At the meeting of the National League, in
Tuam, the other day the language was referred to
thus —
The meeting was about to disperse when
Mr. Lyons said the National League should do
something towards the preservation and cultivat¬
ion of the Irish language. He would suggest that
this branch of the League take the matter up and
collect subscriptions for the purpose. Distributing
prizes in the schools of the parish, to pupils learn¬
ing Irish, would be a good way to encourage the
study of the language.
The Rev. President said there was a column of
Irish given weekly in the Tuam News, and very
few read it.
Mr. Lyons — I am not certain whether that is
so or not, but I would set little value on the pat¬
riotism of the Irishman who would not help to pre¬
serve his native language. Our language was the
chief means under Providence, of preserving the
Catholic faith in this country in the penal times.
The Rev. President, Father Canton, said that
every person sitting around the room here had
plenty of Irish.
Mr. Flatley — But what about the rising genera¬
tion?
Rev. President — It is the Literary Society that
ought to take up the matter, there is plenty of ma¬
terial for the purpose. You can hardly expect old
people to do it and I would suggest that Mr. Lyon
think over the matter till next meeting when
something practical might be proposed.
The meeting then adjourned to 1st Sept.
— Tuam News.
With few exceptions the laity seem to take great¬
er interest in the preservation of the language than
the clergy, when it is the special duty of the lat¬
ter. The Irish-American element in this country
cannot be less than twenty millions, yet the Cath¬
olic population, including all nationalities, is giv¬
en at seven or eight millions only. Nine tenths of
the Irish who came to this country were Catholics,
and, therefore, under ordinary circumstances, nine
tenths of the Irish American element should be
Catholics, but they are not, owing to the neglect
to cultivate and preserve the language and litera¬
ture of their country. An Irish name is no longer
an indication of a man's religion in this country,
The children of Irish parents who have amassed
money in this country are no longer Irish in either
sentiment or religion. Why? Because Irishism
is to them the synonym of ignorance and scorn to
to be identified with it. Show such people that
the Irish did have a language and a literature and
there will be little defection. Hence, the Irish
Catholic bishop or priest who makes no effort to
cultivate and preserve the language is playing into
the hands of protestantism and infidelity. If
Father Canton, or any other priest takes exception
to the above, let him account for the Irish-Amer¬
ican defection to Catholicity, and the fact that very
few of the Irish American poor are protestants.
Mr. Lyons struck the nail square on the head :
it would take Lord Ross's telescope to discover
the patriotism of him who neglects his language.)
The workers in the Gaelic cause need not be sur¬
prised to see THE GAEL weekly, as the representa¬
tive of the Gaelic Race, in the near future. It is
easier to run a weekly than a monthly paper.
We have for some time interesting Gaelic mat¬
ter from Mr. Henebry, a student of Maynooth,
which we shall commence in our next issue.
Balfour's latest scheme to denationalize Ireland
is the endowing of a Catholic university.
The only way to conserve Irish Nationality is to
cultivate and preserve the language, and the best
way to do that is to circulate Gaelic literature.
We, then, beseech the readers of THE GAEL to
do the latter, This can be effectually done in this
way. —
Let each reader make a list of all the Irishmen
and women in his or her neighborhood and col¬
lect from them the sum of one penny a week or
5 cents amonth, as subscription to THE GAEL, the
Irish Echo, or the Gaelic Journal, whichever the
subscriber elects (We mention the three journals
lest objections should be made to THE GAEL, and
because we have no private ends in view apart
from the circulation of Gaelic literature.) Send
the names to the office of the paper selected, that
papers may be sent, and the subscriptions when
they amount to a dollar or two, deducting all the
expenses of stationery, postage etc.
If this be tried we shall pledge our life for a
happy result. The sum of a penny or 5 cents is
so small that no one would refuse to give it, if
only to get shut of the collector's importunity,
Of course, this would entail considerable labor
but labor in behalf of the preservation of the life
of his nation should be a labor of love to every
Irishman, and there is no doubt of the effective¬
ness of the mode suggested
To protect collectors, all subscribers will be no¬
ted under
SENTIMENTS of our SUBSCRIBERS.
The readers of THE GAEL will be pleased to
learn that our former student contributors, —
M. P. Mahon, Mt St Mary's College, Md.
P. C. York, St Mary's Seminary, Bal Md.
P. H. O'Donnell, Villanova College, Pa. and
D. J. Murphy, St Charles's Seminary, Pa. are
now in Holy Orders. We pray that their mis¬
sions may be prosperous and happy.
Their more extended intercourse with the pub¬
lic now will increase their opportunities to prop¬
agate the language. And we hope they will get
some of their respective neighbors to start the 5
cent subscriptions, as above recommended.
The American Printer, Susquehanna, Pa., is a
new typographical production, a copy of which
lies before us. It contains four large pages of in¬
teresting matter devoted to the interests of the
printing and publishing trade. The American
Printer Publishing Co., are its publisher, and its
price is fifty cents a year.
MOTHERS! Don't Fail To Procure Mrs.
Winlow's SOOTHING SYRUP For Your Chil¬
dren While Cutting Teeth.
It soothes the child, softens the gum, allays
all pain, cures wind colic, and is the best remedy
for diarrhoea.
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS a BOTTLE.
Morgan Grace of New Zealand, brother of ex-
Mayor Grace New York, has been raised to the dig¬
nity of Count of the Holy Roman Empire, by His
Holiness, Leo XIII. Count Grace was born in
Ireland.
