Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-12-31

IL tic iuluIc VI tue WOIlu Dc With TIC
English-speaking races, the Irish, who
have been driven by English misrule
from their native land, will be found to
bring salvation through the maintenance
of their religious ideal.
The lecturer adverted also to the Celtic
influence on education and literature.
Matthew Arnold, Henry Morley and
Stopford Brooke we're quoted to show the
influence which the Celtic had upon Eng
lish literature. The magic which Mat
thew Arnold finds largely developed in
Shakespeare is the contribution of the
Celt to the great master of English; but
magic was the poetic and religious prin-
ciple that moved for good, that saw with
the untainted eyes of children. It was
pure, spiritual sense which moved for
good, and, after all, this is the source of
true poetry. The influence of the Celtic
is found in the translations into English
and in the Celtic thought expressed in
English by the descendants of the Celt.
The difficulties under which the Cath
ole Celt labored during the centuries of
English dominion made it difficult for
Catholics to have done much in the inter-
est of education; but with the spirit of
federation in Ireland in the early days of
this century the Irish Catholics have
risen out of the dust into which they have
been ground 10 renew again the loves of
their ancestors for education, and to take
their place among the best in the educa-
tional world.
The Irish love for liberty and the influ-
ence of the Irish through their devotion
to patriotic ideals brought out Mgr. Con-
aty's best eloquence.
He said:
Oppression sanctihed his ideas of free
dom, and rather than be slave he aban-
doned the land of his love. He has an
undying love for motherland, and yet
motherland was to him but the soil of his
ancestors, their hopes and sorrows, for he
had no state i'll which it was exemplifed.
Hence it was i'll his heart and mind, and
everywhere he went he carried it enthusi-
astically with him. He loved the new
land in which he found home, but he
also loved the old land whence he came
His country to him was idealized 1t was
his Tir Nan Og-a land of perpetual
youth, in which are enshrined the high
est ideals of holiness, beauty and justice.
The Irish easily assimilate, but no
where more than in America, because
here the ideals of country are nearer to
their hearts ideals. The vastness OF
country satisfies his wandering nature
the business of law satisfies his oppressed
heart; the glory of the people, its posi-
bilities fill his romantic soul, and its
equality before the law thoroughly realize
his ideal of liberty. He b fzz9r
lea the Drawn and sinew g Iz 81
durance, the morality of koQ1 >lZer F1lF
sturdy, unfinching loyalty 70 liberty.
Mgr. Conaty quoted from Senator Hoa
in his address at the 250th anniversary o
Worcester: "But see what the Irishmar
brings also as a dowry to this marriage
which the centuries are to weld. TIL,
Irish race is conspicuous among grea
races for great traits. No people tina
possess them ever failed to achieve high
rank among nations on fair field. These
are the capacity to produce great mer
under the most adverse conditions; tn,
capacity for rapid elevation when tn,
conditions are favorable, courage, sol
dierly qualities, the gift of eloquence, the
power of severe and patient labor, tn,
passion for owning land, a strong domes
tic affection, chastity, deep religious feel
ing" Noble words from the best type o.
American public life.
The Irish have brought to the building
of this nation their strength of charactei
as race, which seven centuries of perse
cution have not been able to weaken
There is virility which is peculiarly it
own, reverence for home, devotion to
all that men hold dear, a bon hommi,
which is as the salt of life--and these
characteristics the Irishman brings witt
him everywhere. Their deep-seated love
of country encourages and strengthens
patriotism.
Mgr. Conaty then passed to discus
sion of the question of numbers as to the
Irish emigrants, and spoke at length
upon their relation to the revolution ant
to their assimilation to American life
Speaking on their faults, he said they
could all be traced to the influence O
anti-Irish legislation in Ireland, to the
prohibitive laws hindering industrial de
velopment, to the iniquitous tax system
which promoted improvidence, and t.
the penal laws, which developed illit
eracy.
He said it was not necessary to 60 fa
to find the reason why the Irish and thei
descendants in America rebel against al
alliance with England. Anglo-Saxonism
strictly speaking, is but one of the many
elements in American nationality which
needs no appeal to tottering monarchies
and should seek no alliance with roya
thrones. Let us be true to the ideal
upon which our country bases its politica
life, true to liberty and true to God. Coz
and country are two loves that hav,
always been inseparably united in tn
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