The Irish standard., 1912-04-27
AND
TOTAL ABSTINENCE
Father Mathew Society Making
Temperance Movement an
Educational Force.
A Public Music Hall Advocated
for Ireland's Capital to Pro-
mote Sobriety.
The Feis Aims to Quench Thirst
for Liquor by Creating Thirst
for knowledge.

At the fourth Father Mathew Feis
held under the auspices of the Father
Mathew Total Abstinence Association,
Very Rev. Aloysius, o. S. f. c., spoke
on the temperance aspect of the Feis.
He pointed out how the movement
aims not only to discourage the use
Of liquors but it encourages other
good works at the same time. He
said in part:
We are endeavoring to make the
temperance movement an educational
force, a means Of popular enlighten-
ment, a nationalizing, religious, and
an elevating influence. We aim at
exciting a noble thirst for knowledge,
and we trust our efforts will succeed
in making many lives purer, brighter,
happier, and better for humanity
and God.
chief features of the Feis program
may not be out Of place. In todays
competitions alone some 81 budding
musicians will appear-54 vocalists
and 81 little pianists under twelve
years Of age. We have faith with
DR.. Claiming in the humanising
power of music, it's influence in homes
and in public assemblies, to protect
from the vice of drink and it's kin
dred dissipations," and we hold with
hin, that ito educate is something
more than to teach these elements of
knowledge which are needed to get a
subsistence. 1t is to exercise and call
out the higher faculties and affections
of human being" need not dwell
on the power of music. Even the
Trade" is as one with us in this
respect, as the tap-room fiddler and
the publichouse gramophone testify.
Not many years ago I happened to
have business in large English
town, and as passed by side street
1 heard the strains of 'The Dear Lit
tic Shamrock" that even stolid
John Bull recognizes the influence of
music, and tries to turn an honest
penny on it. Well, we are not con-
cerned with the praises of the public.
house gramophone, but we are con-
cerned to train the youth of ireland
in an art that should have blessed
and more attractive, and adding an
elevating and spiritual element to the
connection may be permitted to say
that I thoroughly endorse the demand
that is growing in volume every day
for a public concert hall in the capital
of 1reland-a hall worthy of our city
and Of the traditional love of music
of our race. Our municipal authori-
ties have done much in the way OF
providing parks and open spaces and
have conferred great boon on the
| people but what about the nights
that are dark and damp, what about
the long winter months when these
outdoor recreation grounds are no at
| traction to. the ordinary working
man? Where is he to spend his even
ing? The authorities can pay TO,
| bands in the parks in the summe,
months; have they no power, or VIII,
have they no power, to provide in.
! door music and recreation indoor.
during the winter months? We claim
to be a music-loving people; is ii
true that there is not a decent con.
cert hall in our city, and is it tru,
that in our National University tier,
Is not a chair of music? Our com
petitions include literary competi
tions. and naturally we encourage tn,
language, literature, and history o,
our country. 1 need scarcely tell tn,
smallest little child here that Fej,
is the Irish word for the Englisl
word festival, and the adoption O
the Irish word is an index of ou
desire to encourage an Irish tone an,
to develop the festival on Irish lines
We have art competitions and indus
trial competitions. This department
of the Feis we hope to more full
develop in the future For whilst W
recognise the value of music and lit
erature. we are not unmindful of IL