170 AWAKENING OF ENGLAND. 



and only in Ireland could you find such a 

 juxtaposition of interests as in the editor of 

 the Irish Homestead (the official organ of 

 the Irish Agricultural Organisation Society), 

 Mr. George Russell, the well-known painter, 

 and the " A.E." of Irish mystical poetry. 



The recent census returns show us that 

 whilst the population of Ireland decreased in 

 1881 and 1891 91 per cent, by 1901 it had 

 decreased 5*2 per cent ; by 1 911 it had decreased 

 only 1-7 per cent. 



One province, namely, Leinster, actually 

 showed an increase of 499 in 1911. This 

 check in emigration may be attributed to 

 two causes — the re-settlement of the Irish 

 farmer on the land that he has farmed, or 

 on land which has previously been grazed by 

 bullocks, and the building of cheap cottages 

 with an acre of land attached for the Irish 

 labourer. 



The forces which have operated to keep 

 many thousands of Irishmen from becoming 

 citizens of the United States have been the 

 formation of the Congested Districts Board, the 

 County Councils, the Agricultural Organisa- 

 tion Society, and above all the Department 

 of Agriculture for Ireland, which owes its 



