8
AN GAOḊAL.
taught in about 90 schools in all.
The number of Irish books sold by the Society
during the year was 6,152, making a total of books
sold to date, by the Society, of 121,443.
We commend the following Circular from the
Gaelic League, Dublin, to all Irishmen:
The Irish Language.
After considerable experience of the difficulties
and possibilities of the Irish Language movement
in this country, the Council of the Gaelic League
have become convinced of the necessity of com¬
batting all the forces that operate against the sur¬
vival of our National Language by uniting in op¬
position to them all the forces that operate in its
favour.
In Ireland all that is possible is being done by
those engaged in the movement, but the funds at
the disposal of our organization are not sufficient
to enable us to extend our work throughout the
large and remote Irish-speaking districts along
the South, the West and North, so as to properly
organize the movement, to form local bodies to
advance and maintain it, to distribute Gaelic Lit¬
erature among the people, and to afford generally
to the movement that monetary support without
which it cannot be carried on.
A great loss has been sustained in the death of
Rev. Euseby D. Cleaver, who generously provided
for many years a prize fund for teachers and pu¬
pils in the primary schools where Irish is taught.
If the position of the language, already too pre¬
carious in these schools, is not to be allowed to
fall back, means must be provided to carry out in
future the system of encouraging the teaching of
Irish adopted by Mr. Cleaver.
We appeal, therefore, to the various and discon¬
nected Irish Language Societies outside of Ireland
to assist our movement in two ways ;—
(1) To form such a connection with each other
and with the Gaelic League, which is carrying on
the movement in Ireland, as will ensure the
combined action of all the friends of the
movement.
(2) To consider the best means of providing
the money necessary for sustaining the
movement in Ireland.
With regard to the first point, while leaving it
to the judgment of the various bodies what action
they will take, we suggest the adoption of some
formal bond of union with our organization. We
would point out that such a union would in no
way limit the independent action of other socie¬
ties, as even our own branches at home have
quite an independent administration.
With regard to the second point, we wish it to
be noted that our movement here is purely volun¬
tary, and that none of our members occupy paid
positions in the movement.
The issue of this national effort will be decided
in a few years. For our part we mean to fight the
battle out, doing every possible endeavour, and
spending every possible penny in the way we
judge most advantageous to the Irish Language.
Confident that we are working on sound lines, we
assert that the fortunes of the movement depend
on the extent of support accorded us.
Irishmen abroad should bear in mind that the
Irish Language is the one substantial barrier be¬
tween our race and gradual absorption into the
vast and undistinguished mass of English-speak¬
ing people, a process that has already gone far
too far. The present is the time, and the only
time, for action. We confidently rely on our kins¬
men abroad for support, and we as confidently
undertake that that support, if accorded, will be
used prudently, energetically, and effectively.
We trust you will bring this appeal before your
Society at the earliest possible opportunity, and
that you will favour us with an early reply.
Signed on behalf of the Committee,
DOUGLAS HYDE, President.
R. MACS. GORDON,
JOHN MACNEILL,
} Hon. Secretaries.
4 College Green,
Dublin, January 31st, 1895.
[Though the above appeal is addressed special¬
ly to the Gaelic Societies, yet it comes home to e¬
very Irishman who has not concluded to have his
offspring abandon their kindred and become mer¬
ged in the fossil — fabled — conglomeration called
the Anglo-Saxon race, founded in the Fifth Cen¬
tury on the brothers Hengist and Horsa, the bar¬
barous, outlawed corsairs of the North Sea.
Were a quarter of the money spent on the Home
Rule movement applied to the system of encoura¬
ging the teaching of Irish in the National Schools
which the late lamented Mr. Cleaver adopted out
of his private, limited, means, hundreds of thou¬
sands of the Irish youth would be able to read
and write the Natonal Language, and Home Rule
would be much nearer than it is today. Then,
to make amends for past negligence, let all Irish¬
men, not affiliated with Gaelic societies, write to
the League, and become corresponding members
of it. — Let all Irishmen do their duty; let there
be no loafers in this crucial, (withal, promising,)
epoch in our National History ! — Ed. G.]
O'Faherty's Siamsa an Ġeiṁriḋ, re¬
viewed in the Gaoḋal recently, is for
sale by Mr. P. O'Brien, 46 Cuffe St.
Dublin. The price in cloth is 2s: in
wapper, 1s 6d.
