The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-04-02

years, altnOuSn 1t thrilled the heart OF
every Irishman, it was never heard in
public in England.
If Boucicault could have lived un-
til the queen made her last visit to
the Emerald Isle. when she consented
to the wearing OF the shamrock, he
would have seen. as the royal par
ty landed from her majesty's yacht.
the dragons. fusileers and lancers
drawn up in full uniform to salute
their ruler; sprig of shamrock was
on every breast and the queen was
greeted by the same old song, THE
Wearing of the Green"
In those intervening years the air
that seems to hold all the pathos of
Ireland has been sung from the cabins
OF Galway to the camps of Irish resi-
ments. fighting England's battles from
the Cape to Afghanistan. Kippling has
told in "Namgay Doola'' how 1t had
reached to the mountains of Thibet.
Lovers OF research of this character
have found that there was an old
Revolutionary street ballad in Ireland
III which conversation was imagined
between Bonaparte and an Irishman,
In which Bonaparte inquiries: "And
how Is ould Ireland and how does she
stand?" and to this he is given renlv.
""Tis poor distressed coun-the-ry,
oh. poor I-arland."
Mr.. Bouccault, it is said, was given
the idea for rewriting the song bv his
mother, but she was only able to re-
member the first four lines. All the
rest is original with Boucicault. Nor
Is this the only song he adopted in
the same way. The old-time popular
song, pat Molloy," was also written
by him to an old Irish air.
Mr.. Boucicault was born in Dublin
on December 20, 1922. He was cdu-
Gated partly in that city and partly in
London university, and became con-
nected with the dramatic profession in
the year 1S41. as author OF London
Assurance" a play first performed at
Covent Garden theater on March 4 Of
that year. Mr.. Boucicault did not
make his stage debut until Monday.
June IA, 1852. in play written by
himself, entitled '"The Vampire" ln
1853 he came to America for the first
ahe, and made his appearance in
THE Fox Hunt" at Wallack's the
ater. He returned home two wears
later. In 1860 he wrote and produced
In London his famous play 'rhe Col
leen> BaWn." He came to America to
reside permanently in 1876, and took
up his residence in New York city.
where he died on September Is, 1890.
James Napier Tandy the Irish agi-
tntor referred to in the song. wns
born In Dublin 1740 and died in that
city in 1903. During the American
Revolution he took an active part i'm
the effort to prevent the use of Eng
lish goods in Irelnnd was an cnthusi
asst In the volunteer movements" on
May 81, 1882, commanded the corps of
artillery that guarded the approaches
to receive the answer OF the ministry
to the demand for Legislative indc-
pendcnce. and was one of the foremost
In the volunteer convention of Novcm
Der. 1888.
Ten years afterwards when Nappcr
Tandy was about to be tried for writ
Ing seditious pamphlet called Com
mon Sense he fed to the United
States. In 1898 he went to Paris and
was put in command of vessel for
an invasion Of Ireland. He remained
on Irish soil, however, but eight hours
and then went to Bergen, and from
there by land to Hamburg. At the
latter place he was seized and deliv-
cred to the English, and upon his ar
rival in ireland was condemned tc
death. Bonaparte. however, brought
such pressure to bear in his favor that
the prisoner was released. He soon
after went to France and was made !:
general of division.
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