38
AN GAODHAL.
VANDERBILT, THE MONEY KING.
ANCIENT LINEAGE AND SOCIAL STANDING
VERSUS WEALTH.
We have read in the daily papers last week that
Mr. Vanderbilt issued tickets of invitation to all the
leading families of New York and vicinity, to attend
a reception or house warming at his splendid new
mansion in New York. The same report states that
the moneyed class attended but that the blue blood
did not. What is our object in introducing this
matter? It is an answer to those who say, “What is
it to us whether our forefathers were enlightened or
barbarian,” and to show them, by actual facts, and
at their own door, that it is something to those who
value their social standing whether their forefathers
were respectable or not. The blue blood are the
descendants of the Puritans who landed at Plymouth
Rock two hundred and sixty two years ago. They
were of the ordinary class of English society, and
could not lay claim to eminent social positions; but
their descendants, it seems, consider two hundred
and sixty two years sufficient apprenticeship to en-
title them now to preeminence. Hence, notwith-
standing Mr. Vanderbilt's wealth, they think the
boatman's son and his friends not to be fit so-
cial companions for them. In our first article of the
GAODHAL, of October last, we stated on unim-
peachable authority, that the people of England, at
the opening of the Christain era, were barbarous and
savage, and so unenlightened that they considered
themselves the spontaneous production of the soil.
We shall add other facts here which will tend to show
the general enlightment and cultivation of the Eng-
lish people up to the present century. These facts
are found in Tegg's Historical Companion, published
in London, A. D. 1835; as found in O' Brennan's
Irish Antiquities!
“Breeches first introduced into England A. D.
1644; First plate glass for looking glasses and
coach windows made in Lambeth, 1673 — in Lancash-
ire, 1773 (only one hundred years ago); post-offices
first got up in England, A. D. 1581; mail coaches
established in Bristol, 1785 (just ninety six years
ago); first silk manufactured in England, 1604 (it
was in use in Ireland long before the Christian era).
cloth stockings (woven) worn by Henry VIII., but got
chance pair of silk ones that came from Spain; this
was the case with his daughter, Elizabeth, when
Queen. Hats first made in London, 1501, (worn only
by a few, and were a great curiosity); stops in liter-
ature 1520; first stone church in London 1087, (many
centuries after their use in Ireland); castles built in
England, 1140; stone houses substituted for timber
ones in London 1666, owing to the fire that burnt
four hundred streets, covering an area of three hun-
dred and forty six acres. Muslin first introduced,
but not manufactured in England, 1781 (only ninety
eight years ago); brick buildings first established, in
London by the Earl of Arundel, 1601, at which time
the houses of that city were chiefly of wood; caps
worn in England, 1449, up to that time, except for
soldiers, there was no covering used for the head.
In 1571 a penal law was passed obliging the people
to wear a thickned cap (something like a piece of
colored flannel or frieze)
The tradesmen and laborers brought by the Mi-
lesians erected a stone palace in the barony of Letrim
for Tea-Hermon's queen. It was called “Teamar.”
That Pygmalion's tower was of stone, that Dido's
Carthage had stone buildings, no one acquainted with
history will deny. Yet all these had existence much
about the time of the wanderings of the Gadelians, as
will be gathered by a close attention to the leading
characters in the Aeneid, Iliad and Odyssey. Towers
were built in Ireland before the Christian era that
for durability, cannot be equaled today; brick build-
ings were in Ireland in 886, and ordinary stone
houses at a much earlier date. Facts of this nature
could be adduced to a great extent, but those enum-
erated it is hoped, are sufficient to show that our
country was not behind England in things that are
thought to be marks of natural refinement, whilst
Ireland was far and away before her in mental pol-
ish, artistic skill, and profound learning.
Early in the III. century (about 213), King Cor-
mac established three colleges in the Kingdom, one
for science, one for agriculture, and the third for
jurisprudence. We may fairly conclude, taking sub-
sequent events into consideration, that ordinary
schools were abundant at the time. In A. D. 513
Armagh had 7000 scholars; under Cormac, there
were in the college of Cashel 5000 students. Down
and Lismore, the Abbey of Mayo — here it was that
Alfrid, King of Northumbria, England, studied the
Irish Language, — Clonrode, in Clare, Clonfiush, near
Tuam, Clonard, Leinster, &c. were equally noted as
being the seats of learning and hospitality, to which
students flocked from all parts of the then known
world. At this period the English Language had
no existence, nor for centuries after.
Now we turn to the descendants of the Irish
Kings and Princes, who need not go to Ulster King
At-Arms for their Pedigree. They are, the
O'Neils, O'Conors, O'Briens, O'Donnells, O’Farrells,
O’Brennans, O'Brynes, O'Boyles, O'Cavanaghs, O
'Canes, O'Connellans, O'Donovans, O'Malleys, O'
Duffys, O'Driscolls, O'Deasys, O'Doyles, O'Dalys,
O'Dempseys, O'Dohertys, O’Galleghers, O’Flahertys
O'Flyns, O’Flanigans, O'Garas, O’Gradys, O'Hagans,
O'Hanlys, O'Kellys, O'Moores, O'Mahoneys, Oisins,
O’Riellys, O'Rourkes, O’Sullivans, O’Tooles. The
MacMahons, MacGuires, MacCarthys, MacSweenys
&c. &c. If the descendants of the Puritans could
show a pedigree as ancient as the above they
would look with contempt on the Queen of England.
It is the imperative duty of the Macs and the
Os to preserve the evidence of their illustrious lin-
eage. This they cannot do except by the preser-
vation of the language. Prove to the world that
