The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-06-22

The Language and Literature of Ireland.

BY T. O'NEILL RUSSELL.

As have already remarked the Gaelic Language is of all
tongues the that peculiarly adapted for poetry The
poets who wrote in in the days its cultivation could hardly
be loss for words express the slightest popularity of
things and all the while risk of tauoogy So well
known this richness of the Gaelic language that is found
extremely difficult translate it literally into English without
repetition of words of the meaning The peasanty, in
endeavong assmate the English language their original
tongue, often number of adecves of similar meaning
their endeavors express English all the ideas which could
be easily done without tautoogy their redundant
nacuar witty Enghman, travelling in Ireland for the first
tme said that of all parts of Speech Paddy seemed in
love with the adjective If uneducated ishman wishes to
say he has big he generally says he has
"geat big man." and if he is talking of little person he has
seen, he is call him "small little man." There is
hardly any English translation of Gaelic poems that conveys
the full force and richness of the original
The old Ces like the old Romans did generally prac
tice rhymes when writing poetry. In English poet and
rhymer nearly synonymous in meaning, whereas with the
old bards such idea would be conveyed We reco
lect piece of old Celtic poetry in which there attempt
rhyme The Irish bads had most complex code of rules
regulating the number of syabes be in each line of certain
kinds of poetic and also regulate the ALTERATION
but about rhyme there few rules The songs
of modern days. composed the peasant those dis
cts where the old language has long ceased to be spoken
always correct in their rhyme We recoect of hav
ing entirely failed to convince of countrymen that
"Arabia" did rhyme with Killarney" Both words &C.
Cured in song he had sung He had evidently mistaken
for rhyme One of the beautiful lyrics in the
Gaelic language is the "Blackbd of Derycarn" 1t is
of the most ancient dating from the first Fenan period
of Irish history and there attempt rhyme in it,
One of the great charms of very old Celtic poetry its
IRENE quantness and the mnutenes with which insignificant
matters described There 10 very old poem preserved in
manusc pit in Trinity College, Dublin called The Circuit Of
Ireland by Murcheartach Mac Nei" The poet after having
described many wake champions and told of their fea
DIVORCES little and shows that the valiant Murcheartach
did not spend all his time in collecting tributes while cir
cult and that like many modern mighty men," he let love
sometimes interfere with the regular of his e
pears that Muirchearach encamped the
lin which city then held Danes must have been
and loved by faxenaired daughter of soaking
for the chroncler quantity informs that
There a maiden in the town,
Whose heart was Murcheartach the Son Mall;
She came beyond the walls
Though the night constantly bad.
We informed the sequel of the rather reprehens
BILE conduct of the Danish maiden.
But there is enough of interesting pure poetry
the very old literature of Ireland to recompense the thinking
and intelligent devong time to it. The quantity of
untranslated Irish manuscripts still exant perfectly astound
ing tells shameful tale Of Irish apathy and English neg