The Irish standard., 1910-07-23
SOME IMPRESSIONS
OF IRELAND
A Visitor to Ireland Sees a Vast
Change For, the Better in
Conditions.
A Temperance Wave is Fast Spread
ing Over the Entire
Country.
The Beauty of the Scenery is a
Delight to the Eye of
the Tourist.

The old tyrannical days which shadZ
owed beautiful Ireland have become
nightmares of the past. The new land
laws which have enabled the tenant
farmers to buy the land in their own
for the Irish people, writes James Fee
ney in the Catholic Sun.
The old days, with their poverty and
helplessness, their rack-rents and PEN
al laws need no recording here. Ev-
cry one who has lived in the dis
tressed" country, or who has known
and loved Ireland and it's people, must
always remember with indignation
the injustice and the horrors Of its
thralldom. Now, slowly, the people
are looking up, slowly and with eau
ton, for have they not been pressed
sorely for centuries? Looking up with
tardy awakening of ambition to the
new day.
The Irish people are naturally and
Enthusiastically hero worshipers.
Give them some one upon whom to
lavish. love and loyalty, and shall any
other. nations love or loyalty shine
more brightly? For Irelandsg people
John Redmond is the man Of the hour.
With clear sighted vision and a sim
gleness of purpose, he keeps his eyes
fixed steadily on the one point he
wishes to make. In forcing the Eng
lish government to bring in the bill
reforming the House of Lords an es-
sential step is taken for gaining home
rule.
In many ways Ireland is showing
marked improvement. In almost ev-
cry town of note schools of Irish in
dustries are established. Laces, lin
ems and tweeds are produced in many
cities. The Sisters in the various con-
vents are doing a commendable WORK
teaching the people the art of lace
making, and enabling them to earn a
livelihood. Whoever has visited the
lace schools in Ireland and has seen
the marvellous and fllmy creations made
by the hands of the poorer country
women will testify to the beauty and
wonderfulness of the work. In the
little inland town of Longford there is
a small school instituted by few
gentle Sisters, who send from there
an amazing amount of work into many
foreign countries South America,
Australia and even Africa have bene-
flied by beautiful creations from the
skilled fingers of the pupils. Not only
lace work, but knitted silk stockings,
wooden stockings and socks and shirts
are in the list Of articles made by
these busy workers. The schools are
not well enough known.
In Balleek are factories where is
made the famous Balleek ware, the
fairylike, shell-shaped china. In Ban
try and Barney, Athlone and Donegal
are found factories for the production
Ol LuOSc WlOCAy Ni'OWtA eAAu justly SSl-
ebrated tweeds. But why particular
ize? Those WOODEN factories are scat
tered all over Ireland. In Belfast and
the other northern cities are made the
most beautiful linens. AS one ap-
proaches Belfast there can be seen
on the meadows and fields miles of
linens bleaching in the sun-and the
rain; for who shall say there is not
some rain in the "ould Isle?"
Just at present there is a wide, far
reaching wave of temperance spread
ing all through the country. Meetings
are held, organizations formed, and
the youth of Ireland are working with
enthusiastic zeal, This movement is
fostered and upheld by the priesthood
and hierarchy. And just here l would
like to say that Of the churches in Ire
land many Of them compare very ia
vorably with those on the Continent.
st. Colman's beautiful cathedral at
Queenstown, overlooking the bay; the
beautiful structure at Armagh, one Of
the show cathedrals of the country,
with it's delicate traceries and mo-
safes; st. ytncents church in Cork on
the banks of the River Lee: London
derry has it, beautiful St Columb's