ere it not for
the steady decrease in the population, caused by emigration. The
emigration would have been very much greater, had not the parish priest
given employment to a considerable number of men, by building a new
church, convent, and convent schools. The poorest of the children, and,
in Ireland, none but the very poorest will accept such alms, get a
breakfast of Indian meal and milk all the year round. The comfort of
this hot meal to them, when they come in half-clad and starving of a
winter morning, can only be estimated by those who have seen the
children partake of it, and heard the cries of delight of the babies of
a year old, and the quiet expression of thankfulness of the elder
children. Before they go home they get a piece of dry bread, and this is
their dinner--a dinner the poorest English child would almost refuse.
The number of meals given at present is 350 per diem. The totals of
meals given per annum since 1862 are as follows:--

During the year 1862 ...... 36,400
" " 1863 ...... 45,800
" " 1864 ...... 46,700
" " 1865 ...... 49,000
" " 1866 ...... 70,000
" " 1867 ...... 73,000
_______

Making a total of 320,900

There were also 1,035 _suits_ of clothing given.

The Industrial School was established in 1863. It has been principally
supported by English ladies and Protestants. The little town where the
convent is situated, is visited by tourists during the summer months;
and many who have visited the convent have been so much struck by the
good they saw done there, that they have actually devoted themselves to
selling work amongst their English friends for the poor children.

The returns of work sold in the Industrial School are as follows:--

L s. d.
Work sold in 1863 ..... 70 3 6-1/2
" " 1864 ..... 109 18 5
" " 1805 ..... 276 1 3-1/2
" " 1866 ..... 421 16 3
" " 1867 ..... 350 2 4-1/2
______________

Making a total of L1,228 1 10-1/2

The falling off in 1867 has been accounted for partly from the Fenian
panic, which prevented tourists visiting Ireland as numerously as in
other years, and partly from the attraction of the French Exhibition
having drawn tourists in that direction. I have been exact in giving
these details, because they form an important subject for consideration
in regard to the pr