The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1890-03-15


impudently declared by the English that
all the ancient treasures of poetry and
music were recent or fabulous. The
effect of long course IF such training
was to make if possible even the Irish
themselves despise their history and
their glorious old tongne. Irish history,
before the time of the English invasion,
was taught in both England and
Ireland and is still taught to be fiction.
The bards were hunted like wolves and
the exquisite old music that could not
be sileaced was claimed to be English
and Scotch. not Irish, and the atrocious
scheme prevailed to such an extent that
the greatest historical episodes and
heroes in Irish literature were taken
bodily and set into Scotch literature.
A short time ago British writer
named John Perry was employed by the
government to write history of Ire
land which was to be the last word al
lowed on Irish antiquities. His book
was to be the authority for the world
on the Ireland that existed before the
invasion. 1t was only through the fault
of his ignorance, for he could not read
a word Of the books which be was en-
ploYed to belittle, that he failed to do
incalculable harm. He proved too
much for he declared that before the
1fo1, iyu q
horde of savages, and that all their
claims to superior cultivation were
fabulous. A great Irish scholar of the
time of Queen Elizabeth, DR.. John
Lynch, Jesuit priest who was re-
nowned throughout Europe for his
learning, and was vice president Of the
greatest school in France, defended
his country successfully against these
calumnies. His invaluable book was
written IN Latin, and in it he proved
from the records Of Ireland and other
ancient nations the dreadful character
of the crime of which this author was
the agent. "It is beyond a doubt"
says this writer, after his inyulnerable
proof. 1T is beyond doubt that Cam
brinsis DESTROYED the Irish chronicles
from which he complied" The English
burned with savage rage for the annl-
hilation of all Irish documents. The
student of Irish history turns away
with sad heart from this ruthless
destruction. 1t is related of St. Patrick
that he collected all the pagan docu
ments aud burned Them. fearing their
Influence against the spread OF Chris
tianity. But. fortunately, for Ireland,
there followed Patrick a great bishop,
a great saint, a great scholar, the son of
an Irish king of the great race of Mall,
who might have beeu himself king of
the country had he not chosen to be a
monk, an irish patriot, so intense a
Christian that for the sake of his own
soul he banished himself, sentenced
himself to perpetual exile from the
country be had loved SO truly. This
was the illustrious Columbia of Iona,
one of the great men OF the world, a
poet, a soldier, statesmen, and one
CT the greatest and holiest saints in the
sacred lists of the Christian Church.
The Irish know him best bY their
own name for him, Columkill. This
great man established monasteries all
over ireland that were not only seats Of
learning but OF patriotism. It was we'll
for the bards Of Ireland t lat there came
soon after. Patrick a.great saint. who
was himself q poet and patriot
Patrick never loved the bards, and.
perhaps with mnch truth, thought that
they had become an lntolerable order
in the conntry. lampooning every man
who dared to oppose them. Patrick
regarded them as the worst enemies OF
the Church He thought that they with
their songs aud the love the people had
for them were the mainstav Of the old
Pagan worship, and on the bards' side
there was no love lost The ancient
books are full OF stories of how the
bards attacked Patrick and also how
Patrick answered back. But COLUMBIA
was an Irishman and he understood and
loved the bards. In all his monasteries
be ordered that never should bard be
allowed to pass without hospitality. A
poet himself. he had a passion for all
old books, and he never heard of one
without trying to get COPY Of it. 1t
was through an Old book that he be-
came engaged in the dreadful trouble
that led him to sentence himself to
bani-hment from ireland. He heard
that his old master had a precious book
of poems, psalter, which he wished to
get, and he went to the old man and
asked to be allowed to copy it, but the
old saint refused him, and COLUMBIA
got up In the night, and lighting a lamp,
went into the church and copied the
psalter. The old saint. hearing noise.
arose also and found Columbia in the
church and demanded the copy. which
Columbia refused to give him, and the
old man appealed to the king against
Columbia, The king, who was CoIutn-
ba's cousin, decided against him ins q