretary of the Ladies' Auxiliary, and
Mrs Minnie Mulvey, of Portsmouth.
state vice-president of the Auxiliary.
Table decorations We're in green and
white. The occasion was much enioyei
by all present.
At Sacred Henrt
With feasting, oratory and song. the
celebration of St Patricks Day In the
Sacred Heart hall, under the auspices
of Division No. 2. and Auxiliary No. 1,
did not come to a close until long at
ter the clock showed the arrival of
the morning.
fusely with streamers of green flowing
from every point. Across the rostrum
hung huge banner bearing the
initials of the Ancient Order of Hiber-
mans. Three tables stretching almostl
the entire length OF the building, with
covers for about 30n people, We're laden
with everything man or woman could
wish.
DIR. Daniel j. Coleman. the toast
master, was the first of the speakers.
He responded to the toast, '"rhe Day
We Celebrate.' The Rev. Father j.
B. O'Reilly followed him with a short
address. Other toasts We're as follows:
The Ancient order of Hibernians,'
Mr.. James ]. Dreamer: woman. Miss
Agnes Ferriter, and Our Boys" Mr..
"A. II. TAYLOR. Between the speeches