took up a straw
from the bloody floor and if you said to Bloom: _Look at, Bloom. Do you
see that straw? That's a straw_. Declare to my aunt he'd talk about it
for an hour so he would and talk steady.

A most interesting discussion took place in the ancient hall of _Brian
O'ciarnain's_ in _Sraid na Bretaine Bheag_, under the auspices of
_Sluagh na h-Eireann_, on the revival of ancient Gaelic sports and the
importance of physical culture, as understood in ancient Greece and
ancient Rome and ancient Ireland, for the development of the race.
The venerable president of the noble order was in the chair and the
attendance was of large dimensions. After an instructive discourse by
the chairman, a magnificent oration eloquently and forcibly expressed,
a most interesting and instructive discussion of the usual high standard
of excellence ensued as to the desirability of the revivability of
the ancient games and sports of our ancient Panceltic forefathers. The
wellknown and highly respected worker in the cause of our old tongue, Mr
Joseph M'Carthy Hynes, made an eloquent appeal for the resuscitation of
the ancient Gaelic sports and pastimes, practised morning and evening
by Finn MacCool, as calculated to revive the best traditions of manly
strength and prowess handed down to us from ancient ages. L. Bloom, who
met with a mixed reception of applause and hisses, having espoused the
negative the vocalist chairman brought the discussion to a close, in
response to repeated requests and hearty plaudits from all parts of
a bumper house, by a remarkably noteworthy rendering of the immortal
Thomas Osborne Davis' evergreen verses (happily too familiar to need
recalling here) _A nation once again_ in the execution of which the
veteran patriot champion may be said without fear of contradiction
to have fairly excelled himself. The Irish Caruso-Garibaldi was in
superlative form and his stentorian notes were heard to the greatest
advantage in the timehonoured anthem sung as only our citizen can sing
it. His superb highclass vocalism, which by its superquality greatly
enhanced his already international reputation, was vociferously
applauded by the large audience among which were to be noticed many
prominent members of the clergy as well as representatives of the press
and the bar and the other learned professions. The proceedings then
terminated.

Amongst the clergy present were the very rev. William Delany, S. J., L.
L. D.; the rt rev. Gerald