100 Years Old

The Modernist sect The following is from the Lenten Pastoral letter from Dr. John Joseph Clancy, Lord Bishop of Elphin: ‘Our Most Holy Father, The Pope, in the exercise of his pastoral office, has found it necessary to adopt rigorous measures against a sect that has recently sprung up within the bosom of the Church calling itself the high-sounding but misleading name of Modernists; and though this particular heresy has not hitherto found its way into Ireland, yet the literature to which we refer tends to destroy the spirit of faith and reverence amongst our people no less effectively than would the propagandism of the Modernists themselves, and, unless summarily stopped, may ultimately indundate our Irish Church with the waves of heresy and irreligion. We therefore, earnestly exhort you, Very Rev and Reverend Fathers, to the exercise of untiring zeal and constant vigilance in averting so formidable a danger from your devoted flocks, as well as to the observance of a strict circumspection in the selection of books and newspapers for your own proper use.’ A Boyle libel action In the King’s Bench Division, on Friday, before Mr Justice Wright, in the case of Priest v Clarke. Mr Powell KC, with whom was Mr. H MacDermot (instructed by Mr MacDermot, solicitor) applied for an order permitted the action to the County Court, Judge of Roscommon on the usual grounds. The action was brought by Mr. John Priest, of Eaton’s Lane, Boyle, Town Clerk against Mr. Jas Clarke of same place, licensed trader, claiming damages for slander which the defendant said he was unaware of, but which it appeared he alleged arose out of an election of Town Commissioners recently in Boyle, and which the plaintiff described as a serious and grave one. The defendant alleged to contrary and there was no foundation for his having made allegations injuriously affecting the plaintiff. The defendant alleged a good defence to the action. Mr. Moriarty KC for whom Mr Devitt (instructed by Mr. H Montgomery, solicitor) appeared for the plaintiff, and said portion of the slander which the plaintiff charged the defendant (who he said was also Chairman of the Board of Guardians) with speaking was that the defendant, addressing Mr. Cunningham, when he was voting, said, ‘Take note of that and the number of the ballot paper. I know the sort of underhand work going on here and I won’t allow it’. The court refused to remit the action and ordered the plaintiff’s costs to be costs in the cause.’ Ireland’s victory ‘The glorious uncertainty of genuine sport was never better shown than at the Rugby international at Lansdowne road, on Saturday. In form Scotland should have scored an easy win over Ireland, as our representatives had already suffered defeat at the hands of England, which, taking a line through the matches with Wales, must be considered inferior to Scotland. Yet the result of Saturday’s match, though undoubtedly a surprise, even to the most enthuastic Irish followers of rugby, was a splendid victory, thoroughly well earned for Ireland. No doubt the Scottish team were handicapped by the loss of one of their three quarters almost from the start of the game. But even so, that would not account for the marked superiority of the Irish fifteen, back as well as forward and during every part of the most exciting contest. Indeed, it is but seldom that the Irish team have shown such skill, and the opinion was pretty freely expressed that the same fifteen would have no difficulty in disposing of the pretensions of England had they been selected for the first international. Eight new men in fifteen was too great an infusion of fresh blood. The proper proportion was better observed on Saturday, where ten of the fifteen were old hands at the game.’ Anti ranching crusade ‘There was published as a Parliamentary letter a report of the RIC Co. Inspector of the East Riding of Galway, as to the state of the Riding in October last.  ‘The report states that the riding generally is in an unsatisfactory and disturbed state, this being mainly due to the agitation for the sale and division of grazing farms and estates. Matters are becoming worse as the winter approaches, and the agitation is spreading into the Mount Bellew and Ballinasloe districts, which have hitherto been quiet. ‘Intimidation is rife in the form of threatening notices, firing shots, and resolutions of the UIL affecting persons who will not give up their legal rights. The local Press also publishes letters and resolutions of an intimidatory character. The hunting has not yet been interfered with and possibly may not, as most of the unpopular landlords do not hunt.’