But it is beyond question that if the hopes of millions of Irishmen should ever assume a reality, and their country recover its autonomic independence, green will be imperishably associated with it as the colour of the National flag of Erin-Go-Bragh. T h e modern party warfare between Orange and Green is an absurd transposition, and as visionary as the phantom canonized by the Orangemen, and transformed into a shibboleth for exciting senseless strife in a community whose great aim should be the public welfare. These few explanatory observations will form no inappropriate prelude to what follows.
THE FIRST HURLING MATCH.
In 1838-9 Port Phillip received the first considerable instalment of the Irish element to its population, the immigrants coming mostly from the south and south-western provinces of the Emerald Isle, when they quietly amalgamated with the general body of colonists, and formed a valuable and industrious acquisition to the community. T h e North of Irelanders were not long behind, bringing with them their proverbial thrift and shrewdness, and some years passed over without the occurrence of any event calculated to interrupt the good feeling universally prevalent. T h e St. Patrick Society was founded in 1842, but as its constitution not only ignored, but prohibited the incorporation of religious or political considerations with its system, no reasonable cause of complaint was given by its establishment. In 1843, however, a number of North Irishmen, coalescing with a sprinkling of the Scotch, affected to see in the St. Patrick Brotherhood a bogey which could only be effectually laid by the resuscitation of another, and accordingly an Orange Confederation was formed for perpetuating " T h e glorious pious and immortal memory of William the Third," and thus were transplanted in Victorian soil the seeds of that discord which has flourished so balefully in the Old Country. T h e St. Patrick Society celebrated the anniversaries of their tutelar Saint in 1843 and 1844 by a public procession, with the green flag flying before, and as the Orange Association was in the latter year gathering strength, it was determined to signalize the coming 12th July (the day of the battle of Aughrim) by a public parade in the streets. W h e n this intention obtained publicity m u c h apprehension was felt, as it was believed that the exhibition would reproduce one of those senseless breaches of the peace, for which the North of Ireland had obtained an ill-omened notoriety, and the public fears were far from quelled by rumours that the Orange manifestation would be resisted, and bloodshed be the probable consequence. In this state of depressing uncertainty time went on until the morning of the 9th, when an advertisement appeared in the Herald, inviting all colonists hailing from the South of Ireland to attend in force at Batman's Hill at 10 a.m. of the 12th, to witness a county Hurling match for ,£50 between Clare and Tipperary. This was a ruse to get together a large assemblage with hurlies, and shillelaghs, the evident intention being either to frighten the Orangemen from their purpose, or to meet them on the streets and fight it out with the processionists. T h e " call to arms" was so freely responded to, that by the appointed hour, according to a well-informed chronicler of the event, "groups of well-dressed, well-developed Hibernians began to gather at the rendezvous, and the collection of sticks, staves, hurlies, and every other kind of conceivable wooden weapon, would lead an impartial observer to fancy that a slice of the far-famed wood of Shillelagh had been surreptitiously imported into the young colony." Consequent upon representations previously m a d e to the Mayor, a number of burgesses were sworn in as special constables to aid the limited police force in the preservation of the peace. There was a detachment of military stationed in the town, but they would not be called out until a collision was imminent. T h e special and regular constabulary were accordingly stationed on the ground near the present Spencer Street Railway Station, but they enjoyed a pleasant sinecure, simply as lookers-on, for there were no casualties to report, beyond a few barked shins, accidentally occurring, and the somewhat excusable " accident" of an occasional " drunk." T h e hurlers had a glorious day's fun, and footballing was (for thefirsttime) introduced as an after piece. T h e Munster m e n were there in strong force, and splendid condition, and a bard of the period thus rhythmically describes the athletic contingents :—•
