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 IRELAND

113

IRELAND

Plan was thus put in operation in Ireland, and on the also. In 1890, Mr. Balfour's Land Act provided £33,-

other hand the Coercion Act, the Liberals and Irish 000,000 for Irish land purchase, and in 1891 the

worked well together in Parliament and on British Congested Districts Board was established. In 1896,

platforms. The London "Times", always the bitter there was an amending Land Act; and in 1898, the

enemy of Ireland, became enraged, and in its anxiety Local Government Act transferred the government of

to doharm published a .series of articles on Pamellism counties and rural districts from the non-represen-

and Crime. It relied, as it pretended, on authentic tative Grand Juries to popularly elected bodies. A

documents which connected Parnell and his colleagues further important Act was that of Mr. Wj-ndham. in

with crime, and showed that Parnell himself con- 1903, providing more than £100,000,000 for the buy-

doned the Phcenix Park murders. A Special Com- ing out of the whole landlord class. Mr. Wj-ndham

mission appointed by Parliament discovered that the also favoured a policy of devolution, that is a delcga-

chief letters were forgeries and that the "Times" had tion to local bodies of larger powers. But nothing

been fooled by a disreputable Irishman named Rich- was done till the Liberals came into office in 1906, and

ard Pigott. The forger confessed his crime and then they had nothing more geiierous to offer than Mr

committed suicide, and Parnell became the hero of the hour. When the Special Commission issued its report , early in 1890, the tide had turned with a vengeance against the Tories. Their ma- jority was then seriovisly di- minished, and when the gen- eral election came it was certain that nothing could prevent the triumph of Home Rule. In the midst of these bright hopes for Ireland there came the mournful wail of the banshee, and, even before the Special Commission report was issued. Captain O'Shea had filed a petition for divorce on the ground of his wife's adul- tery with Mr. Parnell. There was no defence, and could be none, and the decree was is- sued. Mr. Gladstone evidently expected that Mr. Parnell would have retired from the leadership, and, finding that he did not, intimated that his continuance in that position would wreck Home Rule. The Irish party which had re- elected Mr. Parnell were not prepared to go so far, and, as he would not retire even for a day, they deposed him. A minority still supported him

Birrell's National Coimcils Bill, a measure so halt- ing and meagre, that an Irish National Convention rejected it with scorn. Mr. Birrell has been more fortimate in his I"niversity Bill, which, though not estab- lishing a purely Catholic Uni- versity, provides one in which Catholic influences will pre- dominate. In recent years also the programmes both in the national and secondary schools have been matle more practical, facilities have been given for agricultural and tech- nical education, and the great ecclesiastical college of May- nooth continues to maintain its reputation as the first eccle- siastical college in the world.

Relations between ( HIRCH AND St.\te. — Bv the ( Uhohc Relief Act of "1829 legal proscription ceased for the (_ itholic f hurch, as did I gil 1 cen 1 incy for the Prot- tint Church by Mr. Glad- tone s \ct of 1869. In prac- tice howe\er Protestant as- ndincv hrgely remains stiU. (July withm living memory was the first Catholic lord chan- cellor appointed in the person of Lord O'Hagan; Catholics

Church. Glenpalough

and at the head of these he appealed to the Irish peo- are still excluded, except in rare in.stances, from the pie. Week after week he attended meetings and made higher civil and military offices; and from the lord- speeches. But his health, already bad, covild not stand lieutenancy they continue to be excluded by law. the strain; the stubborn and reckless fight ended in Ecclesiastical Org.vnization. — The Catholic his collapse, and at Brighton, on the 6th of October, Church, divided into four provinces, not, however, 1891, the greatest Irish leader since O'Connell breathed corresponding with the civil divisions, is ruled by four his last. archbishops and twenty-three bishops. But the In the years that followed faction was lord of all. number of dioceses is more than twenty-seven, for At the general election in 1892 the Pamellite meml^ers there have been amalgamations and absorptions.

were reduced to nine, while the anti-Pamellites were seventy-two, and at the election in 189.5 there was no material change. To argument and entreaty the minor- ity refused to listen, and though the anti-Parnellite leaders, Mr. MacCarthy and Mr. Dillon, were ready to make any sacrifice for unity and peace, their oppo-

Cashel. for instance, has been joined with Emly, Waterford with Lismore. Kildare with Leighlin, Down with Connor, Ardagh with Clonmacnoise, Kilmac- diiagh with Galway, the Bishop of Galway being also .\postolic Administrator of Kilfenora. In many dio- ceses there are chapters, in others none. The number

nents rejected all overtures; and under the shelter of of parishes is 1087. A few are governed by adminis-

Pamell's name they continued to shout Parnell's trators, the remainder by parish priests.while the total

battle-cries. At last patriotism triumphed over fac- number of the secular clergy — parish priests, adminis-

tion, and in 1900 Mr. ,Iohn Redmond, the Parnellite trators, curates, chaplains, and professors in colleges —

leader, was elected chairman of the reunited Irish amounts to 2967. There are also many houses of the

party. Much had been lost during these years of dis- regular clergy: Augustinians, Capuchins, Carmelites,

cord in unity and strength, in national dignity and Fathers of the Holy (Shost, Dominicans, Franciscans,

self-reliance. To faction it was due that the Liberal Jesuits,Marists,Order of Charity, Oblates, Passionists,

victory of 1892 was not more sweeping; that, in con- Redemptorists, and Vincentians. The total number

sequence, the Home Rule Bill of 1893 was rejected by of the regular clergy is 666. They are engaged either

the Lords; and that, in 1894, Mr. Gladstone retired, in teaching or in giving missions, but not charged with

baffled and beaten, from the struggle. At the elec- the go\ernmcnt of parishes. There is, however, one

tions of 189.5 and 1900 the Tories were victorious, and exception — that of the Pas.sionists of Belfast .who have

during their long term of power the Coercion Act was charge of the parish of Holy Cross in the city. There

frequently enforced. But there were concessions are the two Cistercian abbeys of Mount Melleray and VIII.— S