t Copperas Hill, many of us followed him
and joined the evening classes. About this good priest I shall have more
to say in this narrative, and, though he was no politician, I don't
think any man ever did so much to elevate the condition of the Irish
people of his native town, and make them both respectable--in the best
sense--and respected, as Father Nugent.

We started the "Emerald Minstrels" at a time when there was a lull in
Irish politics; our objects being the cultivation of Irish music, poetry
and the drama; Irish literature generally, Irish pastimes and customs;
and, above all, Irish Nationality.

Father Nugent's training from the time we were young boys had been
invaluable. We numbered ten, the most brilliant member of our body, and
the one who did most in organising our entertainments, being John
Francis McArdle. Besides our main objects, already stated, we considered
we were doing good work by elevating the tastes of our people, who had,
through sheer good nature, so long tolerated an objectionable class of
so-called Irish songs, as well as the still more objectionable "Stage
Irishman."

Some items from the programme will give an idea of our entertainment. We
opened with a prologue, originally written by myself, but re-cast and
very much improved by John McArdle. I may say that we two often did a
considerable amount of journalistic work in that way in after years. I
can just remember a little of the prologue. These were the opening
lines:--

Sons of green Erin, we greet you this night!
And you, too, her daughters--how welcome the sight!
We come here before you, a minstrel band,
To carol the lays of our native land.

There was one particularly daring couplet in it, the contribution of
John McArdle:--

In your own Irish way give us one hearty cheer.
Just to show us at once that you welcome us here.

Had mine been the task to speak these lines, I must inevitably have
failed to get the required response, but in the mouth of the regular
reciter they never once missed fire. This was Mr. Barry Aylmer. He
afterwards adopted the stage as a profession, and became recognised as a
very fine actor, chiefly in Irish parts, as might be expected. He also
travelled with a very successful entertainment of his own, and it is but
a short time since he informed me that he spoke our identical "Emerald
Minstrel" prologue in New York and other cities in America, adapting it,
of course, to the circumstances of t