The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-05-25
LECTURES AND LITERATURE.
The Language and Literature of ireland.
PART /.

BY 7. O'NEILL RUSSELL.

the above subject might be interesting not only to our coun
trymen but others of kindred to Ameri-
cans might be subject of INTEREST," and surely in country
like this where many millions of the Celtic race are scat
tered broadcast its surface from the SHOWS OF Canada to
the tropical shores of the Gulf of Mexico there must be
who love the traditions we'll the language of their fore
fathers and who amid the increasing gloom of their
country still hope that the time is far distant when full
justice will be Celtic literature and steps taken
preserve only their country from run but their Ian
guage their music and every relic of the haowed past from
oblivion and decay.
We do weary the reader with anything like
grammar with list of seemingly unpronounceabe
of old Saints Kings but will endeavor to make the
subject light, and at the same time interesting
We will saying the name for the Irish Ian
guage Gaelic 1t perhaps peculiarly the language
of Ireland it spoken in Scotland from very remote
period allowing that the original language of Scot
land was Gaelic forced believe that long before
Rome or Athens founded the Gaelic language speech
closely allied to be to all ntents and purposes iden
tca was the sole speech the whole of Western Europe,
and of considerable portion of Western Asia The SINH
larty between of places the Continent of Europe
and those places Ireland and Scotland is truly astonsh
ing and person interested in such matters, would form
most delightful study Indeed it something of
marvel after all Max Miller and the other eminent hilologsts
have said the subject that little interest should be taken
by the learned in the matter language and literature
suppose the is to be found in the political mis-
fortunes the Greece might nave
and Cicero if neither had produced Alexander
nor Caesar and if political power had not kept with
the literature ags and poets might have written
and sung poerity would have neither read listened
nothing repeat but the political poweressness
of the Gaelic that has caused their language to be
lected If that language possessed attraction save that OF
having given names threeourtbs of all the rivers
mountains towns plains lakes, and promonories in Great
and Ireland would have supposed that in such
countries almost every of mental exercise
eagerly gasped the study the language through whose
the meanings of all those could KNOWN
would FORM least portion of the literary world SUBJ
ect of interest and study Such is not unfortunately the
fact and the cokney he journeys through the glorious
scenery of Scotland and Ireland, simply says, cav how
pwety of intense beauty wdness bursts
his gaze or Jaw! how Movable" he hears, in the
language of the Gael the of the grand scene the
sight of which would have quckened the pulse and excited
the imag nation of any other mortal but he, most likely in
stead of asking the meaning of the he has just heard
inquiries anguidy about bee! If Culloden had been cee
braed victory instead of defeat and if Sasfed had
been known conquero instead of exile, no cockney
would dare ask for while gazing Loeb Cornk
shrug his shoulders when told that the great mountain before
him called Sieve Donard
It only in Great Britain and Ireland that the
clature of Celtic hardly in France,
of which translated through the medium
of the Celtic. AS writing grammar, but merely
essay well give of all these rivers,
&c. in their naked Gaelic original 1t will suffice to that
Seine Rhone Garonne Soane aud of Others
have all in them, and built upon Celtic root sgni-
flying water, upon another signng river spelled in MOI
Gaelic amEun and pronounced To make
study like this still more interesting it will be found nine
of that the pecuartes special qualities of
things having Gaelic exactly expressed Thus tn
Garonne the rough rapid river Rhone
the red dcooed river Loire the rapid or swift water
Thames the still water More interesting still is the
that only rivers and towns but whole countries
away the East found to possess pure Celtic Names
which, when translated give idea of their pecuari
ties or qualities Thus the name Italy up of two Celtic
words which, without hardly strainng the modern spelling