114
AN GAOḊAL.
TO OUR READERS.
Since the issuance of the GAEL we are in the
habit of mailing it as an advertisement to those
whom by name, or actions relating to Ireland,
would seem to be Irish. We have sent some fif-
teen thousand as such. A few of those to whom
the GAEL has been thus sent have notified us to
cease sending it, saying that the times are hard
and that they cannot become subscribers. We wish
here to explicitly announce that we do not look
upon those to whom the paper has been sent as
in any way obliged to become subscribers to it.
No. We look to those who regularly order the pa-
per only as subscribers. If it be not too much
trouble, we would request of those who do not in-
tend to become subscribers and who have been
receiving the paper, to give it, after reading it, to
some neighbor who in their judgement would ap-
preciate it. This is the object of sending it. The
GAEL has been brought into existence with a two-
fold object — Firstly, to cultivate and preserve
the language. Secondly, to remove the slur which
the non-existence of a journal in the national lan-
guage seemed to cast on the Irish element in this
country, seeing that of all the nations the Irish
was the only one that had not its national journal.
Even the few scattered natives of the insignificant
Kingdom of Bohemia have their national journal.
The existence of the GAEL removed that slur, and
it is destined to do more to elevate the social stand-
ing of our people in this country than anything
ever before attempted. It is the root of true pa-
triotism, because it stands on the first principles
of nationalism; in fact it is the only foundation
upon which nationality can be erected. Trying to
rebuild a nationality without the language is as
vain as trying to build a house in a bottomless
swamp.
We ask you Hibernian, Alliance, and Clan na
Gael ( what a parody on the name ), is there
anything in the world to-day so ridiculous as the
position which you occupy regarding Irish Nat-
ional affairs? The most of you when spoken to
in your own national language will shake your
heads with a half-abashed smile! No wonder you
would feel abashed at the ludicrous figure which
you cut in the eyes of the world. You, gentlemen,
who feel ashamed of your national tongue will
never free Ireland. Never.
Irish Prayer Book.
Father Nolan of the Dublin Society announces
that he has a Gaelic prayer-book ready for the
press, and awaits for the sum of about £30 to put
it through. This sum should be contributed by
the Irish societies and their friends right away.
Every subscriber of a dollar will get a copy of the
book, which will be good value therefor. Every
one knows that priests (regular priests) like Father
Nolan have no handling or control of money. All
they can give is their literary contribations. No
printer will undertake to produce this work with-
out money; hence, the necessity to respond to Fath-
er Nolan's appeal.
Unfortunately the Irish people are slow in assist-
ing a thing of this kind. They don't want to touch
it until they find it is a success. They are distrust-
ful of one another; we often hear Irishmen in busi-
ness say that their countrymen would sooner deal
with Germans or Englishmen than with them.
Well, what is the cause? The want of a genuine
bond of sympathy between them. That bond is
the language. The Irish people want to be edu-
cated, not in literary knowledge, but in what tends
to a mutual confidence in each other. A German
will travel blocks to leave his money in the store
of his countryman for any goods he may want.
Why is this? Is it sentiment? Yes, and no bond
is as strong as that of sentiment. Therefore, the
reason of the Irishman’s indifference to patronize
his countryman is apparent. Yet, people will ask
what good is there in the language.
The census returns are particularly interesting
as regards Ireland. The returns since the Union
in 1801 are as follows. — 1801 5,395,000 : 1811. 5,¬
937,000 ; 1821, 6,801,000 ; 1831, 7,767,000 ; 1841,8,s
175,000. Then came the terrible famine year
when over 1,500,000 persons perished of hunger
and disease, or fled to escape them. The popula-
tion in 1851 was 6,552,000; in 1861, 5,798,000; in
1871, 5,411,000; and in 1881, according to the
returns just issued, 5,160,000, showing a decrease
during the last forty years of no less than 3,000,¬
000 souls. In some districts in Connaught and
Munster whole villages are almost depopulated
in all the population has been terribly thinned
out. In West Cork on the vast estate of the
Countess of Kingston at Mitchelstown, there are
two hamlets absolutely deserted. The little vill-
age of Knock County Mayo, where the Virgin
Mary is said to have appeared contained 600 souls in
1841; to-day exclusive of the pilgrims, there are
not 30 all told. The Limerick returns tell a sim-
ilar, story — the roof-tree fallen in upon the cabin,
roofless tenements, the market cross broken, grass
growing in the streets, the silence of desolation.
In scores of baronies west and south nearly all the
young men and women have gone to Amersca or
England; those left to till the land are old people
who prefer to die where their fathers died. In
some parishes the poor-house contains almost as
many people as there are outside of it. The cen-
sus returns do not, however, show the full extent
of the depopulation. At least 120,000 agricultural
laborers cross to England and Scotland every year
for the harvest; they live in Ireland. but Ireland
does not provide them with their livings The
Times in discussing this subject rejoices, as it did
in 1848-9, that the people are “going with a
vengeance.
