The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1910-07-23
A Visitor to Ireland Sees Vast
Change For the Better in
Conditions.
IA 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 shad-
owed beautiful Ireland have become
nightmares of the past. The new land
4 laws which have enabled the tenant
I farmers to buy the land inN their own
4 names mean new dawning of hope
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 its people, must
always remember with indignation
the injustice and the horrors Of its
thralldon,. Now, slowly, the people
are looking up, slowly and with cau-
ton, for have they not been pressed
l sorely for centuries? Looking up with
a;{tardy awakening Of ambition to the
1 new day. NJ. I II
s The Irish people are naturally and
y scharacteristically hero worshipeYs.
/ Give them some one upon whom to
lavish love and loyalty, and shall any
other nations love o. yalts; shine
ss,'aara bgikhtly people
1 John edmond is the man Of the hour.
With = clear-sish shted Vision ana : sim
sssness of purpose, he keeps his eyes
axed steadily on the one point he
1 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. Is s@,
In many ways Ireland is showing
a. 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-.
3 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 hlnly creations made
by the hands of the poorer country
women will testify to the beauty and
4 wonderfulness Of the work. In the
little inland town of Longford there is
a small school instituted by a few
gentle Sisters, who send from there
an amazing amount Of work into many
foreign countries. South America,
Australia and even Africa have benc-
fited by beautiful creations from the
skilled fingers Of the pupils. Not only
4 lace work, but knitted silk stockings,
woolen stockings and socks and shirts
& are in the list Of articles made by
these busy workers. The schools are
i not well enough known
In Balleek are factories where is
made the famous Balleek ware, the
fairyIike, shell shaped china. In Ban
L try and Blarney, Athlone and Donegal
are found factories for. the production
of those widely known and justly cel-
4 ebrated tweeds. But why particular
ize? Those woolen factories are scat
tered all over Ireland. In Belfast and
4 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-a the
rain; for who shall say there is not
some rain in the "ould Isle?" II
Just at present there is, q wide, far
! reaching wave Of temperance spread
y ing all through the country. Meetings
u are held, organizations formed, and
the youth Of Ireland are working with
enthusi zeal, This movement is
4 fostered and upheld BY the priesthood
4 ana Ahierarchy. And just here would
Ike rto say that Of, the churches in 1re-
4 land many Of them compare very fa-
vorably with those on the Continent.
81 Colrnan's beautiful cathedral at
q Queenstown, overlooking the bay; the
besntiful structure at Armagh. one of
tlles show cathedra1s Of the country.
y with Its delicate traceries and mo-
atcs; yincsnt's D churcI, in Cork ON
I ~ ths River L,opdon-