AN GAODHAL.
﻿687
The
Gael.
A monthly Journal devoted to the Cultivation and
Preservation of the Irish Language and the au¬
tonomy of the Irish Nation.
Entered at the Brooklyn P. O. as second-class mail
matter.
Sixth Year of Publication.
Published at 814 Pacific st., Brooklyn, N. Y.,
M. J. LOGAN, - - - Editor and Proprietor.
Terms of Subscription — Sixty Cents a year, in
advance ; Five Cents a single copy.
Terms of Advertising — 10 cents a line, Agate.
VOL 5, No. 12. APRIL, 1887.
To Our Irish Readers.
An sgeitheadh laetheamhuil is mó
in Éirinn-Mhór,
216,000 cóbtha.
From the N Y Morning Journal, March 12, 1887.
"Big Ireland."
The accomplished Celtic scholar who rendered
into the language of the Gael the interesting state¬
ment in yesterday's paper that THE JOURNAL has
the largest circulation in America has aroused as
many Irish scholars as ever attended at the learn¬
ed court of Cormac at Tara or sat at the feet of
Ollam Fodla himself. These critics question par¬
ticularly the translation of the word “America” by
the two words “Eirinn Mor,” which literally mean
“Big Ireland.” Without praising our scholar for a
stroke of wit worthy of the land of Curran and
Sheridan, we would respectfully point out that I¬
rish tradition puts forth strong claims to the discov¬
ery of America by an Irish monk who was over
here long before Columbus, long before Madsc, the
Welshman, and several laps ahead of the Norse vi¬
kings who called New England Vineland. He call¬
ed it "Big Ireland,” and to millions of the Irish race
it has remained “Big Ireland” ever since. The cele¬
brated antiquarian, Dionysius O'Blake, declares
that the Ogallala Sioux Indians are the descendants
of an ancient O'Gallagher. However that may be
there is no denying the fact that Irishmen feel very
much at home here and that they adopt the coun¬
try with enthusiasm the moment they land. One
of them felicitously replying on last St. Patrick's
Day to the toast of “the Pilgrim Grandfathers," said
"The native American of to-day is the emigrant
of yesterday.” and the emigraut from old Ireland
proceeds to be, as it were, a native of Big Ireland
with more suddeness than the children of other emi¬
grant making lands. More power to their elbows !
N. Y. Morning Journal, March 13, 1887.
We have copied the above from the Morning
Journal, and we have no doubt but it will be inter¬
esting to our readers.
It will be remembered that Mr. William Russell,
of Oil City, in a note to his song —
An Craoibhin Aoibhinn Áluinn óg,
in the 9th No., of Vol. 4 of THE GAEL explained
that Ireland was known to the Icelandic sages as
Irlande et Mikla, or Great Ireland, So that the
rendering of “America” into Éiremhór,
its ancient and therefore proper name, was neither
a freak of wit or humor,
The translation is excellently and felicitously ren¬
dered. However, we think it would be better to
take the compound word,
Éire-Mhór
as a simple word and decline it according to the
rules of the first declension. Then the dative as
above, would become Éiremhór, instead
of Éirinn-Mhór — the genitive making
Éiremhóir. As this country was known
by the above name before Columbus or Americus
were heard of, why should not the name be contin¬
ued?
As the above writer remarks, the Irish feel at
home here, aye, and if the signs of the times be
not deceptive its continuous freedom and integrity
will depend on that element. Your Bayards and
your Edmondses would hand it over to the English
if they thought they could, as their tory forefathers
did a hundred years ago.
THE PHILADELPHIA PHILO-CELTIC
SOCIETY.
Dear Sir — Our celebration exercises on the anni¬
versary of the late Most Rev. Archbishop McHale,
were well conducted and thoroughly enjoyed by all
who had the good fortune to be present. The hall
was crowded with the friends of the Gaelic move¬
ment. The scholars taking part in the programme
of the evening did their part very creditably par¬
ticularly the more advanced ones. Mr Mur¬
phy's remarks in Irish were fine, and Mr. Mc¬
Eniry, Mr. Chas. E. Cranny and Miss Sallie Mee¬
kin performed their task elegantly. Our active
and hard-working worthy president, Mr. Patrick
McFadden, who presided on the occasion was in¬
strumental in making the affair a grand success.
He spares no effort to promote our reputation and
advancement. The address delivered in our Mother
Tongue, by Mr. John J. Lyons was admirable and
received hearty applause from a crowded audience.
The following was the programme for the occasion
and the persons taking part in it — Mr. Andrew
Leitz, Overture, Irish and American airs : Miss
Sallie Meekin, Recitation ; Miss Sallie McCann &
Miss Virginia Fox, Song ; Mr. John J. Lyons, Ad¬
dress in Irish ; Mr. Peter J. Lynch, Recitation :
Mr. Chas. E. Cranny, Song, O'Donnell Aboo in I¬
rish: Mr. Thos. McEniry, Song, Meeting of the
Waters, in Irish ; Mr. Peter F. Murphy, Remarks
in Irish ; Mr. Bernard Kernan, Recitation ; Mr.
P. E. Cranny, Song, 98; Mr. George Dougherty,
Song, Motherland; Miss Mary Dunleavy, Song,
God Save Ireland ; Miss Garvey, Song, Jennie,
the Pride of Kildare: Mr. Joseph Flaherty, Rec¬
itation; Mr. Henry, rendered Kilarney, in fine
style. This closed the first anniversary by our
Gaelic Society of one of the noblest representa¬
tives of our race. May his memory be to us, for¬
ever a shining light in the path of Duty,
Very sincerely yours,
Dennis Kennedy, Cor. Sec.
