AN GAODHAL.
393
Apart from the philological value of the follow¬
ing letter from the Rev. Father Carroll, of Saint
Thomas's Church, Chicago, we should do injust¬
ce to the readers of the Gael, to ourself, and to
the whole-souled gentleman himself, who has for
years, with his tongue, pen, and purse, done so
much for the Gaelic cause, did we not publish it.
To M. J. Logan,
EDITOR GAEL.
My Dear Mr Logan, to you, a veteran friend,
and successful laborer, in the cause of the Irish
language and literature, one who has borne "the
burdens and heat of day," I must express my
praise for a noble work faithfully continued.
When the study of the language will become
common in all the great institutions of learning,
no adversary can rob you of the title of "the
pioneer" of the cause.
The study of the Gaelic language became a sub¬
ject deeply interesting to me, as I gratefully dis¬
covered that it was at one time the language not
only of Ireland, Scotland, and the greater part of
England, but, also, the language of Gaul, Armor¬
ica, Spain, Carthage, Fenicia, Aoimag, Ardmom¬
ia, and Seauatar. — In a word, that it was the lan¬
guage of the Caucasian division of the human
race,
As the Caucasian increased and multiplied in
the stretches around the foot-hills of the Cosan-
Gava mountains, so that they began to feel the
pressure of numbers in their proper confines, the
surplus began to go out in the form of warrior
hosts, to possess the more extensive lands of
weaker peoples. Whithersoever they went they
stamped on the country the unmistakable charac¬
teristics of a dominant race. I wish my dear Mr.
Logan to set forth by a philological argument
that this is not an unsupported assertion, but that
the conclusion is a natural and incontrovertable
one.
For this purpose I will here write down the an¬
cient names they imposed on the countries which
they possessed. I will explain their kindred, sig¬
nification and present form. I will quote only
such names as are to be found in authentic sour¬
ces, and are to be readily found by one desiring
to look up the fact. Thus. —
1. Cosan-Gabha. Caucasus (also Cosan-Gav),
from Cosan, a path, Gabha, a smith; from the
fact that those mountains had by volcanic action
cast up huge masses of lava composed almost of
pure iron, hence armorers frequented its passes.
2. Ard-mion. Armenia, from ard high, and
mion mountain.
3. Sean-athar, Sennar or Shinaar (see Bible)
plains of. — Sean, old, and athar father; plains of
the old fathers or ancesters, whence the Gaal Sciot
were expelled by hosts of Asshior.
4. As-mor. Asshior, Assyrians, from as out of,
and soir the East, i.e. multitudes from the Orient
5. Sean-sgript, Sanscrit, from sean, old, and
sgript writings. The ancient memorials which the
Gael-Sciot conveyed with them into India when
they fled from the Plains of Seanatar; when the
countless hordes of Asshior swept over their lands
like a deluge. After their mighty battle with the
resistless Nemroid and his surging flood of war¬
riors, the remnant, some with Ard-fear, fled to the
Highlands of Armenia. Others with other lead¬
ers, fled into India.
This mighty social upheaval was caused by the
breaking to pieces of the first Sciotian Empire by
Nemroid, called also Bel, the founder of the first
Assyrian Empire, whose capital Both-Bel, Babel.
from both, a house or habitation, and Bel, Nem¬
roid; the habitation of Bel. Nin-mach-Bhel, i.e.
Ninus the son of Bel, was the second king of the
Assyrians.
6. Teth-Gris, Tigris, from teth, hot, gris, kin¬
dled embers ; — from the appearance of the ripp¬
ling waters of the river under the Asiatic sun, ma¬
king them seem like glowing embers. The Gael
Sciot, called the Earth Ce (ke), the moon Re, and
the sun Baal — they also worshipped them as die¬
ties. We thus find these words used frequently
as the parts of compound words ; Thus Ce the
Earth and Baal the sun; but Baal in conjunction
with Ce, made Ce-Baal, i e., Cybele, the Goddess
of production, the Kebele of the Greeks, the mag¬
na matter of the Romans.
8. Feine-ce, Phoenicia, from feine, our own
ce, land, i.e., the land of our own people. Feine
afterwards became a national name as we find the
Romans calling the Carthagenaus Poeni. The
Gaal-Sciot of Ireland to emphasise their origin
called themselves the Feine, or Fenians.
9. Ce-laom, ceolum, heaven, from ce, land or
region, and laom, light, i.e., the origin of light.
10. Grau-ce, Gracia, Greece, from Grau a tribe
of people, and Ce, their land or territory.
11 Traigh-ce, Thracia, Thrace, from traigh,
strand, and ce land; a territory having great wa¬
ter frontage.
12. Magh-ce-un, Macedon, Macedonis, from
mag, a plain, ce land, dun, enclosed or fortified;
meaning the plains of the enclosed country.
13. Cathar-ce-dun, Karkedon, Carthage, from
cathar, a city, ce land, and dun, enclosd or surr
ounded, "the city of the land that is surrounded."
14. Colg-ce, Colchis, from colg, a sword or pio¬
nard, and ce land, because in ancient Colchis the
bronze swords and spears were made.
15. Ce-Israel, Jehesrael, the crown lands of
Achab, who married Jesabel, a Fenician princess,
It means the land-of-Israel, ; so also, we have.
16. Ce-Nasereth, Genesereth, the land of Nas¬
areth.
