Omaha daily bee., 1908-10-18
OLD AGE In IRELAND
Remarkable Instances of Longevity
in Emerald Isle.
CUR0sITIEs OF PENSION LIST
Donegal Man Who Has Reached One
Hundred and Eight.
STILL WEARS NATIONAL DRESS
Has Never in His Life Spoken Word
of English.
NEW LIBERALITY IN BELFAST
CitisenH Invite Home Rule Peer TO
Become Their Lord Mayor
Persecution of Mormon
Missionaries.
Donegal Man Who Has Reached One
Hundred and Eight.
STILL WEARS NATIONAL DRES
Has Never in His Life Spoken Wore
of English.
NEW IIBERALITY IN BELFAST

extraordinary longevity OF the Irish peas
antry have sometimes been received with in
credulity, but the British government
officials are now discovering that they arc
true. The Old Age Pensions Act has lust
gone into force and the claims which are
being made are proving the claim Of Ire
land TO be called a nation Of centenarians
Under the act persons who are 70 years
old or over are entitled to a pension of
= Sl.25 week and It is necessary for them
to provide pension officers with salts
factory proof Of their age before they are
admitted to the roll OF pensioners
Twelve hundred forms of claims have al
ready been filed with the post office in
Donegal and among them are those which
deserve special mention. Charles Kelly of
Burbane in the parish of Inver has sub
nitted proof that he is Ill yeai., old. What
this means may be realized whenNone re-
members that he was year old when the
insurection OF 1898 took place, and that he
has lived In three centuries John Nc
Ginty of Donegal parish is 1O6 years old
and Bryan O'Donnel of Tower, in the par
tsh of inver is los years old. The vener-
able ODonnel is proud Of 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 a century ago
affected in Donegal--buckled Shoes knitted
stockings with coruroy knee breeches and
swallow-tailed blue cloth coat with
waistcoat with brass buttons. These three
applicants are in excellent mental and
physical health and they declare that they
hope to live to enjoy their pensions for
many a year to come.
Political Conditions Change.
A remarkable evidence OF the change in
political conditions In the north OF Ireland
10 the request which has been made 10
Lord Pirrle by the leading citizens OF Bel
fast. including Sir Robert Anderson, the
present Lord Mayor. that he shall become
Lord Mayor OF the city next year. Lord
Pirrie IL the head OF the great shipbuilding
firm OF Harland & Wolff, Belfasts greatest
industry, but Lord Pirrie Is Liberal and
an avowed Home Ruler. A couple Of years
ago his name was anathema in Belfast
where he was regarded by the Unionsts as
q renegade and deserter Of the worst tS p,.
Now they are praying him TO accept the
highest honor IN the gift Of the citizens
1t may be mentioned that Lord Pirrle Is
not particularly anxious to eccept the honor
as he cannot forget the hard things that
have been said about him by the eminent
citizens who are now desrous of propi-
tiating him.
The Belfast corporation, by the way, has
just narrowly missed allowing the prin-
eipai building in the city, the Ulster hall,
to be used for the great missionary cam
paign by the Mormons The apostles are
Just now conducting a great campaign
in Ireland under the personal direction Of
Apostle Penrose who Is head of the church
in the United kingdom,l-s A few weeks
ago some residents of Belfast applied 20
the corporation for permission to the
Ulster hall on october for religious
puposes, and the permission was granted
without inquiry as to the particular. brand
OF religion TO be preached there A few
days after the permission had been re-
ceived every boarding place in the city
blossomed out win posters announcing
great Mormon meeting. The corporation
met hurriediy and reseinded the permission
to use the hall and notified the Mormons
that II they attempted to enter It they
would be stopped by the police The Nor
mons tried 10 hold an open air meeting
a few days ago, but they were pelted with
stones and mud by the women of Belfast,
ind compelled to disperse.
similar attempt to obtain the Town
sail In Portadown was also almost sue
sesful, but when the authorities learned
who the hirers were the permission was
withdrawn.
Valuable Gifts to Dublin.
Lord Iveagh, tho head of the great brew
Ing firm Of Guinness, who has made many
generous gifts to his native city OF Dublin,
has Just presented three well known and
valuable pictures TO the Dublin municipal
gallery, They are Pretty Jenny Bond,
by G. F. watts; "Lnacs." by Sir John
Millsis and View in Venice" by James
HOLLAND.
There 4 strong hope in Derry that the
FuVle shipyard which was established
some years ago. but failed from lack OF
SARital will soon be revived. 1t is stated
that a representative OF great Irish ship
building firm has been I'm negotiation with
the Derry corporation for the purchase OF
the yard. and that IL is proposed to en-
ploy several thousand men in Derry. The
firm is probably Harland & Wolff of
Belfast. Derry is Ideally situated for ship
= building and IN the old days OF wooden
ships 1t held its own with the other Irish
ports. There is scope. too, for almost un-
limited development Of The yard and II
is stated that the corporation Is prepared
TO grant exceptional advantages TO any
firm which will re-establish the industry
in the city on the Foyle.
An excellent suggestion to aid the re-
affores,slion Of Ireland has been made by
the Irish Forestry society II is nothing
less than the adoption in this country OF
the American plan OF "Arbour Day" and II
Is proposed taat q school holiday shall
bs established each year under this name
and that every pupil in the Irish National
4 schools shall be required to plant tree
u on that day. The society is prepared "a
supply the trees free OF charge TO teachers
and school managers who will agree a
follow the plan Of reafforestation which
has been prepared by the society,
u is pointed out that there are hundreds
OF thousands OF acres in Ireland which
might be profitably devoted to timber
growing and which are now OF little use
A->atlDasd on Second Pase