AN GAODHAL.
719
Ní'l righthe anois air a talaimh, acht mairthean a sean-spioraid beó,
Óir le cléirigh' mar thú ní eugfaidh a clú dá m-beidheadh sí a n-daoirse go dheó.
Go mairidh tú linne, a shagairt, mar shómpla deigh-chléireach ár d-tír,
Go mairidh tú linne, a shagairt, d'ár d-treórughadh chum comhnuidhe na bh-fíor :
Go mairidh tú linne mar mhair tú, ár d-treudaidhe caomh, cródha 'gus caoin,
Ár sólás gach lá, ag altóir ár n-grádh, mar bhí tú le dhá fhichid bliadhan'!
TADHG
This poem was sent us by a reader of the Gael. It was written on the fortieth anniversary of the
V. Rev. Canon Moynahan's (Peoria Ill. ) ordination.
HER WELLINGTON'S NAME.
Translated from Moore's Melodies for THE GAEL, by Wm. RUSSELL
Air — “Billy O’Rourke,"
Mar bhí Síghe na staruidheachta ag congbháil meabhar-chuntais
Air a bh-fightear le dubh-lámh chineamhna an t-saoghail,
Le na taobh do bhí aoibheall na h-Éireann ag caoineadh,
Mar bo lei-sin an síos chur do thruiallig an sgeul:
Ach O! mar do líon ionn a foghraibh án braon,
Nuair dhearc sí d'éis aoiseannaibh bróin agus léin;
Annsa stair síos d'á sgríobhadh le peann soluis iogair,
Go lonnrach comhainim a Uellingtúin féin!
"Dia dhuit! a realt m' innse féin," ars an spríd leis —
Le luisnibh mar bhriseann ó'n spéir is drúchtaighe,
Trí aoiseannaibh geibhinn is tréigthe, duairc mise,
Ag feitheamh air shamhail do ghlóire d' eirighe:
Agus ce go raibh curaidhe 'gam — uimhir faoi chréim —
Gan buadh dhom do chodlaid a g-crois t-slighthibh séin;
Ach O! ní'l aon sgaithle miochaomh air an m-blaith-fhleasg
Do chriosann comhainm a Uellingtúin féin!
Ach fós tá c'róinn dhéigheanach do ghaisge le saothrughadh —
An ceann san is áille dá'r aithin tú fós;
Óir cé eile náisiúin gur fhágbhais gan dearaibh,
Ba chóra go saorfádha do chríoch duthchais leo.
Ag coisán riogh-shuidhe úd do chongbhais a réim,
Seo labhair don tír ionn ar luaisgeadh do chéim —
No gur'b é os ceann díle a deora sa daoirse,
Arc a dothchais comhainm a Uellingtúin féin!
“The ignorant Irish” is a common expression
applied to our country people by the Anglican
element, at home and abroad. We often resented
the imputation because we considered that Irish¬
men were under similar circumstances, as enlight¬
ened as other people. In the course of a conver¬
sation with a liberal intelligent Englishman the
other day the subject was brought about. He
insisted that the Irish were ignorant and that the
characterization was no libel on them. "For,” said
he, "any people without a knowledge of the
language and literature of their country must be
ignorant.” We interposed that it was he and his
country were the cause of that. “Ah, no, my dear
sir,” said he, “if your people had the proper spirit
in them, I or my country could not bind their
tongues. Where are all your lawyers, doctors and
priests who do not understand a word of your
language.” We acknowledge that we were com¬
pletely "shut up.” But what will our priests law¬
yers and doctors say to the assertion, aye, and our
"nationalists” too? Are they satisfied to remain
“The ignorant Irish still"?
