IRELAND 193 IRIS at his nominal discretion to put into effect at any time within three years fol- lowing its passage. IRELAND, NATIONAL UNIVER- SITY OF, an institution for higher edu- cation, established in 1908. It super- seded the former Royal University of Ireland, and in its place was established the Belfast University and the National University of Ireland. The latter con- sists of the University College of Dublin, Queens College Court and Queens Col- lege, Galway. It was organized in order to meet with the wishes of the Roman Catholics. The institution, however, is undenominational. Religious instruction may be given, but not out of public funds. The enrollment in the University of Dublin in 1919 was about 1,800, with a faculty of 200. IRELAND, ALLEYNE, an English author; born in Manchester, England, Jan. 19, 1871; was educated at Berlin University; traveled extensively in 1887- 1897; was made lecturer on politics at Chicago University in 1900. He is the author of "Demerariana : Essays, His- torical, Critical, and Descriptive" (1897); "Tropical Colonization: An In- troduction to the Study of the Subject" (1899); "The Anglo-Boer Conflict: Its History and Causes" (1900); "China and the Powers" (1901); "Joseph Pulit- zer" (1914). IRELAND, JOHN, an American clergj'man; born in Ireland, Sept. 11, 1838; came to the United States early in life, was educated in the Cathedral School of St. Paul; studied theology in France and was ordained a priest Dec. 21, 1861; was chaplain of the 5th Minne- sota Volunteers in the Civil War. After the war he became rector of the cathe- dral in St. Paul; was later secretary and coadjutor to Bishop Grace, of St. Paul; was consecrated bishop in December, 1875, and archbishop in May, 1888. He was prominent in founding Roman Catholic colonies and in organizing total abstinence societies, and is especially noted for his sturdy Americanism. He wrote "The Church and Modern Society" (1897). He died Sept. 25, 1918. IRELAND, ISLAND, one of the Ber- mudas. IRENiETTS (I-ren-e'us), a church father; born in Greece about 120, was a disciple of Polycarp, by whom he is said to have been sent to Gaul. On the mar- tyrdom of Pothinus he succeeded him in the bishopric of Lyons, in 177. Ire- nseus was a man of considerable learning, and animated with ardent zeal for Chris- tianity. The common idea that he suf- fered martyrdom rests on no good foun- dation. His great literary work is his refutation of the Valentinian form of the Gnostic heresy, and is usually named "Against Heresies." The best edition of his works was published in two volumes at Leipsic in 1853. He died about 202. IRETON, HENRY, an English sol- dier; born in 1611. He studied at Ox- ford and at the Middle Temple, London, and on the breaking out of the Civil War offered his services to the Parliament. His connection with Cromwell, whose daughter Bridget he married in 1646, greatly advanced his interests. At Naseby he was taken prisoner by Rupert, but Cromwell's charge set him at liberty. Ireton was one of the most implacable enemies of the king, and signed the war- rant for his execution. He accompanied Cromwell to Ireland, and in 1650 became lord-deputy. He died in Limerick, Nov. 15, 1651. IRIARTEA (ir-re-ar'te-a), a genus of palms, of the Areceae tribe. It consists of few species, all from South America. The hard outer wood of /. exoi-rhiza, the pashiuba or paxiuba palm of Brazil, is used in the United States for making umbrella handles. IRIDEiE, or IRIDACEiE (i-rid'uh-e, i-rid-as'-e-I), a natural order of endo- genous plants, mostly herbaceous, with bulbous, tuberous, or creeping root stocks; a few are somewhat shrubby. About 700 species are known, of which the greater number are natives of warm countries. They are particularly abun- dant in South Africa. A few are Brit- ish. Iris, gladiolus, and crocus are fa- miliar examples of the order. Acridity is a prevailing characteristic, and some species are medicinal; but the corms and root stocks of some are edible. IRIDIUM (I-rid'e-um), a tetrad me- tallic element of the platinum group; symbol Ir. ; at. wt. 193.1; discovered by Tennant in 1804, in the black powder which remains when crude platinum is dissolved in nitro-hydrochloric acid. This powder is an alloy of iridium and osmium, called iridosmine or osmiridium. Iridium is a white, brittle, very hard metal, fusible with great difficulty, in the flame of the oxy-hydrogen blowpipe. It is insoluble in all acids, but when re- duced by hydrogen at a red heat it oxi- dizes.slowly and dissolves in nitro-hydro- chloric acid. IRIS (i'ris), in classical mjrthology, the messenger of the gods who carries messages from Ida to Olympus, or from the gods to men. In the "Iliad" the rain- bow also was called Iris.
