The Irish standard., 1886-10-16
HEROES OF THE GAELIC RACE.
Among the Races that Have Left a Lasting
Record Of Heroic Actions We're
the Greeks and Celts.
FIoNN, THE SON OF cUMHALl
"Asbert Ouman na Tibred, Acht is
each nj Doberad ocus nj
bad, 81 in ben.'

N>cStS"
first sight appears. Lord Beaconslield
once said {: 1.-The time OF youth is the,
age of heroes" His childhood has
been heroic age to every man born
ard brought UP among such surround
ings as nature has especially provided
TO aid in the development OF the mind
and body Of human beings. Homes. DOR
Cssian never described a land more fair
or full OF wonders than that through
which childhood voyages, seeing the
dwellings and manners Of men, and
those 'speciosa miracula" or splendid
phenomena which spring and fruitful
autumn brings to the every rosy morn
ard dswy eye each tlowery ken OF the
child, whose eyes the baser passions
and darkening vices of older humanity
have not yet yelled from seeing the
opening secret Of this ever new and
wonderful world. There is not. and
never has been, any condition of man
beneath the sun to compare with that
of he child hero jn his "Tindan Og,"
land Of youth, in those countries where
Il temperate climate and beneticent Ma
ture afford him theatre to develop the
finest qualities Of mind with the finest
proportions of body. From nature, his
kindest parent and greatest teacher,
he learns to reverence the eternal and
love the beautiful. She shows him
nothing but what is sublime, tells him
nothing that is not hopeful. sweet and
tender. She, indeed, laughs. weeps,
sings, dances. sleeps, and RACES with
him or for him: but if he learn to ac-
company, as he may, each Of these
moods on the Tyre of the mighty no.
ther, his whole being expands and ne
becomes poet, prophet, Or hero. q voice
crs ing in the wilderness, all .Eolian
harp sounding immortal music forever
in the ears Of wOrid-weary men.
Every greatest man and every greatest
nation had that heroic age, that was
the seed time of the qualities that
made them great. Whatever afterwards
OF unselfish, brave, tender, and true.
that was made manifest in tie period
OF maturity, was the survival of those
days of youth and glory. Oftentimes,.
also, man aud nation have their down
ward career stayed for time through
the influence of those early days of yir-
tue and heroism, when one blessed
gleam Of the glory that is gone comes
back and kindles in the heart kind
OF Indian summer that, at least, saves
them from going down to the grave in
utter darkness.
Among the races that have lefta last
ing record OF heroic actions were the
Greeks and Celts. OF the first all that
really survives is the record OF their
greatness in thought, word and deed;
of The latter it may be said that they
themse rain, but have forgotten
the mighty deeds of their sires. AS has
been said before, it was the remem-
brance of what they were in the past
that kept the Irish heople a nation ut
time when the very existence OF the
Gaelic element of the human family
WAS in the balance. Now that the crl-
sis is past it is not just OF fair to forget
those to whom SO much is owing.
However, there is no danger Of their
being forgotten, for they have found
friends and admirers among a people
who in recent times have given prom
Use of taking the lead in civilization
the people Of scholarly, soldier'y, deep
thinking Germany. But we must not
leave our { ermau friends a monopoly
Of Celtic ore; our souls are not SO dead
to what is highest in human nature,
most beautiful in the deeds OF man, and
most tender in the life OF woman, that
those records of the glory OF the Gael,
wake to music no string in or respon-
sive hearts
AS the typical Celtic hero, Fionn, son
OF Cumhall, is, perhaps, the mo st cen
tral and remarkable figure. His history
like that of many other great epic
characters, began before his birth.
The high kings chief Druid had
grown daughter, the most beautiful OF
women. whose hand was sought by
every unwedded prince in Celtland.
Among the suitors was Cumhall, com-
mander-in- chief of the armies OF Erin,
who met a very decided refusal from
the lady's father. Cumhall was an
Irishman, however, and took the maid
en- by force. or, as Heroditus would
suggest, with her own connivance.
Here the story becomes very like
that Of Agamemnon in the first book
Of the Iliad. The Druid demanded of
the king the restoration. Of his child.
The king, who was no other than Conn
Of the Hundred Battles. ordered Cum