St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-17
The Great Anniversary Which Keeps
the Patriotic Flame Alive in
the Celtic Breast.
Seven Hundred Years of Dark OPP
preston Have Failed to Subdue
the Irish Race.
Some Account of Ancient Ireland and Its
Customs - Poets and Poetry Of the
Emerald Isle
Origin and Growth of the Practice of Ceie-
brating Day in Commemoration OF
st. Patrick.

The celebration OF TINS great ahnlFeie'it
keeps the patriotic flame alive in the rugged
Celtic breast AMI filings defiance AZ tue
chronic oppressor of the Irish people; be-
sides, 1t aids in solidifying that unity ira
teruity and good will which should naturally
exist between neoples of the same nationality.
There are thousands of exied Irishmen who
would willingly sacrifice their lives to further
the aspirations of their unfortunate hlnspen
and when the expedient moment arrives
they will be found in the foremost ranks
hurting destruction at merclless and I'M
relenting foe.
The exile in his roamings always looks
back on the land of his birth with affection,
and his broad heart brims over with gener-
osity when the remembrance of the land
from which he was reluctantly forced rushes
back to memory; and this is true especially
of the Irish exile, because his devotion to
Ireland is deep seated and becomes more ar
dent and intent the more it is beset by adj
versty and chained down by the oppression
of tyrant ruler.
Seven hundred years of the foulest oppres-
sion that ever blackened the pages of any
history have passed away, and we are still as
firm and Interchangeable as the Rocky noun
tains, and will remain so till we have achieved
the freedom of our down-trodden mother
land and stricken the chains Of serfdom from
her bleeding feet
The following on ancient Ireland is dedi-
Gated to the patriotic Irish. l am sorry l
could not give it the thought and research
which the subject merits:
IRELAND's DAY.
There is scarcely nation but exults in the
celebration of its festivals, and scarcely any
that has no festival to celebrate, be that fes-
&c
of some illustrious hero, to hand down q
souvenir Of some cherished popular bard, to
perpetuate remembrance of the unselfsh and
patriotic martyr, or to celebrate the anniver-
sary. as in the present instance, the feast
of the apostle whom we to-day commemo-
rate.
The religion Of the ancient Irish was
Pagan. that is religion which held false
gods in veneratiun and worsLipped them,
The people, however, were not illiterate, and
allow me TO remark here that it does not
seem entirely inconsistent with Paganism to
foster and encourage literature and science,
in sustaining which ancient Egypt, Greece
and Rome may be referred to.
They were three Pagan nations, and the
first according to history's verdict, in the
field of literature and science. The Egypt
fans had their Osiris and Isis, two false gods
supposed to be the sun and moon. They
likewise worshiped the crocodile
and cat, which were held in par
ticular veneration by them in con
sequence of the softening influence they
were said to exercise over turbulent and agi-
tated conscieLces.
GREECE WoEsHIPED BACCHUs
by noisy festivities, and Jupiter king Of all
the gods, represented as abiding on the top
of cloud-capped Olympus, clothed in brilliant
and efTulgent garments, bathing his feet in
Auroras first rays and holding in check tie
disturbed elements, was worshiped with ex-
treme religious awe.
Rome had her Apollo, the deity who pre-
sided over poetry, music and medicine, in
honor OF whom a statute was erected in the
Campus Martius, and he who passed by with
out showing some respect TO it by salutaton
or otherwise, was branded as irrelglous and
summed by his associates.
at is astonishing 10 see those nations who
boosted of 50 much superiority above all
others thus abandon themselves to the most
gross and ridiculous superstitIons"
Ancient Ireland was given 10 idolatrous
worship aud had Baal and Kean Crothi
which last would mean head of all the gods
also Mars and Mercury first introduced by
the druids or ancient priests, whose sway
over the people was limitless and remained
unchecked ill the Introduction of Christianity
which paralyzed their influence, brought
their idols low to the dust and scattered the
fragments thereof
TO EVERY BREEZE.
The condition Of Ireland at this remote
period Was not barbarous. The people were
Paeans but were nevertheless educated,
still see numerous traces OF an an
cient civilization scattered everywhere
through the island in the fragments OF It's
architectural ruins, and the investigating
antiquarian NAV find abundant broofs in its
monumental inscriptions and manuscripts
that high culture existed amongst the pco-
pie FAR away back In the past, There are
fftv.two round towers in Ireland OF very
high antiquity. Their origin and purpose
are unknown. They were, however, sup
posed to have been constructed for the fire
worship of the Pagans. Some historians
think they were erected for watch towers,
which theory would seem to be exploded ow-
ing 10 the fact that some are found In the
vicinity OF mountains which are much more
elevated and from which better watch might
be secured.
"Hercmou, whilst sole monarch OF Ire
land, built the splendid palace Of Tara. The
parliament OF Tara contained \ thou
sand persons. An extensive hall was
erected OF oak, which was 500 feet long, go
wide and 100 high. Il had Il entrances.
This extensive erection OF wood gave place
In the second century of the Christian era
loa
MAGNIFICENT Ep1FtCE OF MARBLE,
raised by the profound scholar, King Cor
mae" This ought to suffice to overthrow
the arguments Of those who have stated that
the ancient Irish lived in caves and sub
terraucau dwellings.
Il does not seem consistent that a people
who were SO skilled in the art OF architecture
could dwell in such miserable bowels.
The PhVuicianS, a branch OF the great
Scythsu family, dwelling on the eastern
coast OF the Mediterranean or Leraut sea
and favored bv nature as 20 their geographic
cal position, were the most commercial aud
euterprisug people Of that time and were
we'll verSed in literature and the sciences
History ssvS they were the dRt Who Intro.
tuced the art OF government, q knowledge
Of letters aud afterwards the arts aud sCieucps
into Ireland having stored thenselv, :
abuudauty 81 the juexhaustible fountains of
Egyptian lore in their relations With that
people.
ruy FAIRLY ISHABIrANrs OF IRELAND
divided the island into five kingdoms, each
governed by its own prince or King, but the king
OF Mcath( one Gifts kiugdomslw was paramount
sovereign of all ireland. and resided At tn :
palace Of Tara in that kingdom.
This division and form Of government in
ancient Ireland have been truthtGlly sssimi-
lated by Father Burke 70 the grand American
r,,rul,'i- In one OF his con .rbversial lectures
in RESPONSE 10 Euogi on Ancient Ireland.
that is al of the minor planets graviiatng or
revolving around one common center.
o. ~ 49,