22
AN GAODHAL.
also be sent to the Treasurer, Gael¬
ic League, 1 Sackville-place, Dub¬
lin. As the time is now rather
short, it is desirable that persons
who intend to subscribe should do
so as soon as possible, in order that
the Committee may be in a position
to make final arrangements.
Should the proposed annual Gae¬
lic festival be successfully started,
and we are quite confident it can
be made a great success, if our
friends everywhere will but throw
themselves actively into the scheme
— it will have important results for
the Irish language. The Oireachtas
will, by reason of its character and
novelty, tend to fix universal atten¬
tion on the Irish language move¬
ment; it will help in obliterating
dialectical differences, and in fixing
the literary standard ; it will make
for the creation of a modern Irish
literature; it will encourage and be
a bond of union to all workers in
the revival of Irish; and, finally
will rally the Irish nation for the
maintenance of the native tongue.
Indeed, we hope to see the Oireach¬
tas, in course of time, do for Irish
what the Eistedfod has so well
done for Welsh.
The Committee has decided to of¬
fer prizes, the value of which is
still to be determined, for the foll¬
owing competitions :—
1. Essay (Irish) on the Influence of language
on Nationality.
2. Historical Poem (Irish) on the Gaelic Race,
or any incident in Irish History.
3. Three Lyrical Poems (Irish), each not to
contain more than six stanzas.
4. Recitation (Irish) in either prose or poetry.
5. A Song of the Movement (in Irish), with
chorus, suitable for singing at Gaelic Lea¬
gue meetings.
(All poetry to be written according to recogni¬
zed Irish metres).
The following general conditions
are to be observed :—
1. The Prizes will be publicly awarded at the
Oireachtas
by Adjudicators appointed by the Execu¬
tive Committee
2. Adjudicators are debarred from competing.
3. Competitors shall, if required, produce evi¬
dence of the genuiness and originality of
their compositions.
4. All compositions must bear assumed names
or mottoes only, and must reach the Secre¬
tary on or before 21st April, 1897.
5. A Prize may be withheld if the successful
competitor is not present, or his name dis¬
closed to the Secretary when called upon.
6. All successful competitions shall be the pro¬
perty of the Gaelic League.
7, Competitors for the Recitation Prize must
send in the names of the pieces they have
selected for recitation on or before 1st May
1897.
8. The competitions are open to every person,
whether resident in Ireland or not, and ir¬
respective of nationality.
We may add that it is the inten¬
tion to hold the Oireachtas in turn
at Cork, Belfast, Galway, and oth¬
er Provincial centres, and to offer
further prizes for translation into
Irish, and for the collection of Gae¬
lic oral lore, if sufficient money for
the purpose be obtained
Mr. M. J. O'Sullivan writes, —
A Chara Dhíl :— Cuirim chugat dhá dol¬
lar ag íoc ar shon an Ghaodhal san lei¬
tir so. Cuir chugam an Gaodhal ar
feadh bliadhan elle, agus mar an gceud¬
na chum na Gaodhailgeora eile de chlann
na h-Éireann do sgriobhaim shíos :—
Mortać O'Donnchughadh,
Probhidens,
agus
Pádraic O'Seácáin,
Neúpórt
Fuair mé an Gaodhal déighionach ⁊ do
cheap mé go rabh sé go maith, budh mhaith
an dán 'n t-Sean Bhean Bhocht, do chluis
mé 'san t-Sean Tír é. Do líon mo
chroidhe le mórtus nuair do chonnairc
mé na focla do chluis mé fad ó go bog
breágh, binn.
Iarraim mathamhnus ort mar nár
