AN GAODHAL.
81
Tá 'n t-Impire lag, am thuairim gan brígh na neart 'nna shluaghtaibh,
Is buaidheann na Rusaigh buailte, do sluais chuige ó Phaul,
D'a n-díbirt as a m-bruachaibh gan suím air easbhadh luadair,
Gan cloidheamh, gan bhrat, gan truadh air bith, d'a ruaga le fán."
"Is cruinn 'sas ceart do thuaraisg a chaoinbhean chailce stuama,
'Sgo bh-fuil luighthe ceart' na n-druaghsuilt d'a luadh linn gach lá,
Air chríochnughadh an chatha chruadha sin a d-tíorthaibh h-Olland uachtraigh,
Go m-beidh sgéimhle ceart a's ruagairt air shluaghtaibh ár namhaid.
Insím dibh go m-buadhfar air shíorach Cailbhin uaibhraigh,
Air a d-tíocht do'n aicme shluadhaigh air chuaird chugainn ó 'n Spáin,
Beidh Gaoidhil go seasguir suaimhneach 'nna d-tíorthaibh ceart' gan uamhann,
'San bhuaidheann so tharruing tuaruilc d'a ruaga le fán."
Is sé mo chreach nach mar sin atá,
Tomás D. de Norradh.
THE IRISH-AMERICAN HISTORICAL SO¬
CIETY.
Some time ago the Rev. Father Hand suggested
the organization of an Irish-American Historical
Society, and in order to carry out the patriotic i¬
dea we named a number of men of known patriot¬
ism to form the nucleus of it. Now, from past ex¬
perience, we cannot depend on millionaire Irish¬
men to assist the project. Most of them are igno¬
rant men placed beside themselves by unexpected
worldly riches who would sooner spend thousands
to secure companionship with debauched aristoc¬
racy (decent aristocracy would not recognise them)
than a cent to elevate themselves and their race to
their proper plane.
The formation of the society should not be de¬
ferred. We suggested the enlargement of THE
GAEL as one of the first steps that ought to be ta¬
ken by the society. But as that might give some
color to the idea that we had an "ax to grind” we
stated truly on page 55 of volume 8. the lengths
we should go in any such movement, and that is,
that THE GAEL, with, or apart from, a more exten¬
ded movement, should live while we lived. That is
the fact. We shall enter no movement deeper than
what that necessitates, and, therefore, we have no
"ax to grind,” sinister insinuations to the contrary
notwithstanding.
The N Y Gaelic society has a valuable Gaelic
library, and it would be easy to start the Society
on it And though the leading spirit of that Socie¬
ty, Francis J. Ward, is not friendly to the Gael,
yet the interest of the movement compels us to
say that he is possessed of executive ability to a
considerable degree, and that he is the best man
we know of to consult in relation to the Historical
Society. M A O’Byrne, of the same society, is a
classical scholar and native to the Irish language.
These, with Captain Norris, and the Hon. Dennis
Burns would do well to communicate with Mr M'¬
Cosker and take counsel with him. In this sug¬
gestion it cannot be said that we have an ax to
grind. We do not care whether a friend or a foe
is engaged in the work so long as it is done, and
we shall render all the assistance in our power to
the end.
Had any additional evidence been required to
prove to the Irish people, apart from the fact that
all conquering nations seek to destroy the lang¬
uage of the conquered, the absolute necessity of
preserving and cultivating their language to pres¬
erve their nationality, it was supplied the other
day by the ex-Empress of Germany's visit to Paris
It mattered nought to the French people whe¬
ther the ex-Empress's mission to their capital was
one of peace or of hostility. To them it could not
be of peace while her nation retained one inch of
their territory; they looked upon it as an insult
and repelled it in a sensible manner. Vive la
Français we say. At the Artists' Ball, it is said,
the ladies vowed that they would not dance with
Germans. What a difference ! Had the French
substituted the German language for their own
they would polish the ex Empress's boots, and
their ladies would not only dance with Germans
but would fete them also, as some of our Irish la¬
dies (?) feted that moral model, the Prince of
Wales.
It is repugnant to our feelings to write in this
strain but we cannot act the hypocrite and close
our eyes to facts which are patent to the whole
world. The difference between the manly actions
of the French and the debased, servile, conduct of
the Irish is accounted for by the fact that the
French have their own language — the Irish — the
language of the slave !
We assert now that those Irish nationalists (what
perversion of language to call them such) who are
collecting money from their openhearted country¬
men for patriotic purposes and fail to apply it to
such, are shameless swindlers. These dont want
to see Ireland free for then their occupation would
be gone. They get fat plums from the political bas¬
ket for their “Irish leadership" Hence, they do
nothing to preserve the foundation of Irish nation¬
ality. They prefer to build on sand because they
know their job will be everlasting :— In the mean¬
time, should not our unselfishly patriotic country¬
men bestir themselves? Let them preserve their
language and literature and scatter it broadcast
and it will preserve the heart of the nation. Some
individual Frenchmen might be traitors, as it is
said, Bezaine was ; and so of Ireland. The mon¬
grel Irish of to-day prove our point. We have our
Parnellites and our McCarthyites more bitter ag¬
ainst each other than they are against the enemy.
They ignore the national bonds — because they are
hirelings — God bless the French, and Save Ireland
