The Irish standard., 1919-05-10
Speech of
Father Dumphey

OPVC@1A vi
Father Dunphey
Ladies', Gentlemen, and Friends from
other parts:
1t is great pleasure indeed to be
with you in Minneapolis this evening.
I am from st. Paul. / was glad to
hear Mr. Lynch of your city. know
Mr.. Lynch. st. Thomas College
knows Mr.. Lynch, for a long time, but
not exactly on the Irish question, but
on other questions.
My dear friends as l look into your
faces this evening am inspired. AS
I look away, far away from the con.
fines of the Hemisphere in which we
live, I certainly am inspired. Great
things are occurring all over the world
at this particular time, and as l think
for a moment my thoughts are car
rted back-yes carried away back
and am brought face to face with
an expression that was uttered several
years ago by an Irish Poet Thos.
Moore, when he said blessed Our
Friends and Lovers Who Shall Live
the Days of Thy Freedom to see."
Why Gentry has passed since that
grand expression, since that grand
thought thrilled, filled the mind Of
Thos. Moore, and today that Poetic
vision of his has passed we hope from
the realms of tradition, from the
realms of foreign expression, from the
realms Of camouflage into the initial
stages of liberty.
My dear friends, Ireland is full of
Joyous expectancy, and the day is
almost within her grasp after her long
and arduous struggle, and today we
honor her manhood. We honor her
Womanhood because through their
Loyalty and perseverance they have
brought at last this great question to
the issue which we hope will receive
some settlement at the hands of the
Politicians of the World. It is indeed
interesting not only to the good peo.
pie who live in that far isle, but it is
q question that is certainly interest
ing all the conservatives of England.
It is question that is Of great in
terest to all political forces. It dwells
in the minds of those Of Irish name,
of Irish descent, and we hope that
when the SUN of EMANCIPATION
rises over the verdant soil of the Old
World, we hope that day is near, and
that SUN is on the horizon, and we
pray and guard and direct her
through every vicissitude Of fortune,
until that SUN arises, and that she
rises once more not only among the
Nations of the Earth, but to make it
more strong, the Great Nations of the
Earth.
My dear friends, it is our desire to
see Ireland free and Independent, to
see Ireland a Republic. It is indeed
the Divine right of every Nation to
control her own National Interest,
and to enjoy her own distinctive char
acter. Why it is a laudable ambition,
and the Divine right Of every Nation
to do this. The logical conclusion is
that it is the Divine right Of every
Nation to WELD the sword of the
despot. Ireland has been maltreated,
she has been down-trodden. This is
the courtesy she has received from
her next neighbor, but all during her
years Of struggle. she has maintained
her right to freedom and Justice in
the face of encouragement and black
despair. All this she has maintained
in her struggle for justice and right,
and as time goes on, and when that
SUN OF EMANCIPATION arises over
that land we hope that again she will
stand before the nations Of the earth
a RIVAL as Of old, a RIVAL in her
GRANDEUR, CULTURE and RE-
FINEMENT. REMEMBER, and RE-
MEMBER this we'll, and this is the
idea that Mr.. Lynch wishes to bring
home to you. Remember that this
little Isle, these people In whom we
are especially interested, and people
for whom we are trying to create in
terest in the hearts and minds of
other people, have history to be
proud of. Go away back over her
history and we are indeed proud to
say that it is fascinating, and an In
teresting history. It may be weird,
and inexplicable II you will, but after
all as we all know it is most interest
ing and fascinating.