Norwich bulletin., 1915-03-17
ELOQUENT ADDRESS UPON
 GLORIES OF IRISH RACE
Given at St. Mary's Entertainment by
 Rev. w. A. keefe of PIainfieId.

Rev. w. A. keefe of Plainfield.
 With his subject The Glories of the Irish Race, Rev. William A. Keefe, pastor of St. John's church of Plain field, thrilled a large audience with his eloquence at the entertainment given Tuesday evening in Pulaski hall under the auspices of St. Mary's parish.s
 Rev. F'r. Keefe. who was formerly a curate at St. Mary's. was presented to the audience by the rector, Rev. J. H. FItzmaurice, and spoke as follows:
 There are thousands of gloriously in spring lessons to be learned by men of every nation and creed from a study of Irish g!ories inspired by St. Patrick's wonderful achievements and remark able influence upon Irish character.
 1reland's conversion to Christianity by St. Patrick is probably the only case in all history where an entire country was led to Christ by one man, and that without costing the apostle a single tear, on hour of sorrow or a drop of blood. And we are proud to know that the church of Christ never gloried in nobler defenders and more generous supporters through all the terrible changes and struggles of Christian history than the sons and daughters of the Isle of St. Patrick.
 His religion and his influence in- Sk'1A So eAl1O OlI SOlSO every IlSIO dIlu ctll the heroism of Irish Christian history
 It taught the pagan kings of Tarra and Armagh to adore the Prince of Peace and made Bridget of Kildare and the daughters of Erin models of picty and purity throughout the whole world. Patrickis doctrines inspired t1nian and ikeran and Brenden and armies of monks and nuns to build up the great schools and colleges of Clonard and Clonfet and Bangor and Tismore and Cloumacunise and Glen dalough to educate tens of thousands home of our ancestors the glorious title Land of Saints and Scholars.
 Patrick's influence gave Columbkille strength to bear the tortures of exile the Scots and Picts. It sent Alden to teach Christian civilization in Essex and Northumbia. It sent Columbanus to bear Christ's doctrines to. Burgundy and Bresenty and northern Italy. It inspired St. Gall and St. Killian and St. Livinus and countless other Irish missionaries to evangelize Switzerland and Wurtzburg and Brabant and other countries of Europe.
 Irish love and Irish zeal for the prac- tice and spread of St. Patrick's re- ligion cost your forefathers and mine centuries of the most terrible persecu- ton and sorrows and exile ever record ed in Christian history. Irisch faith ard Irish Valor were tested most se- verely in the fires of penal laws and horrible punishments. But, thank God, Irish fidelity never weakened and St. Patrick's sons and daughters are still working wonders for the evangelization and education of the nations.
 When the priests of Ireland were banished and hunted and slaughtered ly hear to heart and shoulder to shoulder around their soggarth aroon While in mountain caverns and peas ants cabins he dared to offer up the august sacrifice of Mount Calvary.
 When education was prohibited and the Catholic teacher was driven from the land, the Irish hedge school master gathered the boys and girls of Ireland around him in the shade of a prickly hedge, taught them to read and write and gave one of the worlds grandest examples of national sacrifice for edu- around the hedge master-in those cabin turf built schools, with eaFthen floors and hard stone seats, Irish learning was kept alive and Irish schol- ars were trained to take honorable places among the worlds brightest teachers
 The noble spirit that inspired the missionaries and scholars of Ireland to deeds of glory raised the soldiers and statesmen of Ireland up among the WI 10 BIOdISSI nSTOGS.
 It won the crown for Malachi wearer of the collar of gold. It strengthened the arm of Brian Boru as he held the crucifix aloft and led his heroes to battle for God and country at Cloutorf. 1t burned in the hearts of the O'Neils and O'Donnels and O'BrienS. It made Sarsfield the word and Sarsfield the man that reused the women of Linn erick to fight and die with their hus- bands and sons in the heroic defense of the walls of their beloved city, and 1t won martyrs crowns for Maxwell s heroes at the Bridge of Athlone. Love of Ireland made thousands of noble men like Robert Emmet and Lord Ed ward Fitzgerald regret that they had but one life to give for their country. It inspired the eloquence of Gratten, etc, and Meagher and made Daniel O'Connell, the greatest layman of his time, the emancipator of 1000, 900 peo- pie and the greatest patriot of the age.
 Irish herotsm gave marshals and generals and commanders to the armies and navies of France and England and Spain and Austria and made the shamrock and the wearing of the green symbols of bravery throughout the world.
 ble Limerick Jesuit, Father Field, who converted 150,00O natives and founded their Christian civilization. Argentine republic glorifies the deeds of Irish Admiral Brown. Chili and Peru re- were the memory of Ambrose O'Hig- gems. viceroy of Peru, and his son, Bernard. dictator of Chilli, and they ali honor John Devereaux, the South American Lafayette, who led his gal lant Irish legion with Bolivar in the liberation of Bolivia.
 Our country, the greatest republic on earth, the United States of America, can never begin to measure the influ- ence of Irish heroism and Irish virtue in the foundation, defense and progress of this land of the free and home of the brave. Blood of Irish martyrs bap- tized our young republic with Parker and Sullivan and Moylan and Morgan