The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-18
REV. W. 4. KEEFE
HRILLS HEARERS
AT CELEBRATION
Eloquent Orator Delivers In
spring Speech Before
Friendly Sons
LEADS BANQUETERs IN
PLEDGE TO U, S. FLAG
Mayor Dutton of Bristol
Pleases Feasters With
Fund of Irish Humor.

VII ana 0IOQu011ce, L1iEIA anu
feasting, combined last night to make
the banquet of the Friendly Sons of
ST. Patrick an event scarcely to be
forgotten by those that participated.
- Half a dozen excellent speakers, a
company of men who had gathered to
honor the memory of Gods, emissary
to the Emerald Isle, and a variegated
menu of surprising excellence mark
ed the banquet The sincere orat0ry
OF Rev. William A Keefe of Plain
field. the wit of Mayor Joseph button
,of Bristol the logic of Judge John J.
Walsh, the scholarly address of At
torney Thomas f. Devine. the inspira-
tions of Judge Thomas F. Ryan, made
an evening & ring which faith pa
ttiotism. history and literature were
again brought home to the descen-
dants of the Irish people and their
guests.
More than 400 were present and
Without "a doubt, they. enjoyed the
most Successful ST. Patrick's Day ban
Duet ever held by the Friendly Sons
a wide range Of topics were covered
BY the speakers. who were brief.
Music was furnished ythroughout
the banquet. Albert Lapke, Joseph
Clabby, John Hanley and Joseph
Attorney John H Casey was toast
master. He introduced Mayor viii
son, who welcomed the gathering.
AT the speakers table were Thomas
Fl O'Briens5of Bridgeport. Mayor .Dut-
ton of Bristol Judge Walsh Of Nor
walk, Mayor Wilson, Attorney Casey,
Alderman William j. Moran of Bridge
port, Attorney 4Devihe Of Waterbury,
Judge Ryan Of Litchde1dy, Postmaster
Charles F. Greene and D. J. Clifford
Of bridgeport and Father Keefe of
P1ainheld.
-.
ton. Eeoreeful Illogical and sincere.
The talk was one of the most benefcial
delivered here in many months. His
speech In full follows:
There are countless inspiring les
SONS to be learned by men of every
nation and creed from a study of the
Influence of the life and ideals of ST.
Patrick on the character and achieve
ments of the Irish people. St Pat.
rick's ideals inspired Nevery hero of
Christian Irish history. It taught the
k5ngs-of4 Tara ARM agh7 to adore
get of KiIdare and the daughters of
Erin models of piety and purity
Throughout the world.
s'St. Patrick's doctrines and example
inspired Saints Fsinfan and KERN and
Brendin and armies of holy Monks
and Nuns to build the Schools and
Colleges of Clonard and Clonfert and
Bangor and GIendaIough and Lfsmore
and CIonHacnoise to educate tens of
thousands from Nail nations and win
for the home of our ancestors the glo-
erious title Land OF Saints and SchoI-
ars' 80 es
.'St. Patrick's ideals gave Culunt-
lxifle strength TO bear the pangs of
exile for the conversion of the Scots
and Picts- They sent St. Alden to
teach Christianity TO the natives of
Essex and Northu1nbria and led Co
1umbanus to bear Christ's message to-
Burgundy and Bregentz and Northern
Italy. They inspired ST. Gall and st.
Livinus and St. KiIlfan and countless
other Irish Missionaries to eyange-
1ize switzerland and Wurtzburg and
Brabant and other countries Of Eu-
rope.
Irish love and irish zeal for the
practice and spread of st. Patriek's
dpctrines cost your forefathers and
mine centuries of the most terrible
@persecutiops and sorrows and exile
ever recoHded in Christian history.
Irish faith and Irish vaIor were
NOSE severely tested in the fires of
penal laws and horrible ordeals but,
thank God, irish fidelity never weak
ened and sons and daughters of St
Patrick are still working wonders for
the eXangelization and civilization Of
the nations of the world
when the Priests Of Ireland were
driven from the land and rewards
were offered for their heads the Irish
ancestors of ours rallied to their de-
Tense and stood shoulder to shoulder
with their beloved sSoggartb Aroon'
while he dared to offer the Sacrifice of
Calvary in mountain eaVernS and
PEASANTS cabins.
when education was forbidden to-
the people of Ireland and the Catholic
was not allowed to educate his chill
dren at home or abroad the Hedge
Masters secretly gathered the Cath
RI i7-7c T7f1-fr1
him and in the shade OF a prickly
hedge taught them to read and write
and gave one of the worlds most
flOrious examples of national thirst
little Hedge Schools and in the poor
matched roof huts with earthen
floors and stone seats Irish learning
was kept alive and irish scholars
were trainedsto take first place among
the worries brightest teach rs.
The same noble spirit that in
spired the Saints and Scholars of Ire
land to wonderful deeds raised the
soldiers and statesmen of Erin up
among the. worlds greatest heroes
1t won the crown for Malachi, wear
er of the color of gold and strength
ened the arm of Brian Boru as he
held the crucifx a1oft and led his he
roes to victory for God and Country
on the historic morning at CIontarf.
1T buruedaiT the noble breasts of the
~ - C44S51111SA y AoAAO4ASs
made Sarsfeld the word and Sarsfe1d
the man that reused the heroic wo-
men of Limerick to fight and die in
defense of the walls of their beloved
cit ~ with their fathers and brothers
and sons and sweethearts, and won
martyrs crowns for Ndaxwel1's he
roes at the bridge of eAthlone
Love of Irelandemade Robert EN- |
met and Lord Edw. Fitzgerald and
countless others regret that they had
~
and inspired the e1oquence Of Graf !
ten and Curran and MeagI1er and |
Made Daniel O'Connel1 Ernancipator |
OF million people, the nobIest pa
triot and the greatest Catholic law /
man of the age.
Irish heroism gave InarshaIs and /
generals and coun tess soldiers to the L
armies of Franc. and = a 11str.ie, .1r,ls