Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-02-25
Chivairy Was Distinguishing
Characteristic of the Irish
of Ancient Times.
The Motives Which Moved the
Celtic Races Against the
Romans.
SAVIOR OF THE FREEDOM OF BRITAIN

Recently Ill the hall OF the (atno1c
Club Dublin, an able lecture OH the
Lost Mission of the Irish Nation" was
delivered by Dr. Sigerson who is one of
the most intellectual men of the Irish
metropolis Rev. Father Delany pre-
sided and there was a large attendance.
In the course of his remarks the lee
turer referred to the development of ma
tions, and said the simplest group, the
family, did not suffice; it required that
numerous lesser groups should cooperate,
and this great complex group was ma
ton. In Pagan times the interests OF
the Irish were not limited to the mate
rial world, but they beheld words beyond
full Of beauty and delicacy. When
Christianity came it came to cultured
people, and in short time the island
was afame with it. The spiritual energy
of the Irish of those days is proved by
the hosts of Christian emissaries which
the island sent forth all over Europe,
and whose names were cherished with
reverence to this day on the Continent.
When we considered the vast continents
that had since these days been opened
up, and the part which the Irish played
in them, the answer to the question,
HAS the nation preserved this great
quickening faculty still, or was it gomez"
must be, mo, the nation has been faith
full and has not failed" Chivalry was
unquestionably distinguishing charac-
teristic of the ancient race. Strabo wrote
emphatically as to the warlike qualities
of the Celtic race. The description was
fair, though imperfect, and applied suf-
ficiently to the ancestors of those gallant
Irish soldiers of whom Sir Walter Scott
sang, They moved to death with mill
tary glee" Certainly as race they de-
lighted in chivalrous warfare, disdaining
whatever they deemed unfair or mean.
In our old heroic romances innumerable
examples may be found, the perGsal Of
which should tend TO exalt the ideals Of
generations. The record of their PROV
ess does not depend only on native writ
ers, for they knew from foreign sources
that the Irish armies invaded Gaul, that
they brought over thousands of captives,
that they waged valorous war against the
Roman Legions in Caledonia, that Brit
ANNA wept when the sea foamed beneath
the Irish oars. They might put aside
Agricola's boast of what he could do, since
he did not even attempt to invade Ire
land. At that time, indeed, the Irish
4, To aaf
half way, as he discovered in Scotland,
whittier their armies had gone to the
succor of their colonies and the assist
ance of their allies. The most renowned
of the Caledonian chiefs was one called
in Latin Galgacus, name confessedly
Celtic and very Irish, seeing that Doire
Calgach was of old the name OF that
Ulster city which changed it for that of
Doire Columcille. The Grafton which
the Latin author ascribes to Calgach ex-
pressed, no doubt, the very sentiments
of the Gaels in their strife against Roman
domination, and the fact that such a
speech should be composed for him in
dictated that the Romans found the Celts
of these islands as expert in eloquence as
those of the Gaul. 1t also showed that
the Roman could do justice to the mo-
tives of an enemy. The address, indeed,
resembled that of Bruce to his army, and
Burns probably found the idea of this
poem in the speech of Calgach. when
consider the motives which have reused
us to this war;" exclaimed Calgach,
"when / reflect OH the need that calls
for our staunchest vigor, l expect all that
is great and noble from that union oil
feelings which pervades us. From this
day date the freedom of Britain. We
are the men who never crouched in bond
age. Beyond this there is no land where
liberty can find refuge. Even the sea
is shut against us, while the Roman fleet
is lowering on the coast. To draw the
sword in the cause of freedom is the
true glory of the brave. and in our con
dition cowardice itself would throw away
the scabbard# Are the nations
rich, Roman avarice is their enemy
Are they poor, Roman ambition lords il
over them. To rob. to ravage and to muir
der, in their imposing language, are the
arts of civilization. When they have
made desert they call it peace. .
This speech, composed by generous foe
was designed to show the motives which
moved the Celtic races against the Ro
mans, and demonstrates their uncon
querable spirit. their virile courage ano
their union of sentiment. Strange as I
might now seem, paradoxical even, it il
yet true that, in those early ages, thu
Irish nation was looked to by freebori
Britons as their protector, and proved
itself the savior of the freedom of Brit
ain by assisting to expel the Romans
Had that martial ana chiyalric spiri
which animated our nation in forue
times disappeared with the generation
who exemplifed il then' If there coul'