HC Deb 27 February 1867 vol 185 c1090
LORD NAAS

said, that in moving the second reading of the Habeas Corpus Suspension (Ireland) Act Continuance Bill on Tuesday last, he stated that when the Roman Catholic Bishop Moriarty was addressing a large gathering of his flock at Killarney against Fenianism, there were in the congregation sufficient sympathisers with the Fenian movement to induce a certain number of young men to leave the church while the Bishop was speaking. He (Lord Naas) made the statement on what he then believed to be undoubted authority. He was happy to say that, on further inquiry, he found that the statement was not accurate. Three or four lines from a letter by Dr. Moriarty completely set the question at rest, and showed that no one left the church in consequence of what was addressed to the congregation. Dr. Moriarty said that he never addressed a more attentive audience; that he spoke on Fenianism after the conclusion of the usual service; and that as he had preached a long sermon on the gospel of the day, it was possible some women and children might have gone out. He had great pleasure in making this statement, and it was his belief that what he had formerly stated was the result of inaccurate information.