The daily sentinel., 1913-03-07
IRISH PRIEST
PROTESTS At
DECORATIONS
Insult to Erin is Display
Of Hogs, He Ayers;
Writes Brilliant Let
ter to The Sentinel.
st. Mary's Hospital,
Graz nd Junction, Colo. ,
March Z 1913
Walter Walker, Esq.
Editor Daily Sentinel.

Dear Sir:-Passng through the
main thoroughfare of this city | was
surprised and pained to see a show
window of one of the stores decorat-
ed profusely with toy hogs painted
in the national color of Ireland.
most sincerely hone, as an Irishman
born and raised In the old land and
educated in the schools of the Emer-
aid isle, that this form of decoration
is the outcome Of thoughtlessness
and ignorance. il surely cannot be
the result of malice.
Anyone acquainted with either the
history of Ireland or the history of
this republic and the services of the
children of ireland to the United
States cannot but regard such an
incident otherwise than as an in
suit to Ireland and her people. Fur
ther, we must look upon it as an act
of gross ingratitude to Ireland.
From the 9Th to the 9Th centuries
such was the learning, the sanctity,
the genius and civilization of old
Ireland that she was recognized in
Europe as the "land of saints and
scholars" In that age took place
the great migration of the peoples
of Europe The Vandals and the
Visigoths swept down from northern
Europe upon the fair provinces of
Spain and Italy, bringing with them
ruin and destruction. The old king
doms passed away. The church put
forth her greatest efforts in behalf
of religion and culture: and thus
were laid the foundations of the
greatness of the Kingdoms of modern
Europe
Ireland in thai juncture invited
the children of the European conti-
nent to her schools and colleges, and
there they received food, raiment
and education free of charge. Fur
ther, she sent out her illustrious sons,
who brought with them the twin
lamps of religion and education to
illumine the darkness of the Europe
an continent brought about by the
fell work of the Hun and the Van
dal.
That was the day of Ireland's
grandeur and glory. when she was
ruled by her own kings and princes.
How well did Moore, the Irish bard,
write in his world-renowned melody,
viz: t..
Let Erin remember the days of old,
Ere her faithless sons betrayed
her;
When Malachi wore the collar of
gold,
Which he won from the proud in
vader;
When her kings, with standards of
green unfurled,
Led the Red Branch knights to
danger"
Such is the tribute of the noble
bard to Erin and her ancient glories.
In the Middle Ages falsely styled
the Dark Ages by ignorant people)
we find the great king, Brian Boru,
leading forth his troops to battle,
with the cruCifiN in one hand and
his sword in the other BY the vic
tory of Clontarf he destroyed the
power of the Danish Vikings in Ire
land. Then Ireland rose up Phoenix
like from her ashes, and once more
her fame as a seat of learning went
out over Europe. ,4MG
lrelands dignity. her genius and
chivalrous respect for the fair sex
are commemorated for the period of
the Middle Ages in the melody:
Rich and rare were the gems she
wore"
do not see how any citizen of
this republic can be so ungrateful to
Ireland as to attempt to ridicule her.
Is 1t not an historical fact that
Charles Carroll of Carrollton was an
lfishman?-OnC Of the signers of the
Declaration of lndependence-a doc
ument which was grounded on the
Magma Charta, an instrument granted
in the so-called Dark Ages; the very
palladium of English and American
constitutional liberty. His worthy
brother, the archbishop of Baltimore,
also supported strongly the Revolu-
tionary cause.
Is it not true that Commodore Bar
ry, the founder of the navy of the
Revolution, was also an Irishman?
And many of the Revolutionary SOL
diers were also irishmen.
Whom the fate of the Union hung
in the balance in the early period of
the Civil war, Archbishop Hughes of
New York, another Irishman, was de-
puted by the fcderal government to
so to the courts Of Europe and plead
the cause Of the Union. The names
Of Sherman and Sheridan will ever
be conspicuous as Union generals
1t may be truthfully said that one
of the most brilliant Evolutionary eff
forts heard in This or any other coun-
try was the masterpiece of oratory
delivered by General j. f. Meagher
the night he called for volunteers for
the Irish brigade to fight for the
Stars and Stripes. Who does not
know of the dashing bravery of the
distinguished orator and general,
"Meagher CT the sword nor Il and his bri-
gade at Fredericksburg and on other
fields of the Civil war?
Nor must it be forgotten that,
many, very many members of the
Catholic sisterhoods in this country
are the exiled daughters Of Erin, who
separated from tueir friends, are de-
voting themselves to the cause of ed
ucation, progress and humanity,
When we reflect on the appalling adj
vance Of infidelity today, we can re-
alize the valuable work done by these
women in behalf OF Christian civili-
zaticn. What an army of these Chris
tian women of Irish birth is to be
found in American hospitals, spend