Saints' Birthdays.—It was not on the birthdays but the death days that the early Catholic Church held festivals in honor of saints and martyrs, notwithstanding that such celebrations found in ancient documents may be given as that particular saint's birthday. St. Bridget's Festival and St. Patrick's Festival are celebrated on the reputed anniversary of their deaths.
There are a few cases in our country where pagans, after being converted, baptised and received into the church, have their celebrations on the anniversary of their baptism or public entry. Usually they selected a saint's festival day for that purpose.
Birthday celebrations at the beginning of Christianity were looked on with anger by the Christians, because they were oppressed and persecuted by both Jews and pagans, and they found in their start the world hard, cold and cruel.
Sinn Fein.—This is a new party which sprang into existence. Its motto is "Sinn Fein," or "Ourselves Alone," meaning thereby that not through a British Parliament but through Irishmen working together in building up Irish industries and holding to the national language will the redemption of Ireland be accomplished.
The Sinn Fein movement is purely a political, economic and non-military society. The name "Sinn Fein Volunteers" today throughout the world is more wrongly applied to the Irish Revolutionary Party than calling the Battle of Bunker Hill to the battle fought between the British soldiers and American Revolutionists at Breed's Hill, Boston, Mass. The Irish Revolutionists were made up of Irish Volunteers, Gaelic Leaguers and other Irish societies. They protested against the youth of Ireland under false colors to be drawn into the British army. These societies pointed out that the English secured the first foothold on Irish soil by fraud and misrepresentation. Ever since then the English are the so-called owners, contrary to the will of the Irish people. Protestant and Catholic alike wrote their protest with their life's blood against British tyrannical laws. Through disrespect for them the revolutionists were called "Sinn Fein Volunteers" by their opponents. These revolutionists now erroneously called "Sinn Fein Volunteers," broke out in the City of Dublin on Easter Monday, 24th of April. A body of revolutionary Irish Volunteers, dressed in Irish military uniform, marched in processional order through the streets of Dublin, took possession of the general postoffice and proclaimed an Irish Republic. Patrick H. Pearse was chosen as Provisional President, and James Connelly, Commander.
P. S.—While this book was in the hands of Messrs. Sealy, Bryer & Walker, printers, Dublin, the war broke out. The premises of the printers, together with several manuscripts of the author, were burned. The account here of the revolution is added now to the part of the burned copies.
English military forces of all kinds, with artillery and field guns, were quickly brought against the revolutionists. Against wrecking fire of shot and steel, these Republican Irish Volunteers, with little food and no sleep for nearly a full week, fought against the British. During the fight a portion of the city was burned. The English army burned whole blocks of houses, apparently with the object of giving themselves a clear field for the play of artillery and field guns against the revolutionary army. The Volunteers also set fire to buildings, hoping that the flames might reach Dublin Castle and destroy that British official stronghold in the country, but without success.
Liberty Hall, the Revolutionary party headquarters, was bombarded from H. M. S. "Helga." Machine guns secretly hidden by the government in the Custom-House were also turned upon it and it was destroyed.
Early in the fight James Connelly, the Irish Commander-in-Chief, was wounded and nearly died. P. H. Pearse took command. Foreign relief from Germany was expected, but it did not come, as Sir Roger Casement was arrested in Tralee and the vessel containing arms sunk.