The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-04-17
THE YEAR OF '98.

THE YEAR OF '98.
80. Centenary. Is.
The preparations beng made all over
the country for the purpose of making
the commemoration of the centenary OF
the '98 movement huge success are,
we are glad to observe, gradually as
Stunning that character of universally
without which the project would be a
farce and reproach, says United Ire
land. It is no exaggeration to say that
that period in our history was from
many points of view the most remark
able No other year in our records has
burned itself so vividly into the nation
al heart. No exploits that we can re-
call of any other epoch, were destined to
influence the mind and heart Of the ma
tion to the same extent as the, deeds
that for all time will make '9S memoir
able. It was year of cruelest wrong
and darkest woe to Ireland, at the same
time it was marked by deeds Of highest
enterprise that attested, in the way that
England never wished it to be attested,
the great military prowess Of the people,
their unconquerable desire to he free
from tyranny, their valor, that
made them face-half-armed, undis-
o{n1inoa al xxy1o
ioned-a foe that even then was the
best equipped and experienced in Eu-
rope, and their heroism that made
them fight ON even to the finish when
death and doom seemed inevitable. We
look with pride on the men of '98, who
rose in dark and evil days to right our
native land. They did not it is true,
hunt the tyrant from our shores. All
but that they succeeded in accomplish
ing. They saturated the soil of every
parish in Wexford with the blood of
the mercenary fiends whose congenial
task was hell-fnspired combination of
atrocities in which house-burning. vio-
latfon of women, ruthless murder of
children, the gibbet at every CROSS
roads, the pitch-cap and triangle in
every camp and tower were not the
worst elements. On the so'diery that
rollicked in such pastimes the men of
'9S had full vengeance. Inspired by the
Justice of their great cause they drove
terror into the hearts of troops that
played at wars rude art from the cradle.
Half-armed they drove them before
them like chaff before the wind. Vine
egar Hill, Oulart Hill, Ross and Corey,
the names that live in history to tell
this to generations Of Irishmen vet to
come. Surely with this recollection in
our minds we have no cause to blush for
'9S. The thought of IL must emb;tter
our hate for England. Her minions in
the counties Wexford, Wicklow and
Carlow at the time surpassed even their
own traditional cruelty in their zeal to
quench the insurrection. Cromwell. the
foul slayer of the defenceless at Drog-
heda, was gentle compared with them,
The spawns of "Abdul. the Damned" in
Armenia, are but the yeomen up to
date, time and place being different
While memory such as this lasts. and
it can never lessen while England de-
nies us our rights, the hate it inspires
must stimulate us as much to. action in
lreland's behalf as we are nerved for
the same purpose by the memory of the
bravery of our ancestors. But let US re-
member that it was not the fear of Eng
land that helped extinguish this con-
fagration in Wexford and adjoining
counties. 1t is notorious that then as Mt
every other time OF our history, divis-
ions among the people were more no.
tont to effect England's purpose than all
the force and all. the inhumaan,. crueIty
which her hirelings* used aealnstx tha
country. But We should try-nows =, ,hat
de are 1audahly endaayorin,ug- to celc-
5ratc those great events in o1r: history
TO keep before our mindzthat. there Is
aehapter in the history of ,'9a that
should burn into our hearts the bitter
lesson that disunion Is our national
curse.
Don. lnxit to dai,1e anlea JON
Il ~ : ~ I[l r. liEIE {.