The Life Story of an Old Rebel | Page 6

a factor in nationality as the native
tongue of our people. My Aunt Nancy could speak the Northern Irish
fluently, and, in the course of her business, acquired the Connaught
Irish and accent.
After a time Hughey Roney retired, and the house was carried on by his
daughter and her husband, John McArdle, a good, decent patriotic
Irishman, much respected by his Connaught neighbours, though he was
from the "Black North." It used to be a great treat to hear John McArdle,
on a Sunday night, reading the "Nation," which then cost sixpence, and
was, therefore, not so easily accessible, to an admiring audience, of
whom I was sometimes one, and his son, John Francis McArdle,
another. This younger McArdle, originally intended for the Church,
became in after life a brilliant journalist, and was for a time on the staff
of the "Nation," the teaching of which he had so early imbibed. The
elder McArdle was a big, imposing looking man, with a voice to match,
who gave the speeches of O'Connell and the other orators of
Conciliation Hall with such effect that the applause was always given
exactly in the right places, and with as much heartiness as if greeting
the original speakers.

After Father Mathew's visit, their trade fell away to such an extent that
John McArdle, determined to hold his ground--while still keeping the
public house open, though the business was all but gone--broke another
door into the street, and made his parlour into a grocery and provision
store. This enterprise on his part was only necessary for a short time, as
the abnormal enthusiasm in the cause of temperance which, for the time
being, had swept all before it, had subsided to such an extent that
McArdle, after a time, turned the room to its original purpose, and was
able to resume his readings from the "Nation" to admiring audiences, as
heretofore.
Yet, though so many fell away from their temporary exaltation, there
were still large numbers who remained firm, and the lasting good from
Father Mathew's work was undeniable.
So popular was John McArdle's house, that it was used as one of the
lodges of the Ancient Order of Hibernians--then very strong in
Liverpool, and stout champions of country and creed. In regard to this
organisation, I find in the "Irish World" of New York a high tribute
paid to them by the Very Rev. Thomas J. Shahan, of the Catholic
University of America. In his paper on "Hibernianism" he said there
was a tradition in the Ancient Order that they first started in Ireland in
the Penal days as a bodyguard to their poor parish priest when he said
Mass in the open air. Anyone who has spent most of his life in England,
as I have done, can well understand that this is not simply an effort of
this good priest's imagination, for, over and over again I have seen the
Hibernians among the first to come forward in defence of their priests
and churches when these were threatened. In the course of his paper Dr.
Shahan quoted a letter from the Brethren in Ireland, Scotland and
England to the Brethren in New York. It sent instructions and authority
to the few brothers in New York to establish branches of their Society
in America.
These were the qualifications laid down: Members must be Catholic
and Irish, or of Irish descent. They must be of good moral character,
and were not to join in any secret societies contrary to the laws of the
Catholic Church. They were to exercise hospitality towards their

emigrant brothers and to protect their emigrant sisters from all harm
and temptation, so that they should still be known for their chastity all
over the world. The members of the Order in America were to be at
liberty to make laws for the welfare of the Society, but these must be in
accord with the teaching of the Church, and their working must be
submitted to a Catholic priest. The letter says--"We send you these
instructions, as we promised to do, with a young man that works on the
ship and who called on you before." Directing that a copy of the
document should be sent to another friend, then working in
Pennsylvania, the letter concluded--"Hoping the bearer and this copy
will land safe and that you will treat him right, we remain your brothers
in the true bond of friendship this 4th day of May, in the year of our
Lord, 1837"--
"PATRICK M'GUIRE, County Fermanagh. "JOHN REILLY, County
Cavan. "PATRICK M'KENNA, County Monaghan. "JOHN DURKIN,
County Mayo. "PATRICK REILLY, County Derry. "PATRICK
DOYLE, County Sligo. "JOHN FARRELL, County Meath. "THOMAS
O'RORKE, County Leitrim. "JAMES M'MANUS, County Leitrim.
"JOHN M'MAHON, County Longford. "PATRICK DUNN, County
Tyrone "PATRICK HAMILL, County Westmeath. "DANIEL
GALLAGHER,