94
AN GAODHAL.
CRUIT ISLAND N. S., KINCASSLAGH
Co. Donegal, Ireland
8th April, 1891.
Editor Gael:
I beg, through your columns, to return my most
heartfelt thanks to Mr. J. Kennedy, Red Mount¬
ain, Col. who so kindly sent you a year's subscrip¬
tion for two copies of the Gael to be sent each
month to me, and to Messrs. J. C. Ward, Killy¬
begs, and D. Heraghty, Churchill, Letterkenny.
I am very glad that Mr. Kennedy's zeal on be¬
half of the old tongue has been the means of mak¬
ing me acquainted with your Journal, of whose
existence I was previously unaware; and I rejoice
to see that such noble efforts are being made by a
section of our countrymen in the "greater Ireland"
beyond the sea to preserve our dear old mother
tongue, and rescue from oblivion the many beau¬
tiful songs, quaint legends, and curious fireside
tales still extant among the old Gaelic-speaking
peasantry.
It is very satisfactory and consoling to all lovers
of our native language and literature to know that
your efforts in America, and those of kindred per¬
iodicals and societies in Ireland, are bearing good
fruit; and that many are beginning to take an in¬
terest in, and cultivate a knowledge of Gaelic who
formerly were, if not directly opposed to it, at least
apathetic as to its success. I am sorry to say, how¬
ever, that it is not yet taught in our schools so ge¬
nerally as could be desired, chiefly owing to some
vexatious restrictions placed in the way of the Na¬
tional Teachers, but which it is hoped will soon
be removed. There are in this county many teach¬
ers who read and could teach Irish, but on ac¬
count of hampering rules bearing on the teaching
of it do not take the pains to qualify themselves
for obtaining certificates. The same causes in ma¬
ny cases prevent certificated teachers forming Irish
classes. However, let us be trustful; the cause is
certainly making headway; small beginnings," it
is said, "often produce great results," and it is to
be ardently hoped the movement for the preserva¬
tion of the Irish language may fully exemplify the
truth of the saying. Thank God, Irishmen need
no longer exclaim in the despairing words of Fa¬
ther Mullen :—
"'Tis leaving, and for ever, the soil that gave it
birth,
Soon, very soon, its moving tones shall ne'er be
heard on earth;"
but rather they may joyfully and hopefully say, —
"That glorious tongue whose accents could each
Celtic heart enthral,
Long shall it live 'midst Connaught's wilds and
hills of Donegal;
And by the Shores of Munster like the broad
Atlantic blast,
The olden tongue shall flourish yet, and bind us
to the Past."
Mr. Kennedy's kind act in subscribing for par¬
ties in Ireland (with some of whom, at least, he is
totally unacquainted) shows what a unifying effect
a love of the old tongue has on Irishmen, and ill¬
ustrates the folly and evil of the mistaken policy
of those leaders of the Irish people who oppose the
progress of the Gaelic movement, instead of cher¬
ishing and encouraging it, and using it as a migh¬
ty bond of union among Irishmen all the world
over.
I was exceedingly pleased with Gabhar Donn's
beautiful “Similitude" in your February number,
and I have attempted a metrical translation of it
which I herewith enclose, and which you can pub¬
lish if you consider it worth publication. At some
future time, I will send you some Irish songs got
from old people in this district.
Wishing your Journal every success,
I am, yours faithfully,
Anthony J. Doherty.
[Others may "Know what is right, Mr. Doberty
practises it." — Ed.]
EDITORIAL SNEERS.
The Catholic Sentinel, Portland, Ore., of April
9th, under caption, "An Appeal Necessay," says,
"William O'Brien is studying the Irish language
in jail and Mr. Parnell is playing tag with frag¬
mentary beams of hope. The picture produced by
either is melancholy and weird. Both have been
children of a destiny which sinks, when its force
has set, in the unfathomable depths of inanity."
Ah, Mr. Editor, it is the sneers of men like you
that feed Parnellism. — It is men like you that have
left us open to the degrading charge, "Ignorance"
which is being daily thrown in our teeth, and
which has done more real injury to Ireland, to Ir¬
ishmen, and to Irishism than all other forces com¬
bined — It is that charge of "Ignorance" which
the sneers of men like you promote and foster
that has caused millions of the Irish race in these
United States to turn their backs in Ireland and
on Irishism and to become their deadliest and most
inveterate enemies.
The Irish element in these United States today
number, at least, fifteen millions ; 90 per cent. of
the Irish immigrants professed the Catholic relig¬
ion. We take Sadlier's Catholic Almanac for 1891,
and we find by the total Catholic popu¬
lation of the States and Territories is less than
nine millions. Where are the other six millions
gone to? Ah, Mr. Editor, this charge of "Ignor¬
ant Irish" which you promote by sneering at the
language and literature, has caused nearly all of
the second graft from the parent stem to descend
to the Orange Lodge, through the real ignorance
which the teaching of men like you beget. We
emphasize descend because Man is ambitious and
will or if he know how; and if men like you
would hold the evidence of the Irishman's super¬
ior plane to view, you should have fourteen mill¬
ions of participants in Irishism to-day instead of
nine! — The Index to that evidence is supplied by
Spaulding on another page.
It is a wonder that Irish-Americans like ex-
Mayor Grace and Mr Blaine would not take some
interest in the preservation of their mother tong¬
ue for both have doubtlessly read Irish history.
Some time ago the Gael recorded very strong Gae¬
lic sentiments expressed by ex-Mayor Grace; and
the reading public is aware of Mr. Blaine's senti¬
ments as expressed at the Land League demon¬
stration in Portland, Me., two years ago. He said,
in speaking of Salisbury, "The Irish were a cul¬
tivated, learned people when his lordship's ances¬
try were, perhaps Norman Free Booters or Danish
Pirates." These men read Irish history, and have
had the manliness to proclaim their convictions —
there is no sneering about them.
