The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-03-23
1t is Both a Religious Festival and
a National Holiday, Says
:. Hon. D. W. Lawler.
Attachment of Irish People to
Religion and Learning is
Racial Characteristic
Triumph of Irish Cause Due Largely
to the Priest, the Peasant and
the Irish Mother.

Hon. Daniel w. Lawler oc st. Paul
was the principal speaker at an ex-
cellent st. Patrick's Day celebration
held at Hibbing, Minnesota, Saturday
evening, March l6. Hon, Martin
Hughes, Judge of the District Court,
was chairman of the meeting. The
young people of Hibbing put on a play
for the occasion and furnished a pro-
gram Of Irish music.
Mr.. Lawler's speech was compre-
hensive presentation of the outlines
of Irish history and the influence
which Ireland has had on the other
nations since the time of st. Patrick.
The seventeenth of March. said Mr..
Lawler. has a two-fold significance
for the Irish people. 1t is at once a
religious festival and national holi-
day. It is a religious festival because
it is commemoration of the death of
the Saint who by his heaven ordained
mission replaced the idolatry and
raganism which he found in Ireland
by the doctrines of the true Church.
Mr.. Lawler went into the history Of
the early life of st. Patrick, told of his
captivity and his years Of toll as a
slave in the. land which he was des-.
tined later to evangelize. He related
how the youthful Patrick grew in
faith, how he heard q voice bidding
him escape from his master; how he
did as the voice directed; how he got
his education in France and finally
was commissioned by Pope Celestine
to carry the Gospel to the Gael.
The conversion of Ireland, continued
the speaker, was immediate. bloodless
and enduring. Not only did the Irish
people flock to the banner of st. Pat
rick, but they became such jealous,
enthusiastic Christians that Ireland at
once became a missionary nation, a
distinction which it retains to the
present day. Monasteries schools and
seminaries came into existence and
before the close Of the fifth century
Ireland was recognized by al Europe
as storehouse of learning. While
the scholars of Europe were focking
TO the Emerald Isle, Irish scholars and
missionaries were going forth to
spread the dual light of learning and
faith over the whole civilized world.
The remarkable attachment Of the
Irish people to religion and culture is
a characteristic of the race which the
most barbaric devices of their cruel
oppressors have been helpless to de-
stroy. 1t was through the devotion of
her sons to the highest ideals of reli-
gion, science, literature and art that
Erin Won the enviable title of the "Is-
land of Saints and Scholars This is
concretely set forth in the statement
we often hear made, that the prayer
of every Irish mother is that it may
lie her joy one day to gee son of
hers officiating at the altar of God.
After further dwelling on the reli-
cious aspect of st. Patrick's Day, Mr..
Lawler took up the question of Ire
lands struggle for freedom Today,
continued the speaker, is also q, ma.
tional holiday, for Ireland, it must be
granted, is nation. Mr.. Lawler then
went into the history of the struggle
which began in the time of Henry II.
Another section of Mr.. LAWYERS ad-
Gress was concerned with the problem
of emigration and the part the Irish
played in important crises in the his
tory of the United States. He referred
to the careers of such we'll known
patriots as Richard Montgomery whose
name is associated with the Revolu
t;onary war; John Barry and Thomas
McDonough who took an important
part in the war Of 1912; Jaraes Shields
who exemplifed Irish valor and pat
in the Civil war; Thomas Francis
Meagher and Philip Henry Sheridan
the mention of whose names is all
that is necessary to call up associa-
tions of great deeds in the mind OF
any student of United States history
Almost century ago, said Mr.
Law1er. the great emigration from
Ireland to the United States began.