10 APRIL 1886, Page 14

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

IRELAND AND RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION.

1.1.0 THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR "]

SIR,—Having read the article on "Lord Hartington and Home- rule" in the Spectator of April 3rd, I send you the following letter as another example of the religious persecution already carried on, and likely to be carried on in future by the Roman Catholic Church in Ireland under Home-rule, if it is granted :—

" TO THE EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN DAILY EXPRESS.'

" SIE,—I beg to enclose a copy of a letter which I have this day sent to the Freeman's Journal.—Faithfully yours, M. WRIGHT. "ugh School for Girls, Burlington Road, Dublin, March 18th, 1886.

" S1R,—In his address at Inchicore on Sunday last, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin denied his knowledge of the existence of a school from which the Roman Catholic children had been removed by his order. As this is manifestly the school referred to in the letter published in the Standard on February 23rd, and quoted by Dr. Walsh—which, however, I did not inspire and have not seen—I think it but fair to my school to give the facts, and I will leave the pnblic to form their own opinion as to the cause of the removal of these children. From its foundation, five years ago, the school has been attended by a considerable proportion of Roman Catholic pupils, the religious instruction of the Protestants being given at an hour which

does not interfere with the secular studies of the pupils. In December last all the Roman Catholic children were removed with the exception of two, who will leave at the expiration of the term, such other notices as were given being sent in within one week of each other. No doubt in some cases there may have been family reasons, but in the majority the parents did not hesitate to state that they considered their children would lose by a change, to which they were compelled by circumstances beyond their control, and nearly all acknowledged that their priest had in the strongest manner urged them to remove their daughters. It is only fair to the staff of the school to add that there has never been the slightest interference with the religious belief of the Roman Catholic pupils.

"'MARY WRIGHT.'

To this testimony, I will add some more facts.

About thirty Roman Catholic girls have recently been with- drawn from Alexandra College for Women, in Dublin, among whom were the daughters of an eminent Roman Catholic physician, who, on remonstrating against the mandate of withdrawal, was told by the priestly authorities that if he did not obey, he would find his practice destroyed within a year. The Protestant head master of a public school in the South of Ireland has also recently had all his Roman Catholic day-pupils withdrawn by order of the priests. Some years ago a Roman Catholic sent his son as a day-boy to an excellent Protestant school in the North of Ireland, and was excom- municated for doing so, though on appeal to Cardinal Cullen the excommunication was reversed. A member of the Dublin Ladies' Sanitary Association has told me that Archbishop Walsh is hostile to the working together of the Roman Catholic and Protestant members of the Association, though their co- operation is necessary to the success of the Association. These are only a few among many instances which could probably be

brought forward of the religions persecution now prevailing in Ireland. The names of the above-mentioned schools and persons could all be supplied to you, but could not be pub- lished, for obvious reasons. I send you the following for what it is worth,—Se non e vero, 6 ben trovato. The story goes that Archbishop Walsh recently visited the Trinity College Observatory at Dunsink, and on leaving expressed to his cicerone (Sir Robert Ball, the Astronomer-Royal) his satisfaction with his visit. The Archbishop was pleased to add that if, in the course of political events, Trinity College were to be abolished or reconstituted, he felt happy in being able to- promise immunity in the enjoyment of his office to the Astrono- mer-Royal. Sir Robert Ball is said to have acknowledged his obligation to the Archbishop's favour and protection in suitable terms, adding that in the good time coming he hoped to be found useful in renaming, conformably to the wishes of the Archbishop and his friends, the Irish stars. The joke derives additional flavour from the fact that the two chief bridges in Dublin have recently been renamed after patriots (Grattan and O'Connell) by the Nationalist Corporation of the city, and that an attempt has been made to rename Sackville Street "O'Connell Street."

In closing, I must say that every Irish opponent of Home- rule must feel great satisfaction that the great influence of the Spectator is exerted against putting the country into the hands of the Parnellites and priests.—I am, Sir, &c, M. W.