Philo-Celts.
The Brooklyn Philo-Celtic Society had its fifth
annual reunion and ball at Uris' Academy on Apr.
21st., and was in all respects the grandest success
yet achieved by the society. Anticipating the
the growing popularity of the society would cause
a proportionate increase in the audience, the com¬
mittee of arrangements procured some camp stools
to supplement the seating capacity of the Academy
but every available seat was occupied long before
eight o'clock, and by half past eight, when the ex¬
ercises of the evening commenced, fully one-third
of the audience had to content themselves with
standing room. Five years ago, when the society
had its first public reunion the academy was not
quarter filled. A gentleman who was present at
that reunion remarked that before five years more
passed, the Academy of Music would not be capa¬
cious enough to accomodate the patrons of the Phi¬
lo-Celtic reunions. This is a grand outcome of the
Society's efforts.
Taking this in connection with the splendid Fes¬
tival of the N. Y. S. P. I. L. we are assured that
our fellow-countrymen, throughout the states will
be pleased at our exertions, and, though they can¬
not take an active part in the getting up of these
patriotic demonstrations, still they can give us both
moral and material support by disseminating the
principles underlying the Gaelic movement, and by
supporting Gaelic literature. Let each do all he
can to circulate the Gael and Gaelic Journal. Pub¬
lications of this kind are the life and blood of the
movement, and our friends in the country can as¬
sist them as well as we in the cities. Little streams
swell into large rivers. So it is with the Gaelic
movement. Every subscriber to the Gael with his
six cents will enable us to send as many copies
through the country.
There is another way of serving the Gael and
such journals, without the cost of a penny to the
server — It is to patronize those who advertise the
ware in the Gael, provided it be as good as that
found elsewhere — this is merely giving the prefer¬
ence to those who aid the movement. This Irish¬
men should do, at the same time telling the ven¬
dors why. There is no use in mincing these mat¬
ters, or talk about "exclusive dealing." All na¬
tionalities do it. Not only that, but religious sects
do it. (See the account on another page regarding
the Methodist sect, taken from the United Irish¬
man). Hence, we exhort Irishmen to be true to
each other and to themselves.
The following is the programme which the soci¬
ety offered to its patrons.
Address, In Irish,
Mr, D. Gilgannon
Chorus, In Irish, "O'Donnell Aboo,"
Philo-Celtic Chorus
Solo, In Irish, "'Tis Gone and Forever,"
Dr. J. Cromien
Recitation — "The Celtic Tongue," Miss N. Crowley
Solo — "Kathleen Mavourneen," Miss Kate Walsh
Solo — "I'll Take you Home Again, Kathleen,"
Miss E. Donnelly
Solo, In Irish, "The Meeting of the Waters,"
Miss N. Costello
Cornet Solo, Selections (Child 7 years old)
E. Clarence Worrall
Accompanied on Piano by Miss Worrall.
Solo — "My Mary of the Curling Hair,"
Mrs. Green
Recitation — "The Bridge of Athlone,"
Master O'Shea
Solo — "Erin! Oh Erin" Mr. Robert Emmet Brown
Solo — "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep,"
Mr. S. Lewis
Recitation — "Emmet's Last Night in Prison,"
Mr. Andrew Martin
Solo — "The Fisherman and his Child,"
Mr. W. B. Crawford
Solo — "Dermot Asthore,"
Miss Quinn
Solo,
Mr. F. E. Clarke
Recitation, In Irish, "Archbishop MacHale,"
(Craoibin Aoibhinn),
Hon. Denis Burns
Solo — "When He who Adores Thee,"
Mr. J. Keller
Recitation — "Love in a Balloon," Mr. John Glynn
Mr. Bourke, the celebrated Irish piper gave se¬
lections of Irish National airs at intervals during
the evening.
All the talent acquitted themselves admirably,
and all were encored several times. It would be
out of place to make invidious distinction between
either either of them. We do not print Mr Gil¬
gannon's Gaelic address because we were too much
engaged in attending to the accomodation of the
guests during its delivery to take note of it. How¬
ever, the plaudits which greeted him indicated the
audience's sympathy with his theme. The concert
was over about twelve o'clock, when dancing com¬
menced and continued till four in the morning, all
being well pleased with the entertainment.
Why don't Irishmen in all the large cities get up
something similar to this? Is it not a grand thing
to give Irishmen an opportunity of meeting other
Irishmen in sympathetic movements of this kind?
These Gaelic demonstrations go further in rais¬
ing the social standing of Irishmen than is ordin¬
arily supposed. It reviews the ancient language
and music of a cultivated people, and makes the
Englishman bow his head in shame because he
cannot look back on his language and literature
beyond a few centuries. Hence, the opportunity
within the reach of the Irish people to set them¬
selves right before the world.
The following are the committee who had the
reunion in charge. — Floor Manager, Michael He¬
ney: Ass't Floor Manager, James E. Gubbins.
[Continued on page 356.]
