Iowa
Old Press
Iowa City Press Citizen
Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa
March 17, 1924
MANY ATTEND ST. PATRICK'S DAY SERVICES --Address
by Rev. John A. Glenn, Based on Ireland's Growth Stirs Big
Throng.
St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland, was honored nobly, Sunday
night, at the auditorium which bears the famed glorified name.
The program previously published herein, was presented to a large
and appreciative audience. Vocal numbers by the High School Glee
club solos by Miss Mary Pugh, William Holland, and Jeanne Wolfe
were superb, and each artist won and responded to encores. Choice
readings by Margaret Toomey and Mary Kelly likewise evoked warm
encores. An especially pleasing number of novel type was the
exhibitions of Irish jig dancing by Mrs. John Cox who set every
foot in the house trembling in unison. All in all, the musical,
Terpsichorcan, and literary program was one of merit, par
excellence.
Eloquent Address Thrills.
An eloquent address, by Rev. John A. Glenn, of Williamsburg,
thrilled and stirred by its thoughtful, inspirational oratory.
His subject was "Ireland's Place in the Growth of Civil and
Religious Liberty." Father Glenn dwelt at length upon the
disabilities, both civil and religious under which the people of
Ireland suffered for many centuries. He called attention to the
fact that probably no other European people could claim that they
never oppressed or held in subjection the people of another
language or race.
Irish Hate of Intolerance.
The result of centuries of misrule, he said, and of barbarous
oppression was that the people of Ireland became installed with
an undying hatred of tyranny, and wherever they have gone in
every part of the world for centuries past, they have been found
fighting in the ranks of freedom.
Names Flame High to Heaven.
Father Glenn declared also, that the name of Irishmen are
emblazened on the pages, that record the struggle for civil and
religious liberty of every people, of every continent under the
sun. He dwelt particularly upon the part played by Irishmen and
their descendants in America's Revolutionary struggle. He averred
that a large element in the Colonies was willing to take less
than complete independence, but nothing could satisfy men like
John Carroll the first Catholic bishop of Baltimore, and his
kinsman, Charles Carroll of Carrollton, one of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence; John Barry, father of the American
Navy; Stephen Moylan, a general in the Colonial Army and scores
of other sons of Erin. It is declared that one-half of the rank
and file of the American Army were of Irish blood. Washington's
adopted son said the the Irish soldiers outnumbered all other
foreign warriors.
Denounces Intolerance.
Father Glenn denounced the spirit of intolerance still existing
at times, more or less virulent as at present- which "in the
name of Americanism and with high sounding phases about liberty
and our free institutions would deprive Catholics, Jews, and
others of this country of the Civil and religious liberty for
which the Fathers of the Revolution made the supreme
sacrifice."
Wins All Hearts.
Father Glenn's address, a superb bit of oratory, made a deep
impression upon all. "It was a real candid and judicious
survey of a highly interesting theme," declared Very Rev.
William P. Shannahan in discussing the oration afterwards.
[submitted by C.J.L., March 2004]