AN GAOḊAL.
279
Let no disputations excite foes' derision,
Or mar our good cause by fomenting division,
By Patience, by Friendship, and firm decision,
May true men their object attain with precision.
And keep in bloom,
Their brightest rose,
And save from doom
Their tongue sublime:
If, bold and true,
Our ranks we close,
We ne'er shall rue
The coming time.
THIRD YEAR
On entering this, its third year, the Gael greets
its friends, the friends of Ireland's ancient autono¬
my, with a glowing heart, and with sanguine anti¬
cipations for the not far-distant and complete res¬
toration of Ireland's rights. These are no chimer¬
ical anticipations. They are the natural conse¬
quents of the spirit of nationalism evoked by the
resuscitation of the Language — the Alpha and the
Omega of nationalism. When, ten years ago, the
movement for the Preservation of the Irish Lang¬
uage was initiated people gave an incredulous smile
at the to them) simplicity, nay "ignorance"! of
those who were engaged in it, believing that the
existence of an Irish Language, properly so called
was a mere chimera. It is inconceivable to what
an extent this idea pervaded the Irish people.
They seemed to be wholly oblivious of aught but
that which was forced down the throats of their
ancestry at the point of the bayonet.
What a change of sentiment the past decade has
compassed! Speak to those persons today concern¬
ing the cultivation of the language and they will
say that every one should be able to speak his
country's language! The tables are completely
turned. Instead of shaking their heads at the
"simplicity" or "ignorance" of those working in
the Irish Language cause they hang their heads in
shame and acknowledge their "ignorance". (We
do not consider this hanging of the head a sign of
ignorance. On the contrary, we consider it a sign
of enlightenment, because no one is ignorant who
perceives his shortcomings.) This is a grand con¬
dition of affairs. What has brought it about?
Why the publicity which the movement has receiv¬
ed, and the evidence which it has placed before the
world of its reality — the language itself.
Not only has the Irish Language movement in¬
fused a spirit of independence and national pride
into the people at home but it has permeated the
Irish element all over the world. The Irish peo¬
ple can no longer be driven like sheep to the
slaughter at the beck of the boss. They are be¬
ing educated into a conception of their social rights
as an ancient, enlightened people.
To those who would object to the claims of the
Language movement in compassing this desirable
result we would say, who ever thought of making
an egg stand on its end until Columbus showed
how it could be done.
Persevere then, friends of Irish autonomy. Give
a strong pull, and a pull together and the advent
of the freedom of your country is only a matter of
short duration. When you succeed in infusing a
truly national spirit into the mass of your country¬
men your work is done, and there is no means so
effectual in accomplishing it as the circulation of
Irish literature.
About 100,000 copies of the Gael have been dis¬
tributed through the country since it was issued.
Let us support also the Dublin Gaelic Journal. It
is our duty to feed the fountain head. No one will
miss a trifle. Not withstanding our efforts to cir¬
culate the Gael we have become responsible for
five copies of the Gaelic Journal yearly. Those
who would not subscribe a penny towards it would
in a short time let it fly in theatres, &c
We would pay twice the cost for the gratification
of having a journal published in the national Lan¬
guage in the national capital of our country if we
were never to read it, see the prestige such pub¬
lications give us, as a people.
We would here remind our old subscribers that
the price of the Gael is to them sixty cents a year,
as heretofore. It will never be raised on them
while we live to direct it. The work which they
have done is too sacred to be forgotten. We have
elsewhere noted the reason which impelled us to
raise its price to the figure at which the first num¬
ber was published. All that the Gael brings in
will be devoted to its circulation, and we take
greater pleasure in circulating it than in any other
gratification which means could impart. Had we
the means a copy of it would be in the hands of
every Irishman and Irishwoman in America.
A widower with one boy married a widow who
had children by her former marriage. The boy
was made the drudge of the second family, the
stepmother permitting her own children to remain
at ease while he should run of all the errands.
This state of things became so established, that
not only the stepmother but her children used to
order him about at the point of the finger.
However it so happened that the stepmother
died, and the very night of her wake one of her sons
ordered the boy about, as usual, but the boy smart¬
ing under the sense of injustice to which he had
been subjected, and viewing the change in the
household, broke out, —
"Is geárr eidir indiu agus a nae,
Agus is geárr a ḃiḋeas an leun teaċt;
Tu-sa, a ġiolla, a ċuir amać do ṁeur,
Cuir ṫú féin na geaḋaḋ asteaċ anoċt."
The GAEL for a year and Father Nolan's
Irish-English Prayer Book for $1.
