The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-09-30

true to the traditions of their native land.
 Among the first known Irish- men to see this part of the coun- try, was Joseph Rourke who served through the Revolution. For twenty years he was nn out standing example of Irish valor and patriotism in these parts. History does not record his end ing because strife in his native land called him to return to fight for the rights denied his people and his remains are probably inferred where the shamrocks grow. If his resting place could be found, 1t should be fittingly marked by an epitaph that would be suitable for 50 many of his race, whose graves arc scattered throughout the world, and which would read: "A true Irishman who fought for the right"
 Proud of Ancestry
 Such an epitaph has been richly deserved by frishmen throughout the long tragic his tory of the Emerald Isle, and we the descendants of those, whose trials, and sacrifices, brought about after centuries of turmoil the present satisfactory status of the Irish nation, can bc proud of our ancestry and of tho rich heritage they have left behind.
 Neither time nor custom shall ever alter the abiding truth that success Is dependent upon strength of purpose and willing ness to sacrifice. This Is true not only of persons but also of nations. We, who are the citizens of these United States, and who therefore are these United States may well look back and inquire into the reason why VIC who had no power, should And ourselves ranked with the powerful. and why we who sat at the feet of older nations, should find them now seated at our feet. The an- nwer lies within tho two domin- ant forces which flowed through our national life at it's birth. and which have activated its blood stream ever since. and Sent it rushing through every channel of development. These two fore cs were: first, q strong purpose and secondly, consccrated readi- ness to sacrifice in achieving that purpose. One without the other would have been helpless; to- gether they attained the goal and made us q nation apart from other nntiong--free. sov- ereign and Independent. And yet these two dynamic traits never exist apart from individuals. Since then, we grew Into nation hood it must have been, that within our borders, there were hearts on Ire with purpose ana wills ablnzs with sacrifice. These individuals belonged to no ono race inbnrticular. They belonged to all. l honor and respect hll of the races Of men which have contributed to our growth and glory but on this particular oc- cnsion. I wish 10 speak Of the one people to which people nli America RraeiousIv nckn0Wledg- es An ind6btedness, namely, the Irish.
 Irish Slaves
 Tho point wish to smpha- size is np interesting paradox which may briefly be stated thus; the Irish people who were mos, denied the right of na- tionality, were those who have most heip6d others to sehisvs nationality: they who were de-
 nied sovereignty were those who fought 10 make others sovereign. Tn other words. the Irish were like slaves who fought to mako others free, or poor men who worked that others might be rich.
 If we search for the profound reason why they became the nation-makers, think it must be found in the lofty conception they haVs Of their ancestry. Has it ever struck you that the Irish proudly insist on tracing their ancestry to king on throne Other peoples will admit they are descended from fl cays-msD, but you have yet 10 rnd sp Irisbman who denied he was descended from a king.
 That is why ths Irish are po- iiuesi, snd that is why they are politicians iB every land. Tn their veins flows tbs proud her. itags which they claim. and