The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1910-04-13
BIG PAGEANT TO
ExALT old ERIN
Ire|and's Heroic Past 10 Be
Shown at Chicago.
THOUSANDS ARE TO TAKE PART

THOUSANDS ARE TO TAKE PART
Production Of One Scene Will Require
Presence Of 1000 Psrsons-History Of
ireland From Earliest Times to Be
Portrayed In Chronicle Play.
Announcement was made at the
meeting Of the Irish Fellowship club
In Chicago the other day by former
Judge Elbridge Hanecy that 1.-The
Pageant Of Ireland" will be produced
at the Coliseum in Chicago during the
second week Of May. While the Irish
Fellowship club has taken the initia-
tive in the matter, the production, it
was learned. will be participated in
by all Irish organizations in Chicago.
Present plans indicate, it is declar-
ed, that not less than $500 men and
women will take part In the various
scenes, a production Of one of them
requiring the presence Of 1000 per.
sons. A special effort will be made
to have present day descendants Of
old Irish leaders represent their an
cestors in the play.
Author Describes Plans.
The book Of the pageant is being
written and the production directed by
Thomas Wood Stevens, author Of 1.-The
Pageant Of the Italian Renaissance"
given at the Art institute last year
and 1.-THE Historical Pageant Of ILL.,
nois," presented at Northwestern uni
versity in October, 1909. A large
amount Of material made in Ireland,
it is said, will be imported for the
costumes and setting.
In speaking Of the proposed produc-
ton Mr.. Stevens said:
"The pageant will be composed Of
dramatic scenes connected and intro.
duced by spoken interludes. It will
present in this form Of a chronicle play
the great characters and events Of
Irish history and literature, from the
coming Of the Milesians (as related in
the Book Of Invasions") to the last
marshaling Of the clans in allegiance
to Roderick O'Conor. The effort is to
visualize the heroic past and to make
familiar the chief figures Of a great
age in the worlds history. The set
ting of the pageant will be massive
and artistically decorative, and a large
number of persons will take part in it.
"The pageant will be divided by an
intermission into two parts, of which
the first will be for the most part leg
endary, representing the history and
literature of Erin before the coming
Of Christianity, while the second part
will deal with recorded events be-
tween the landing of st. Patrick and
the acceptance Of the last high king.
The book Of the pageant is based on
the best Irish historical authorities
and not only follows the great events
of the period, but suggests at the
same time certain main stems in the
carefully recorded old system of Irish
%genealogy, since many of the events
dramatized are connected with the
founding of great families.
MiIesian Landing Depicted.
"The first scene will represent the
landing of the Milesians. They de-
mand the kingdom Of the Tuatha de
Danaans, but accede to the condition
that they return to their ships, go out
to the ninth wave and make their
landing again. The sorcerers raise a
magic storm, and the ships are scat
tered, in spite Of which the landing is
made, and the sons of Miledh become
the masters Of the island.
"The next scenes deal with the
events of the red branch and Fenian
cycles, and the themes are the chief
figures and events of Irish romance
Cuchulain, Conchubar, Queen Maeve,
the flight of Dierdre, Finn MacCum-
hail and the Fenians. This closes the
legendary phase. The first half ends
with the coming Of st. Patrick and
the scene of the conversion Of the
king on Tara hill.
THE recorded authentic history is
carried along through this period in
the spoken %interludes, and the second
half deals only with actual historic
figures. The first scene presents st.
Bridget. COlumkill and the e of
learning, the scene closing with tho
coming Of the Danes and the sack Of
the schools which the saints have
founded. The next great scene shows
the abdication Of King Malachy and
the acceptance Of Brian Boroihme.
This prepares for the great scene Of
the battle Of C~lontarf. which closes
with the lament for Brian's death.
The last scene shows the %marshaling
Of the various clans in allegiance to
Roderick O'Conor and Is to be pre-
scented a. far as possible by the repre-
~eentatiYes of the clans now living in