The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-03-30

Iasyear to rs used for the perpetual estab-
llishment of s prot orship q the Irish
Language, and for two annual premiums,
one for the best prose composition, and
one for the best vers The bequest Waa
not carried into effect owing To the fact
that tho University allowed the heirs q
Mr.. Flood % defeat bis expressed will
Another attempt was made in 1885 by q
gentleman named Barron, of the county
iof Waterford. 70 revive the study Of the
Irish language. The means he proposed
to employ were the esta blishment OF q
college or school, in which it was TO be
exclusively taught, and the compilation
and publishing OF elementary works to
facilitate it's acquisition. He also pro
posed to publish weekly periodical de
voted to the examination Of Irish his.
tory. But the attempt failed, and until
recently the study OF Gaelic has been left
to the Germans.
It the Irish language and literature
presents field broad enough and fssci-
mating enough to engage the attention
Of some Of the deepest German scholars,
it ought to be worthy Of the study Of Gull
tured Irishmen. It may be safely said
that none Of the European languages,
with the exception OF Greek and Latin,
contains even an approach to the amount
of literature found in the Gaelic, yet it
is proven beyond doubt that the Gaelic
literature now extant is but q remnant Of
what atone time existed. The Danish
and Norman conquests destroyed the
greater part of the Irish literature.
Irish literature was in the height Of it's
heroic period when the Pagan Danes in
vaded Ireland IN the last years of the
eighth and the first years OF the ninth
century. The literature Of Ireland was
Christian and consequently source Of
Danish hatred. They destroyed the
monastery OF Iona, in the Hebrides, the
great seat of learning Of western Europe,
massacred the monks and destroyed the
manuscripts. Yet great mass Of I'M
translated Gaelic literature remains ii
the library Of Trinity College, Royal
Irish Academy and British Museum.
The Danes removed large number of
the manuscripts to the Royal Library at
Copenhagen and during the days of per-
secution in later centuries vast amount
Of literature was taken to Spain, which
was refuge for Irish priests. Within
the last fifty years great many manu-
scripts have been translated but great
mass still remains untranslated.
|. No better proof OF the absolute misery
and servitude of the Irish people could
be given than the fact that they know
absolutely nothing about this glorious
epoch Of their national life.
It has been the opinion, shared in even
by the educated, that the literature OF
the Gaelic language was worthless and
consisted OF but few books. 1t is to be
hoped that when the long days OF the
servitude OF Irish nationality are passed,
that then that nationality will assert it.
self by becoming thoroughly acquainted
with that period Of the history Of Ireland
when it was the educator of Europe and
the seat OF learning and art. But the
thoughts Of the Irish people have been
90 long directed to political questions
and the social misery Of the people been
so great that there has been no time for
literature.
The signs of the times, however, are
that the Irish language will yet be hon-
ored and esteemed; and no better evil
dence of this could be given than the
efforts of the Irish in this country to pre-
serve the monuments OF their litera-
ture and extend the knowledge Of their
national language.