I very deeply regret to announce to the House the death yesterday of the Leas-Chathaoirleach, Senator P.W. Kenny. Senator Kenny has been a member of the Seanad since its inception, and his fellow-Senators paid him the tribute of electing him to the Vice-Chair in December, 1928. Senator Kenny was prominently identified for the past thirty years in the movements for the revival of the Irish language and of Irish industry, and his ability and knowledge were recognised by Arthur Griffith, who appointed him to the Commission of Inquiry into the Resources and Industries of Ireland. In recent months his gradually failing health prevented his attendance here, and this was a source of grief to him. A pathetic interest now attaches to a letter I received from him only a fortnight ago, in which he asked me to apologise to any who might inquire the reason for his absence from our midst.
Death of Leas-Chathairleach.
Cathaoirleach
I should like to associate myself with the vote of sympathy and, as one who worked with Senator Kenny more or less for twenty-five years, to pay a tribute to his insistent and consistent work for Ireland. He was one of the pioneers of what is now known as the Irish Ireland movement—a new movement of the period. Pioneers at that time were very few. Senator Kenny was a consistent supporter of the Sinn Féin movement, and as you, a Chathaoirligh, mentioned, of Arthur Griffith. I should like to say that I know personally that every time that Senator Kenny was wanted by Arthur Griffith and his small band of workers in Dublin, he was to be had. He was a Gael above all. From the inception of the Gaelic movement, he threw himself heart and soul into it, and when the Irish college at Ring was established he was one of those to put it on its feet and left it for all time free of debt. It is now a recognised college of the Irish language. He was a Gael and he belonged to the Gaels. He believed:
Gaedheal mise agus mise 'mo Ghaedheal
Gaedheal mise agus ní thuigim gur náir dom é.
He lived in that atmosphere, and no man or no woman could do more than he did to express in his own life the tenets and beliefs that he held. Go ndéanaidh Dia trócaire ar a anam!
Cathaoirleach
I take it to be the wish of the House that I should express to the family of Senator Kenny our sympathy with them in their bereavement. As an indication of their sympathy, I will ask Senators to rise.
Senators rose in their places.