Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1912-02-24
CORKEY EXTOLS GOULD SOD"
Carries Audience Across Ocean to
Emerald Isle.
FRESHMEN LOVE AMERICA
More of Them Now In This Country
Than There Are In Ireland /,
Picture OF the Irish
Home.

Rev. Alexander corkey last night car
ried an audience Of over 900 persons
across the deep blue sea TO the Emerald
isle in one OF the most eloquent addresses
ever heard at the Young Woman
Christian association, entitled Truth
About the Irish"
Raw. Mr.. Corkey distinguished himself
as a highly entertaining speaker. with
a wonderful flow OF eloquent wit. which
was intensely interesting to his appreei-
alive audience. Tales Of the ''ould sod, :
intermingled with ancient myths and
fairy legends. impressed tho audience
with the beautiful land and habits of a
true Irishman. Rev. Mr.. Corkey was
presented by Henry kieser.
II know before l start speaking" said
Mr.. Corkey. that am a little preIudiced
and that would not tell anything but
the truth about the Irish. l am an Amer
lean citizen, for which / am proud. but
was born in the Emerald isle, for
which / am douhly proud. The Irishman
has been made the blunt of many Jokes,
but he takes them all with a good laugh.
and I want TO say right here that the
Irishmen love America better than any
other land in the world. There are more
IrIshmen in the United States today than
there are in ireland. and some Of the
greatest men in the history OF America
were Irishmen.'
Here Rev. Mr.. corkey devIsted from
his topic and remained off II for the
remainder of the evening while he dis
coursed on the beauty of Hlbernia. lie
seemed to forget what his topic was and
was wrapped up in telling his audience
the home life Of an Irish farmer and
the industries. lie told OF the climate
which, he said, was always moderate
where the farmer raised crop after cror
all the year round, without fear Of losins
it by cold weather. Potatoes are said
to be the main product by the Irish
farmer. This Is probably true he said
When an Irishman wants breakfast
he goes out into his garden and digs Ut
some potatoes. At noon he may want 9
change and goes out and digs up another
meal. At night he goes out into tbs
garden and digs up another mess. Pota'
toes are the chief vegetable eaten BY
Irlshmeu. There are but three leadlns
Industries in Ireland at the present time
The linen Industry. the fisheries and ths
distilIeries, and there is q good chane,
for the latter being cut down a few
nOtches.
In going across ireland on q trsir
there is not a more beautiful spot OF
earth. A farm Of thirty-tive acres is q
large farm. All the farms are divided
into fields with stone walls and hedges
These stone walls dividing off farms fl
small fields with a stone house on each
farm intermingled with the green o.
growing crops. make the scene ore HhIei
is never forgotten by true Irishman."
lie described the Irish home In a few
words by drawing a mental picture Of 1
three-room house with a huge fireplace
with Pat" sitting before il with a clal
pipe in his mouth. taking his evening"
smoke. with a babe on his lap and sew
eraI more about the floor while tn,
trusty housewife sits by knitting AMI
rocking a cradle. An IrishmsH." h
said, raises many more things than hi
crops"
He told Of his boyhood days, when III
| arose early In the morning. ate a larg,
breakfast and then returned from tn
fields at noon TO eat another big meal
! At O'Clock In the afternoon work WA
! suspended while a small luncheon wa
done away with. After the days worl
was completed at O'clock another mea
was eaten apa :hen jus. before retirini
lunch was again eved.