AN GAOḊAL.
593
truly and really is — is not the saving of the inde¬
pendence of an ancient, noble, and great nation —
a nation time-honored and once full of fame and
glory — worth the sacrifice of a little time and ef¬
fort, which we do not hesitate to bestow on so many
other things often altogether unimportant? It may
still be urged that some considerable mental labor
is necessary, to memorize and retain all the various
rules and facts of Irish grammar. To those who
are inclined to hold such an opinion, I will simply
say that all these difficulties can be easily remove-
ed when we proceed methodically and systematically
in such study. There is no fear of over taxing our
memory, if we put, in the first place, the facts or
items to be memorized, at the time, into the right
and suitable order, as logic or common sense may
dictate; thereafter we should classify them putting
like or similar things together, and placing the
groups or sets of homogeneous facts into a suggest¬
ive row or order of sucession, — so that one calls for
the other in such a regularly connected series
or catenation. Such an arrangement, such a gen¬
eralization and condensation of the various items
will simplify the work exceedingly. What more¬
over greatly assists the momory, is to make also,
from time to time a written synopsis, a well-conn¬
ected general view of all the items with oppropriate
diagrams, and furthermore, to proceed in memor¬
izing from the known to the less known or unknown
— step by step, as far as possible, in regular pro¬
gression, connecting facts of grammar that are al¬
ready fixed in your mind with others that have yet
to be acquired.
[To be continued]
THE GAELIC JOURNAL AND THE
GAEL.
A length article over the signature of Mr. RJ.
O'Mulrenin Hon. Sec, of the Gaelic Union of Dub¬
lin, criticising the action of the Gael in publishing
xtracts from a letter sent it by Mr. Hagarty of
Chicago, and also Editorial remarks on the Gaelic
Journal reviewer in the same issue, — No. 11 of
Vol. 4.
Now, Mr. O'Mulrenin broadly insinuates that no
respectable journal would be guilty of the Gael's
conduct both in its relation to the reviewer and to
the publishing of Mr. Hagarty's letter.
With regard to Mr. Hagarty's letter, it was only
one of the many complaining letters received by
the Gael on the same head. The Gael was, is, and
shall be friendly to the Gaelic Journal, because it
is Gaelic, and no amount of adverse criticism by
its present or future staff can change that
friendship. Twelve years since, before the Gael¬
ic Union or its parent, the S. P. I. Language had
existence the forces which gave birth to the Gael,
were actively engaged in founding the Irish Lang¬
uage movement, as now in being. Hence we claim
the right to criticise and condemn the actions of
any man or party of men, whether actuated by ideas
of self-superiority or envy, who tries to throw a
stumbling-block in the way of those trying to learn
their native language. We have at all times en¬
couraged beginners to send communications to the
public press so as to create a rivalry, and in order
to better their progress. The Gael has from month
to month opened its columns to such, and so has
the Irish American, and we felt mortified at the
unmerciful onslaught made on the efforts of those
beginners by the Gaelic Journal's reviewer, and
we handled him accordingly. Here follows an ex¬
tract from the reviewer referred to. —
The best-intentioned people, however, are liable
to make mistakes, and now and then there creep in¬
to the Gaelic columns of the Irish-American pieces
which, as far as sense, style, and even grammar
and orthography, are concerned, are no better than
rubbish. We think it our duty, to give, as an ex¬
ample of this class of production, one which we ven¬
ture to say, would not be admitted into a periodi¬
cal in any other language, except as a joke. We
allude to the so-called translation of Samuel Lover's
"Native Music", which appeared in the issue of
May 16th.
Let the Gaelic Journal print correct Gaelic itself
and let others do the best they can. The learners
will undoubtedly, read the Journal, and, being
satisfied that the matter in it is correct, will be able
to mend their own errors.
We have repeatedly said that no Irishman's li¬
brary should be without the Gaelic Journal and we
reiterate it now. There is no doubt but a large
number of the miscarriages of the Gaelic Journal
to subcribers is owing to not sending their sub¬
scriptions to the proper officer, and to not sending
their names and addresses properly and legibly
written. The treasurer of the Gaelic Union is Rev.
M. H. Close M. A., 40 Lower Baggot St. Dublin,
Ireland, and if subscriptions be sent there, there
is no doubt but they will be properly recorded and
attended to.
Mr. O'Mulrenin lays some stress on the fact
that the members of the council do all the work of
the Journal gratuitously, and concludes thus. —
In conclusion I would suggest to the Gael, that
it would be more for the interest of the Irish lan¬
guage, that instead of blaming and abusing the
hard-worked men who write for the Gaelic Journal,
and finding fault with the management of the Gael¬
ic Union, he should join heart and hand with these
men, who are free from all selfish considerations
and work for the preservation in its purity of our
native tongue.
We tell Mr, O'Mulrenin that the editor of the
Gael does all the Gael's work himself after devoting
nine hours daily to his ordinary business, which
is neither the printing nor publishing business,
"where there's a will there's a way".
Now, notwithstanding that we have supported
the Gaelic Journal and that we shall continue to
support it, yet we hold that the Journal is not
blameleas in all respects.
