Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1874-04-02

tuGauitants stfuck oy tuts very Peeonar aat
novel remark proclaimed them >. mad r
But like the great apostle Of tas gentle,
they exclaimed. I've are not mad, bui
speak the words Of truth aud soberness r
They we're at once taken before the grea,
Charlemagus and the quick mind Of ths
monarch caught the wisdom oftheir speech
and they at once found . market for theiI
science. as the fruit Of the universities
have mentioned 80 we'll attested.
Ladies and gentlemen, it was said by
the inspired Milton
-sTkxa wisdomfs ssif -
on seeks 20 sweet retired solitude,
} Where, with her best nurse, contemplation,
/ She plumes her feathers and lee grow her
wings"
And so it was with those men of Ire.
land in the retirement Of the manasteries;
they "pluned their feathers and let grow
their WINGS" and swept over Europe
the harbingers Of JOY and glajuess to the
human race Oh! those we're the DAYS
of thy joy, Erin How majestic we're your
hills! How verdant were your valleys !!
How pellucid we're your streams! Stand
lug here to-day. at this end of the aisle OF
centuries. metkinks see down the long
vista. marching in grand and solemn pro-
cession, your saints. sour scholars. your
warriors. your Druids, in harmony aud
peace. up to the verdant slopes Of Breah
to the Halls of Tara, and with one voice
proclaiming to future ages the glories Of
your race But alas alas !! the bright
est day IN old Ireland's history was fas,
drawing to a close. Those Corsairs of
the North. the blue-eyed. faxen-haired
worshippers of Odin; those fierce aud
ruthlcs. pirates Of the Baltic, the Danes.
turned the prows Of their ships toward
happy Ireland, slumbering iu quic,ude
and sauctity.
They were an enemy worthy Of the steel
Of the Celtic Gael! They were the hosts
that checked the iron-crowned Charlie
magnc in his attempts to conquer the Sax
ons, and when their feet FIRST touched the
shores of Erin, it was 81 gnal of blood;
the Shamrock. that had never yet been
pressed bu, BY the dews of heaven. had
its emerald form incarnadined with the
blood of the brave!
For two hundred years the tug of war
went on. In that time the dauntless in
vader was again and again hurled back
but. like the tabled hydra. when one was
struck down hundred appeared in his
stead-until there arose a Hercules in the
great and glorious Brian Boru. who struck
the fatal, final blow on Clontarfs bloody
field!
Why should dwell longer here Why
not hurry on to other days. and drop the
veil on this cventful scene?
Oh it is sweet to lingcr around this
glorious epoch of Ireland's greatness. and
feas; the mind on deeds Of valor known to
no other race or no other time! 'Tis
pleasant. yea. inspiring to the soul to
sound the name Of Brian Boru; to recall
the daring exploits of Malachi and the
COLLAR Of gold; to stand awe-struck and
spell bound, when contemplating the death
plunge that Fionall. the commander of
the Irish fleet. made with Sitrick the Dan
ish King. when he saw. or thought he
saw, that the death Of the Dane was the
life Of his country. These and such like
deeds, grasp the mind and hold i; bound
in rosy fctters fast" especially when the
next scene is the beginning of a tragedy.
bloody, foul and treacherous. ireland.
though freed from the invader was left in
such state that her own sous had for
gotten that harmony. love which st.
Patrick had planted in their hearts. We
now behold her Thyes,ean banquet; and
England as the Atreus standing by to
point out the horror to her. and when she
arose from the inhuman meal the chains
of her slavery were rivetted in links Of
steel.
A very interesting and at the same time
a very strange historic coincidence occurs
about thus period. Rodcrick O'Conner
was the last OF Ireland's kings; and it was
during his reign that Dermott. King Of
Lcins,er, stole the Princess of Brefney
aud carried her off to his castle at Ferns.
The infieli,y of this woman in conjunc-
ton with the pcridy Of her treacherou:
lover seemed to open the door to all tho
miseries Of ireland in the future. No,
vet had all of tha, nobleness of soul and
love of purity and chastity died out in tn,
hearts Of her people. thank God T! They
turned their faces against the horrid act
aud Dermott fed the country to escap.
the wrath of his subjects and the vengeance
Of Roderick O'Couner. Now we present
the parallel: About the close of the eighth
century Roderiek was kicg Of Spain
and committed an act similar to that o
permoit. the names Of the females wer
the same. Count Julien. the injureC
father. fed with revenge burning in hi
heart. sought assistance from the Moors
whom he introduced into Spain. wher'
they remained for centuries masters o
the country. Dermo,t brought With hin
the English into ireland. and there they
have scen ever since. and there they ar,
to-day. Roderick. King Of Spain. los
his l;fc. bis crown aud his country as
punishment for his crimes. Roderiek
King Of ireland. los, his crown in a,,emp
ting 10 punish crime Does it not nov
seem that when Rcderick O'Conner va
seeking retirement in the quiet retreats q
the monasteries, flying as be was from th
cares Of empire. We can almost imagia
that be heard coming to him from ava
up here in this nineteenth century th
voice of lreland's child OF song. and trrr
ing to his stricken country be cried GU, j
voice Sf laneniation:
Weep on, weep, your hour IS past;
= Your dreams of pride are DER;
The fatal Chain Is hound you cast,
0 And YOU are men no more.
In vain the hero's hear; hath bisd;
The sage's torgue hath warned in vain
., FTesdom once thy fame hath fed,
. II never liz hts ag2in!'