Irish volunteers leaders, and events of national interest 1912-1916.

ERNEST KAVANAGH, brother of the gifted poetess, Maeve Kavanagh, was educated at Synge Street Christian Schools, and devoted his energies and talent to the national and kindred movements, more particularly the cause of Labour. Over the intials E. K. he became a distinguished cartoonist, many of his sketches in the Dublin nationalist and labour papers having been reproduced in the American press. In the light subsequent events, some of his political cartoons were little less than prophetic, notably one entitled "The New Nationalism," which appeared in "Irish Freedom" iin 1912. During the labour war of 1913 his prolific pen did much to bring the workers' grievances vividly before a lethargic public. He managed to find his way into the Dublin recruiting meeting, addressed, in the early days of the war by Messrs. Asquith, Redmond and Dillon, and his racy cartoons of the different speakers not only aroused the liveliest interest at the time but, in face of denials subsequently attempted, contributed to stereotype the parts played by Irish politicians in the recruitment campaign then seriously initiated. Unfortunately the cream of his work disappeared during the seizures which followed the Rising. We are, however, in a position to reproduce a cartoon in 1914, which in spite of the mutilation of Eire's face and its indifferent restoration by other hands, shows a far-seeing appreciation of the Partition proposals. An inherent antipathy to discipline kept Ernest out of the Volunteer ranks, though he was otherwise in active sympathy with the movement. He was known to be absolutely fearless, and had a strange presentiment of his death, which took place on the steps of Liberty Hall on Easter Tuesday, at the age of thirthy-two. His remains were removed to Jervis Street Hospital, and thence to Glasnevin, where, with many others, he was interred in St. Paul's Ground. Events of Easter Week - "Catholic Bulletin," December, 1917.