The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-04-05
TIE CELTIC TONG UE.
Dublin Nation, March ,O.l

Sir Michael Hicks Beach, replying Co q
question of the Cnevaiier O'Clery in the
! House of Cosnmons, and speaking for the
Government, has decleased that no saca
| recognition will be given to the Irish
| language in the Irish Natio nal Schools
as gwen to the Welsh language in the
schools of Wales. This, he says, is be-
cause III Wales the Welsh Lar. .uage is
| not merely spoken but is every DAY being
written and printed in books, newspapers,
| placards, and eoforth, while in Ireland the
| Irish is u spoken tongue merely, and used
| by only small porLion OF the popu la5iou.
| Ii the spokesman of the Government ad
not this excuse to offer tor refusing the
application put before him by O'Ciery he
would hnd some other, aud any one at ali
would suit his purpose. Relics and remit =
ders of Welsh or even of Scottish nation
atty may be tolerated, but In Ireland the
fate desired for such things by the Iuiers of
the country Is annihiatiun. OF the Irish
language they were ever the foes, aud never
did they cease to desire its extirpatioD.
Denunciations of it and legislation against
it are are frequent in Anglo Irish history.
One Of tue reuorts on Irish afIirs forward
ed to Henry VIII. III 1926 represented it as
one of the prin. agents OF mischief. This
vulgar Irish tongue" it saiU, "Induceth The
habit; the habit induceth the conditions
aud Iuordinate laws; and SO the tongue,
habits, laws, aud conditions maketh the
mere Irish." The same document, proceed
ing to set forth number of reforms, pro
poses that "none shall be allowed to speak
Irish under great peDaitles to any who un
derstand English" ln our own day there
is no Legislative prohibition against the use
of the Irish language; that is because our
rnlers sapphse the mortal wound has been
given 1t, and that it's utter dIsappearance
frou the land within brief peIua is abso
luteiy certain. The English Chief Secre
taiy for Ireland has made reference to what
- h., ~.,E 81,
We sn toGgue il Walks, bat the sole intent
of hls words was to defeat the application
Implied in the question which hau Deen put
to him. He uIu not want or wish that the
Irish people should dc as mu Gu for their ma
tive tongue as Ia being done tor tue Welsh
language by the people OF Wales. But,
putting aside the question of his intent, 1t
is undeniable that the fact is IS he stated,
and that it contains great lesson for the
people of Ireland. 1rishmen, however,
have not waited to receive that lesson from
Sir Michael Hicks Beach. They have
themselves referred to the praisewort
action of the Welsh people in this respect,
and held it up as an incentive and a model
for imitation to their own countrymen. In
the circular issued by the Society for the
Preservation of the Irish Language, pub
lished in our columns few weeks ago, re
ference is made to the resuscitation of the
Welsh tongue by the patriotic resolve and
and the Irish people are besought to ex
hibit similar regard for their still more
ancient, expressive, and noble form OF
speech. And We now urge upon them to
give ear to that appeal, to cooperate ac-
tively with that association, and to set at
once about taking practical measures to
arrest the decay of the Irish as spoken
lagusge. Such measures can easily be
adopted in all parts of the country where
Irish is spoken. In those parts there are
many thousands of people who can speak
both languages, but are content to let the
irish lie 10 the background, rarely or never
using it except when talking to persons
who do do not understand English. There
acquire the knowledge of Irish from those
around them, and get into a familiar use of
it if they only choose to do so. There are
parents who can permit and encourage
their children to acquire Knowledge of
the Cd tongue nt their toretathers, the fine,
flowing, ami heart stirring speech of Irish
saints, warriors and scholars. 10 these
places, and amongst those people, the
movement for the preservation of the lrish
language can be commenced at ence-wlth-
oct u days delay ithouG waiting for
books or papers, or the aid of classes or
societie~. These VIII be useful ns soon az
they can be had, and the sooner the better;
but in the meantime every Iriehman and
Irish woman who speaks English habItuslly
and who can speak Irish, can do something
to arrest the growing disuse and consequent
decline of orr oldeu tongue. And, having
the power to act go patriotic part, We
earnestly hope they will exercise 1t to
avert grave reproach from their race, and
advance the honor of their native land.