beginning. Accordingly towards noon of that day a movement, or rather procession, sans band, banners, or spectacular display, started from the Builders' Arms to the building site, where everything was in preparation. There were about 500 persons present. The stone was laid according to the customary formalities, and in the cavity prepared for such mementoes was buried a bottle, enclosing a parchment scroll, with this
INSCRIPTION.
THE FOUNDATION STONE
Of this Building,
Dedicated to the Memory of Ireland, and intended to form an Educational Institute
For all Children of Hibernian descent,
Was laid on the 17th March (St. Patrick's Day), A.D. 1847,
In the tenth year of the Reign of Victoria the First,
By John O'Shanassy,
President of the St. Patrick's Society of Australia Felix.
Charles A. Fitzroy, Governor of New South Wales.
Charles J. Latrobe, Superintendent of Australia Felix.
Samuel Jackson, Architect.
John O'Shanassy, President of St. Patrick's Society.
John Stephen, Vice-President, ditto.
Edmund Finn, Honorary Secretary, ditto.
Timothy Lane, Treasurer, ditto.
The ceremony concluded with brief addresses from the President, the Vice-President, and the Secretary, after which three cheers were given for the Queen, three for Old Ireland and St. Patrick, and three for Australia Felix.
The dullness of the open-air ceremony was amply made up for by a banquet at the Queen's Theatre, where there was quite a jolly gathering. The Office of Chairman was filled by Mr. O'Shanassy, Vice, Mr. John Stephen, and the speakers were the gentlemen named, with Messrs. Daniel Kelly, William O'Farrell, Bernard Reynolds, A. H. Hart, and Robert Hayes.
The building was an oblong, substantial, two-storey brick structure, approached by a flight of steps, and with some slight effort at ornamentation over the doorway. For several years it was the most capacious hall in Melbourne.
A most unusual occurrence was that the merriment was kept up on the following night at the same place, when, for the especial behoof of the ladies, there was a grand ball.
In 1848 the most enthusiastic of all the old celebrations took place, in the form of a Patrick's Day dinner, which was well attended, well served, and well sustained. The theatre was the scene of the feasting. Megson's theatrical band attended, and the ladies were admitted by ticket to the galleries, to have the pleasure of looking at the Irish lions feeding beneath. The Mayor, (Mr. Andrew Russell), was present, and the Chair very efficiently filled by O'Shanassy, the speechifiers being the Chairman and Mayor, with Dean Coffey, Messrs. E . Finn, P. Miller, G. Cavenagh, T. Forsyth, Dr. James Martin, et aliis. At the ensuing annual meeting Mr. John Stephen retired from the Vice-Presidency, to be succeeded by Mr. Finn, whose place as Secretary was taken by Mr. Peter Miller. There was no paid officer until ten years after. In those times everyone worked gratuitously, for personal emolument was not thought of. The Building Fund was liberally supported, and contributions were forwarded from Geelong, Belfast, Kilmore, and other outside parts. Public buildings were not rushed up as now, and it took years to crawl on even with the erection of a church. The remainder of 1848 was employed by the Society in raising money and putting it in the work as it dropped in. In 1849 the hall showed evidences of approaching completion, and as the sabbath of the Irishman's year whisked round, it was deemed advisable to postpone the Anniversary Festival until the opening of the building, and thus make it what is familiarly known as a "house-warming." On the 5th of June everything was ready, and the new Hall was formally dedicated to its public purposes by a ball, at which 350 persons put in an appearance.
