Newspaper Abstracts

Irish News.
CORK.—The New National Schools at Blarney.—Recently, in the presence of a large and fashionable company, the inscription stone of the Blarney new national schools was laid by Lady Colthurst. The building is of brick and masonry, being 120 feet long by 40 broad, and contains four school rooms, two male and two female, to accommodate 250 boys and the same number of girls. For the ceremony of placing in the inscription stone the walls of the building were decorated with bunting, and besides the visitors, all the school children, whose attire and neatness were striking and most creditable, were in attendance. On the stone was inscribed the words "Blarney, Colthurst National Schools, 1897." The schools will be completed in a short period, and, with its new church and new schools, Blarney will hardly be excelled in its educational and religious equipment by any place of its size and population. Present were : Father Lynch, Sir George and Lady Colthurst, Master Colthurst, Miss Parkins, Mr. and Mrs. E. Mahony, Master Mahony, Mr. Arthur Mahony, Mr. R. U. F. Townsend, Mr. G. W. F. Townsend, Miss Townsend, Dr. J. Forde, Harvard College, Massachusetts ; Miss Donovan, Dublin ; Miss Hayes, Dublin ; Mr. D. Forde, builder ; Mr. and Mrs. E. Cotter, Mrs. Nunan, Mr. George Smyth, Mr. R. B. Healy, Mr. and Mrs. Michael Ahern, Mr. R. Forest, Mr. J. Corcoran, Miss Hayes, Blarney ; Mr. J. Forde, Mrs. D. Harrington, Mr. R. Casey, clerk of works ; Mrs. Casey, Mr. J. Wiseman and others. Father Lynch expressed his pleasure and gratification to see Lady Colthurst among them. He referred eulogistically to the Colthurst family, and hoped the name would last as long as the inscription stone. Mr. Forde, builder, presented Lady Colthurst with a silver trowel, having a picture of Blarney Castle, the handle prettily carved in maple wood taken from the Colthurst demesne, and, in doing so, gave expression to the satisfaction it afforded him to perform such a duty. If would be useless for him to speak of the character of the Colthurst family for it was well known. Lady Colthurst acknowledged the kind expressions towards her family, and then laid the inscription stone.

The Lanark Era
Lanark, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday, Dec 15, 1897

DIED

At Poland, Nov. 13th, Moses Paul, aged 91 years. Born in Antrim Cty, Ireland, where he grew to manhood, marrying Miss Sarah McCullough, of the same county. Eight years after their marriage they sailed to Canada, losing two of their children during the crossing. Settling near Poland, where two more of their children died. The surviving family are: Daniel, in BC; James, at Poland; William, on the homestead; Nancy (Mrs. John Campbell) in Minnesota; Mrs. Paul, his wife died six years ago. He was a weaver by trade, which he continued here as a winter occupation. He had returned to Ireland for a visit once after settling here. He was a Postmaster at Poland for a number of years. Burial in Poland cemetery.

Palo Alto Reporter
Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa
Friday, Dec. 17, 1897

OBITUARY
COONAN.

    Died at the residence of her son, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, on the evening of Friday, Dec. 10, Catherine M. Coonan, aged 73 years, 3 months and 25 days.
    The deceased-whose maiden name was O'Connell-was born in Cork, Ireland. Came to the United States in 1845, and in 1847 was married in Boston to Martin Coonan. A few years late they came to Morris, Ill, where Mr. Coonan was engaged in railroad work. In 1859 they came to Palo Alto county and settled on what is now known as the Riverdale farm. Here they opened up a general farm and endured all the struggles and privations of a pioneer life. In a little while their farm became one of the landmarks of the valley of the West Des Moines. As the settlers began to come in, their homestead, with the adjacent river crossing, formed the nucleus by which the original town of Emmetsburg was built and the farm house for a time became the village tavern and was constantly filled to overflowing with restless, moving humanity of every type, and each guest whether prince or peasant received from Mrs. Coonan a cheerful welcome on arriving, the best that was going while he stayed, and a hearty god-speed on departure.
    The told town began to take on village form about 1870-71 and all of the first settlers for a longer or a shorter period made their homes at the Coonan hostelry, and as we have heard them talk over those crowding, pushing, bustling times, in the later years the good-heartedness of Mrs. Coonan has almost invariably been spoken of. When the town moved, Mr. and Mrs. Coonan sold the old home farm and moved to the "eighty" that now forms the B. & R. addition, east of Emmetsburg, where she lived till sometime after the death of her husband in June, 1886. Her later years have been spent with her son William, at whose home she died. To the last her hospitable disposition stayed with her, and she would never hear to a hungry man being sent from the door.
    During this period she has been a sufferer from rheumatism and to some extent had passed from the general view, but whenever you came in contact with her, the warm heart and the cheery, "How are you," was there; she loved to talk over the old times, and to enquire after the welfare of those of her old boarders who had moved away. She had a good word for each and all of them, and always saw the good points, rather than their failings. But her life's work is done, and we believe that her purpose was to do all the good she could.
    The estimation in which she was held, was somewhat shown by the large number of mourning friends who followed her mortal remains to the church, and to their last resting place in the cemetery.
    We knew her well- she was more than an ordinary woman in her sphere and we feel that many sad hearts will join us in bidding her this last good-by.

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