AN GAOḊAL.
415
"A nation which allows her language to go to ruin, is
parting with the best half of her intellectual independence,
and testifies to her willingness to cease to exist." — ARCH¬
BISHOP TRENCH.
"The Green Isle contained for more centuries than one,
more learning than could have been collected from the rest
of Europe ... It is not thus rash to say that the Irish
possess contemporary histories of their country, written in
the language of the people, from the fifth century. No
other nation of modern Europe is able to make a similar
boast." — SPALDING'S ENGLISH LITERATURE, APPLETON & Co.,
NEW YORK.
Who are the Scotch? A tribe of Irish Scots who crossed
over in the 6th century, overcame the natives, and gave
their name to the country. — J. CORNWELL, PH.D., F. R. S.'s
Scotch History.
The Saxons Ruled in England from the 5th century and
were so rude that the written language until the
14th, when the Franco-Normans formulated the English. —
SPALDING.
A monthly Journal devoted to the Cultivation
and Preservation of the Irish Language and
the autonomy of the Irish Nation.
Published at 247 Kosciusko st., Brooklyn, N. Y
M. J. LOGAN, - - - Editor and Proprietor
Terms of Subscription — $1 a year to student, 60
cents to the public, in advance ; $1. in arrears.
Terms of Advertising — 20 cents a line, Agate.
Entered at the Brooklyn P. O. as 2nd-class matter
Fourteenth Year of Publication.
VOL 10, No. 11. DECEMBER. 1894.
Remember that the First Irish Book is given free
of charge to every new subscriber.
Subscribers will please remember that subscrip¬
tions are due in advance.
FOURTEENTH YEAR.
It is with pleasure and pride that
AN GAOḊAL greets its brethen on
its entrance on the fourteenth year of
its existence — pleasure because of the
voluminous extent of the work which
the Gaelic movement has accomplish¬
ed; pride, that it has withstood the
seemingly insurmountable difficulties
with which it had to contend — diffi¬
culties to which many more preten¬
tious publications had to succumb. We
have said it before and repeat it here,
that the "Sentiments" columns of the
Gael contain the names of the sum to¬
tal of Irish-American patriotism, and
we leave the decision in the case to a
jury of Spaniards, French or German.
Two principal causes cooperate in
limiting the support and circulation of
such journals as the Gael. They are,
first, ignorance and the want of truly
patriotic sentiments — second, a tend¬
ency predominant in a large section
of so-called Irishmen to remain at
their vomit !
The ignorant Irishman boasts that
his immediate forefathers did not
speak Irish, thus proclaiming to the
whole world that they belonged to the
lowest stratum of the Irish populace
who were forced by poverty to make
annual incursions into England to earn
their bread, and it was there and un¬
der that circumstance that they lear¬
ned the English language, for it could
not be learned in any other way, at
that time, as Catholic education was
banned in Ireland up to the year 1829.
We again appeal to you Gaels to
circulate your paper. You are too in¬
telligent not to know that your cause
cannot make rapid forward strides un¬
less it is brought prominently before
the Irish-American public. Remem¬
ber that the success of all movements
is measured by the volume of the lit¬
erature which supports them.
PROFESSOR O'GROWNEY.
A few months ago the Gael expressed its sorrow
at the reported illness of the Rev. Professor O'¬
Growney of Maynooth College, brought about by
continuous exertion in the Gaelic cause, especial¬
ly since his appointment to the Keltic Chair late¬
ly re-established in that college. But, thanks to
Providence, we have now seen him in the flesh,
and we have no doubt that a six months' residence
on the Pacific Slope will restore him to perfect vi¬
gor and health. Father O'Growney arrived here
by the Teutonic on the 15th inst. The vessel was
expected on the 14th, so that the uncertainty of
landing caused a great disappointment to a good
many Gaels (the editor of this paper being one of
them) who expected to meet him at the dock and
greet him with a genuine
Ceud míle fáilte.
Nevertheless, he was not permitted to land alone,
