The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1879-02-02
The EDUBLINSOCIETY FOB THE PRESER
FAIION OF TIE IRISH LANG UAGE.

The Council of the Society for the Preserva-
OF the Irish Language, met in Dublin, on the
3lst ult. The secretary read q report of which
the following are the chief features:
"This being the Fl sst meeting of the council
for the present year it cannot but be q source
Of qualification to all the members when they
consider the present position of the movement
for the preservation of the Irish language, and
the great strides it has made during toe year
about to close. The retrospect is in many ways
cheering, for the society has sacoeeded in ex-
uitinR an amount of interest in the preoerva-
slon and culti vstion Of onr Ian pRnsge which bnt
o short time since very few were sanguine
enough to expect. The council feel highly
Srnti6ed at the progress of the movement dur
ing the past year, whilst the results obtained
must be highly satisfactory to all lovers of cal.
ture, and TO every Irishman who takes an in-
terest in the preservation of his native Ian.
Gusge. which, apart from its intrinsic and
Phiiologio value, as evidenced by the high
setesm in which it is held by scholars aud
foreign sarants, should be cherished by Irish
men as u valuable and venerable National
monument and inheritance. Although the
movement may be said to be in it's infancy, yet
it 10 very encouraging to be able to report snch
progress ae the society has made during the
year. Indeed, the great ol ct the SCOTT tS had
in view and for which it labored, namely, to
get the language introduced into the schools
Of Ireland has been attained.
This object has bsen accomplished more
readily and with less oppositiop Than toe
society anticipated. The thanks of the society
and the country are emnsntly due to the
Commissioners of National Education for their
patriotic conduct in complying promptly
with the rCq1est of the memorial that the
language should be placed on the programme
of the National schools. Aud 80 legitimate
and reasonable did the Com mmiE sionera consider
learning, that they placed Irish not only on
the same footing rs French, German and
italian, bat on 9 footing similar to Greek and
Latin, for which double Che amount If extra
Il. =. FxNr y nn1A..- L., W..
Commissioners of intermediate Education
have likeW ise carried out the intention of the
intermediate Education Act in o manner also
very satlsfaetory to the country. The pro
gramme relating to the Irish language is well
arranged and practical. In this respect II
might be considered preferable to the pro
gFsmme of the Commissioners of National
Education, which for the sscond and third
years is considered too d, ID ,ult, but We are
sure that the gentlemen to whom the Commis
aioners have iutrusted the matter will adapt
1t to the exigencies of the time and the capa
city of the scholars, for they CONSIST for The
nost part Of gentlemen who have for a long
time taken an interest in the language and
literature of the country, and will not render
nugatory the resolution of the Commissioner
by adopting too high q standard. Indeed the
programmes are suited rather for university
ADd higher edncation than for primary and in
termedIAte. And it is to be borne in mind that
there are more helps for the learners of the
classical and modern languages that for the
Irish, 1t would also be desirable IL boys lower
than the 5 b GLASS were permitted to offer them
selves for examination. Besides the obtaining q
Of the above important concessions, an Interest
amounting to entbuaiasm hAs been excited in
the movement amongst Irahmen residing ia
England, Scotland, aud America. The spread
of the movement in America has been extrAor
dinary thousands are devotipR themselves to
the study Of Gaelic, and Glasses consisting Of
three and four hundred have been formed in
American cities. Altogether the question OF
she preservation of OUr language has reached
= remarkable and important stage. Nor hRs IL
been confined alone to Irfshmen. It is also re,
osiving the attention Of Continental scholars
Distinguished professors in Berlin Paris, Leip
ia and Copenhagen are Eealonsly studying
the Celtic language. The Professor of sanectii
Sn the University of Berlin is teaching Irish to
1ermRn Ntndents in that University, aud We
have just been informed by one of the members
Of our council, DR.. Sigerson, who has recently
FetuTned from Paris, that q we'll known French
professor and editor of review devoted to
PhiloloRy and Celtic literature, has been de.
Hvering weekly lectures "L'Eoole pratt que
des Hautes Etudes" 10 the Sorhonuc, on "fae
Slrsmmer of the Ancient Irish Language"
valuable and practical works on our IoH-
Quage are being issued from the press, whilst