The Irish standard., 1893-08-26

"ln lSI2, during my honeymoon, when
Lon seeing naturally gay people sunk in
Emisery, determined to study their his
Etory. Eater my husband became mem
|ber of the Irish political committe, and
lin 1888 we made tour of inquiry into
County Donegal and County Mayo to
Iascertain the actual condition of the
Epeasantry in the congested districts
where famine recurs."
"Where is Donegal and what do you
mean by congested d1stricts?'
donegal is the northeastern corner of
ireland. The eastern part of this county
is rich and fertile land, occupied by de-
scendants of the English and Scotch.
Beyond mountains and bogs, and along
the seacoast for 400 miles live 100000
Celts, $4,000 of whom speak no English,
and all of when are dependent for sub
|sistence upon their miserable bits of
stony land, ironically called farms. Ten
years ago there were few stores Of cot
tages among the low stone houses that
shelter patient man and beast.
"'That is congestion with Il vengeance -
"Every place where the annual valua.
ton per person Of population for land
and house is below twenty-three shil]ings
is scheduled congested district. Gwee-
dore has valuation of shilings, and 4
pence; Gweebarrea, 6 shillings and
pence"
"How awful! But why are there con-
gested distrlcts?"
r History answers that que stion. There
is no doubt in my mind that Ireland was
originally settled by Greeks and other
Eastern colonists. Their prehistoric
jewe]ry, their beautiful myths prove il.
They are much more artistic than the
English
''That goes without saying. Look at
your composers and orators. Irish for
the most part ....+. ......
"There's no doubt about their having
been distinguished in arts now lost. Their
marvellous missals no less than their an
tique jewelry and their bells are the best
! testimony
What was their golden age?"
"From the fourth century to the sew
enth. During the former they we're con-
! verted to Christianity by St. Patrick,
and never had the discipline to which
Britain was subjected"
"What do you mean by that?"
"lhey never passed under the yoke of
the Romans, which did us an infinite lot
of good. It taught us law and order,
AS a matter of fact, Ireland has never
been actually conquered by any invader
not even England. Henry the Second
tried to conquer her, but failed. On the
other hand, the Irish have never had
cohesion enough to fully resist the Eng
lish."
$50 the friction of two races has been
going on for centuries?''
"Precisely. During her golden age
Ireland was the center of Christian
learning, sending out saints and mission
aries to redeem the East"
"When was the Danish invasion?"
"From the eighth to che tenth century.
Tempted by reports of gold; for that
gold was found in Ireland is demon
strated by wonderful gold ornaments.
Danes oyerrun the island and pillaged
the churches; then set in period OF dis
ruption. Internecine wars reduced the
different races to such barbarism that
the Pope gave Ireland to Henry II. in
the hope of his reconverting the island
to Christianity
"He took queer way, it seems to me,
when he deprived the Irish Of their
property"
"You may we'll say so. English policy
was to keep Ireland poor and enslaved. I"
'Didn't good Queen Bess, of blessed
memory, help on the work."
'.That amiable virgin, determined to
stamp out the wild Irish as she would
have stamped out the cattle plague. Be-
cause the hunted Celts took refuge in
the dense forests, the latter were de-
stroyed by fra Thus the climate was
changed, as undoubtedly Ireland was
formerly dryer and adapted to grain
growing. Where bogs row are, forests
abounded."
"Ah, see why Sir Walter Raleigh
nlanted the potato he discovered in
South America"
elizabeth gave her favorite magni-
fcent estate in Youghal, near Cork. His
house stands to this day and was bought
by John Pope Hennessy, the anti-Par-
| nellite who defeated Parnell."
"Is it not strange that Parnell and
Hennessy died within six months OF
each other? But go on about blessed
Bess."
"She vowed she'd starve and burn out
the Irish dogs. She gave Sir Walter
Raleigh concession to supply the kegs
for Spanish wines, 60 the forests that
"a