The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-08-21
REV. DR, 0'HICKEY AND s..
THE IRISH BISHOPS
\ Testimonial to be Given
to the Late Professor of
the Gaelic Language at.
Maynooth c College--Speech-
es Made at a Dublin Meet
ing by John MacNeill and
Senior Bulfin Are Very
Moderate in Tone.

Senor Bulfin Are Very
Moderate in Tone.
A largely attended meeting was held
in the Gresham hotel, Dublin, on Tues
day, Aug. 3, for the purpose of pro-
noting testimonial to the Rev. DR..
O'Hickey. Mr.. John MacNeill, vice.
president Of the Gaelic League, pre-
sided.
The chairman briefly addressed tho
meeting in Irish and then, speaking in
known that DR.. O'FIickey has been dis
missed from the professorship of Irish
in Maynooth college. It has been
stated that this is a purely ecclesias-
s. tical matter OF purely collegiate mat
ter and, in either case if DR.. O'Hickey
has been wrongfully dismissed, he has
the proper means of obtaining redress.
If he has been rightfully dismissed,
there is no more to be said. In either
case there is no room FOR public in
terference. Our object in coming to-
gether today is, not to interfere with
the action of the Bishops, either as
Bishops or as trustees of Maynooth
college. Speaking for myself as q
Catholic, hold it to be duty to show
respect and reverence to the Bishops
and not to bring them into; contempt
We are not hostile to the Bishops, we
never have been, and it is my belief
that they are mot hostile to us in. their.
minds (hear, hear). / RECALL the situa-
ton that arose aSs.few months ago.
when the. Standing $ Committee Of TIM
Bishops issued the statement with re-
gard to Irish;in the: University. We be.
.lieved then that the Standing Com
mittee had fallen into an error of judg-
ment. We said SO without impeaching
their good faith. The public opinion OF
Ireland, especially of Catholic Ireland.
agreed with us. .(applause). Now, again,
in deprfving Dr., o'H7ickey of his place
in Maymooth, the Bishops, in our opin-
ion, have fallen into. an error Of judg-
ment: (hear hear. and applause). Per-
haps-I don't know-the initiation Of
that step has forced them into an error
of Judgment. It, is. not our business
to apportion the. responsibility. No
doubt they take an internal view Of
that action, and justify it accordingly.
The public view of it will be different.
The public mind cannot and will not
dissociate this. action from course
of events of which it is a prominent
event .capplause). I have good reason
to. know that Irish public opinion re-
CARDS the dismissal of DR.. O'Hickey as
a most deplorable thing (hear, hear).
But now there are some people saying
that we who are banded together in
the cause of our national language
ought to stand aside and remain silent
and without action. What does that
mean? It means that DR.. O'Hickey
must not only be deprived by the
trustees, but that he must also be dis
graced and disowned by U.S., his COM
rades in the. fight (applause). If that
were t. happen, then we, too, shall be
disgracec. and the day may not be far
off when we shall be disowned (hear,
hear). "The interna, affairs of May
nooth college are not our concern"
Very well, be it SO. Let it be sup
posed that DR.. O'Eickey has been sent
forth into the land a derelict by x and
Y from place called T.. There he is;
he has fought OUR fight; he has been
struck down, no matter by what hand.
Are we to stand by motionless and in
silence, and leave him to. his fate :?
(Applause.) If we. do, we, need never
face another fight, nor look for respect
or sympathy from any man in Ireland
.(applause). We@stand, by the man who
has stood by US (applause): Some
cautious friends -of ours are shaking
their heads and saying that We are go
ing to ruin the Gaelic League. One
thing is clear-that these good friends
- of ours have no very high opinion Of
the Irish Bishops and clergy (hear.
hear). 1t would be- a bad thing for
Irish Nationality and a worse. thing still
for. religion if it could be truly said
that great popular movement and
organization dared not, follow. its own
sense Of duty, but must stand in fear
for its very life before even so exalted
and SO reverenced body (applause).
That is childish notion (hear, hear).
There Is no such fear and no occasion