AN GAODHAL.
181
SENTIMENTS OF OUR SUBSCRIBERS.
If we take more than ordinary pride in referr-
ing to the sentiments of our subscribers this month
we think we are fully justified in doing so consid-
ering the warmth of the sentiments, and the source
whence they come.
When the greatest Irish scholar today living de-
clares, in the most positive and substantial man-
ner, that the GAEL is doing good work, its ordina-
ry readers may rest assured that their confidence
in it has not been misplaced. When the Very Rev.
U. J. Canon Bourke, D.D., P. P., late president of
St. Jarlath's College, Tuam, the father of the Irish
Language movement, author of the “College Irish
Grammar", "Easy Irish Lessons”, “Life of Dr.
McHale". Translator of the “Bull Ineffabillis",
in four languages, “Gallagher's Sermons", &c &c.,
declares in the most unmistakeable manner his ap-
probation of the GAEL it can well afford to ignore
interested criticism.
We assure our readers that our pride in this con-
nection is on their account, because a good many
of them are not yet able to judge of the merits or
demerits of the GAEL and had, therefore, to take
things for granted and repose their confidence in
the patriotism of the cause. Though the most of
them may not be able to read Canon Bourke's
letter through, yet they can read in the opening
sentence the characters £1, and may be able to
read the thousand million thanks in the closing
sentence which he desires us to accept for our ex-
ertions in the Irish Language cause. This, then,
will be an assurance to them that in taking the
GAEL for granted, they did not err, as their actions
have been endorsed by the highest living author-
ity.
Without any further remarks we introduce
CANON BOURKE'S SENTIMENTS.
A b-Paráiste Cille-Cholmhain, gar do
'n g-Clár, a g-Contae Mhaigheó, an
fichead' lá de Cheud mhíos na
bliadhna 1883.
A Shaoi Dhíl.
Cuirim chugat anns an leitir so (£1)
punta airgid, mar gheall air an "Gaodh-
al," a tá ag teacht chugam anois ó thús
an ama do thosuigh tú 'g a chur a g-cló
agus 'g a fhoillsiughadh ann ós árd.
Tá agam go leor le rádh leat, achht
ní'l mórán maitheasa 'g a dhéanadh a lá-
thair. Tá me cinnte go bh-fuil tú ag
déanadh oibre maithe. Dá mbudh fhéid-
ir shé, budh mhaith an nídh da m-beidheadh
tusa agus an Ruiséalac, agus beirt no
triúr eile gar d' a chéile, le socrughadh
a chur air foclaibh airidhe agus fuirm
cainte, atá air masán a lathair, — mar
na briathara so air a bh-fuil iomarca
cainte 'ráidhte — leabhar-aithris míosa-
mhuil (tugtha no) tabhartha chum an tean-
ga Ghaedhilge a chosnadh agus a shaorthugh-
adh."
B' fheárr liom féin an leitir Rómán-
ach nuadh 'na an t-sean-leitir. Is ó 'n
Róimh do thainicadar le chéile an t-sean-
leitir agus an leitir nuadh, agus mar
sin de, — ó thárla nach linn féin ó thús
shiad, — nach bh-fuil se níos feárr an lei-
tir nuadh a ghlacadh? — In a cheann sin tá
sí níos deise le amarch airí, níos eusg-
a faoi 'n láimh 'g a sgríobh. Tá sí níos
coitchinne do gach neach, do 'n Éireannach,
Albanach agus Sasanach, acht mar deir-
Zeuss, — "morum priscorum tenaciss-
imi sunt celtici populi,” ní forus na
Gaodhail a thabhairt ó shean chleachda air
bith.
Acht bidheadh sé mar sin. Tá rud a
ciant ann, 'nuair a tá ann oiread sin
ag tathughadh go fonnmhar leis. Mar na
Gearamain, a chleachteas an sean sgríobh-
an agus an sgríobhan nuadh, bheidheadh se
cho maith duinn-ne an dá chaoi a chleacht-
adh, — agus leis an meadhan so, bheidheadh
dúil agus rogha gach duine sásta.
Mar sin de abraim anois leat, ann
láimh sgríbhine eile, * mar shí so a tá os-
do chomair, — 'Beatha an Árd-Eespoig
Seághan MacHéil," noch do sgríobh mise
a ghlacadh a's a chur ann do leabhar-aith-
ris-se. Bheirim an cead so duit. Feic-
eann tú an bheatha a g-clo in "Irisleabh-
air na Gaedhilge," a tá againn a láthair
i m-Baile Áth-chliath.
Glacaim buidheachas na milliuin leat,
fa an meud meas agus módh do thais-
beán tú dam ó thosuigh tú ag cur an
"Gaodhal" a g-cló, agus 'g a chur chugam
suas go d-ti an am so.
Glac m' fhocal gur me do Fhoghan-
teóir Fíor-bhuan
UILLEOG SEOSEPH de BURC.
Canánach agus Sagart Paráiste.
* An leitir Rómánach nuadh.
