AN GAODHAL.
135
THE GAEL — VOLUME II
With this issue we commence Volume II of the
GAEL, and we hope all the old subscribers will re-
new their subscriptions. We shall briefly state
what our subscribers have accomplished within
the year for sixty cents. — Sixty thousand GAODHALS
have been distributed through the world in that
time ; those of our uninformed countrymen who
believed that there was no such thing as a culti-
vated Irish Language have been agreeably convin-
ced to the contrary ; a rebuff has been given to
the vilifiers of our race who accuse us of ignorance,
by showing that we have a learned language and a
distinct character or letter, neither of which they
have, for, threefourths of their language is bor-
rowed, and their letter or character they have
wholly borrowed from Rome. — This of itself ought
to be worth sixty cents a year. Yet, it has done
more. It has urged our brethren at home to found
Gaelic journals there, and we expect that it has
been the precursor of a general uprising in favor
of our country's language. It has now over thirt¬
een hundred [1300] mail subscribers, and it has
doubled its own size since its first issue, so we
think that is a fair showing. In our first No. we
appealed to a large number of patriotic Gentle-
men to forward the GAEL, our list of acquaintance
is now too large to appeal to them by name, but
if they make a showing equal to that of those
adverted to, the GAEL will have thirteen thousand
(13,000) subscribers at the end of its second year.
Do, ladies and gentlemen, urge your neighbors and
friends to circulate Gaelic literature. Let us not
have our children to say that we have not given
them an opportunity to obtain a knowledge of
their kindred’s language.
We acknowledge that we are a great beggar in
regard to the Irish Langnage movement, but the
truism that it is necessary to promote Gaelic lit-
erature so as to preserve the evidence of the su-
perior literary acquirements and civilization of our
forefathers over the other peoples of Europe in
ages past, impels us in our actions.
We shall prepare a full list of the names of our
subscribers, with a short geneological reference
to the family name of each, and a brief notice of
the exertions individually made, as far as we can
learn; to be appended to this volume, as a stand¬
ing memorial (for ages to come) of their patriotic
endeavors in the preservation of their mother ton-
gue.
To enable us to carry out this resolution, we
request our subscribers to send us the location of
their ancestry, and we would request the date of
the formation of Philo-Celtic Classes and Socie-
ties, throughout the Country with the names of
their orgrnizers.
The GAEL has got over three hundred subscri-
bers through O'Donovan Rossa's paper — THE
UNITED IRISHMAN.
THE DUBLIN SOCIETIES.
There is a matter personal to the GAEL in con-
nection with these Societies which we would wish
to explain. For some time we have been publish-
ing the reports and transactions of those societies.
In doing so we thught that there was only one so-
ciety in Dublin, and, consequently, we mixed
things considersbly : and as we do not desire to
take sides in the differences which, apparently,
exist there, we publish the annexed communica-
tions without comment except that we recommend
them to close up their ranks and bury their differ-
ences for the good of the cause. —
THE GAELIC UNION.
At the last meeting of the Council of the Gaelic
Union, the Very Rev. Ulick J. Canon Bourke, M.
R. I. A., P. P., Claremorris, presided ; there were
also present, Rev, Maxwell H. Close, M.A., M.R.I.
A., Vice President, Rev. John E. Nolan, O. D. C.,
Hon. Secretary, Michael Cusac, Hon. Treasurer ;
Messrs Michael Corcoran, John Morrin, R. J. O'
Mulrenin, David Comyn, &c. The Hon. Sec. an-
nounced that the Circular relative to the establish-
ment of the proposed Gaelic Journal, which had
been approved by the council ot the last meeting
was now being extensively distributed, and en-
couraging replies had been already received. A
form for enrolling subscribers accompanies each
copy of the circular, and which those to whom it
is addressed are requested to return as soon as pos-
sible, so as to enable the Council to make prelim-
inary arrangements for carrying out so necessary
a work. Copies of the circular and accompanying
form may be had on applicatson as usual to the
Hon. Sec. No. 19 Kildare St. Dublin. Copies of
pamphlet recently issued containing rules and in-
structions for members, associates, local societies
&c. may also be had gratis and post free on appli-
cation by letter. The Council is glad to be able
to state that the Irish Class, which resumed its
business on September 2nd., under the direction
of Mr. John Fleming, a member of Council, is
working well and increasing in numbers. A jun-
ior division is now formed for new members, who,
of course cannot keep pace with those who have
worked from the beginning. Application to the
Council is necessary for entrance to the class.
The thanks of the council were voted to the New
York Society for the Pres of the lrish Language,
for their continued encouragement, sympathy and
assistance in all the undertakings of the Gaelic
Union.
TO THE EDITOR IRISH TIMES.
Sir. — In the year 1876 was founded in Dublin, a
society whose laudable object was the preservation
of the Irish language.
From that year until this it has been enabled to
labor effectively to advance the study of the nation-
al tongue. Irishmen of all creeds and parties found
a common and patriotic cause in which they
might join.
