River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1901-10-10
Touring In Ireland,


Irish American" Mr.. Julian Grand,
Irish correspondent of that paper,
says-Ireland at the present is mum
dated with American tourists, and
the hotels are reaping their annual
harvest vigorously. Our American
cousins are certainly not far behind
in finding out pleasant hunting
grounds in which to spend an agreea-
BILE holiday, and by choosing Ireland
they show their good sense in many
ways. Americans are sure to receive
on these shores a genuine ''caed mile
failte." The reason why | mention
the fact that strangers are sure to re-
ceive d hundred thousand welcomes
when they come to the Emerald Is
land is because there is very preva-
lent idea abroad that Ireland is peo-
pied by a semi.barbarous and unciyll-
lied race; that its inhabitants are
continually at war among themselves;
and that the strength OF the British
fleet mot to mention the militia,
which is the terror OF the country is
taxed In keeping them In order. The
idea Is no doubt erroneous, but,
like most other prevalent notions, 1t
has some little foundation In fact.
There are, for example, inquisitiVe
people who often come to Belfast, and
after spending some time In that city,
are disappointed because they do not
see riot. These people, with thous-
ands OF others, imagine that the citi-
zens of Belfast are constantly at war
amongst themselves, whereas l have
| now lived nine years in this much
abused city, and have always had to
look in the English papers to find out
about the riots. In reality the Bel
fast people are too busy making mon
ey to spend their time in quarrelllng.
The truth is that misconception Of
the political state OF Ireland is great
hindrance to the development Of the
tourist traffic, which might do so
UGH to improve the condition Of the
inhabitants Of the more remote and
wilder districts. 1t is not too much
to say that certain portion OF the
English press is largely responsible for
the prevalence Of that error. Play
writer's and cayicaturists have done
their worst, and the average Irishman
has been represented abroad as an I'M
stable amalgamation Of the clown
and the simpleton. Not only Is this
wilful trayesty and slanderous mis-
representation Of the Irish character
submitted TO adult foreigners as 'hu-
morous" reading, but it is actually
placed as lessons in some OF the Ele-
mentary School Books, and thus al
lowed to vltiate the youthful mind at
a time when 1t receives its most last
ing impressions. II faithful accounts
Of Ireland and the Irish had been col
lected and compiled with as much ash
duty as were these mere eccentrici-
ties Of portion Of the race, the visits
OF English as we'll as the American
and other tourists would have been
far more numerous than they are,
and this would have etfectually remov-
ed not the necessity OF state-aided
railways and government potato
grants but would have swept away
many OF the barriers which un!ortu-
nately divide SO strongly some of the
Irish from the English. People will
rush TO the c0ntineutsfor their 'holi-
days, suffering all the inconvenience
OF the long journey, and staying at
expensive hotels, where they cannot
| get even sufficient water to wash
themselves, not to speak of soap,
while they leave behind mountains as
wild and magnificent as any in Swift
erland, valleys as rich and yerdant as
those of the Rhine, and coast seem
cry as rugged and grand as the Nor
weglan fjords. Ireland, first flower
OF the earth and first gem of the sea, !"
might truly be paradise for the
tourist, American or English, senti-
mental or practical, If her merits
were truly known, or her praises duly
sung by one capable of doing justice
TO her many attractions. Her "lakes
and fells, )" her mountains and moors,
her lowly valleys and breezy uplands,
respondent with perennial verdure,
the verdure OF the Green Isle OF the
Ocean," these have a charm which
bind the heart of the exile OF Erin In
dlssolubly to his native soil, and will
draw Others irresistibly to her sea-
beaten shore, to share in her graces,
did they but know of her beauties bet
ter-beauties which, l must add, are
not confined to inanimate nature, but
include the human form divine, for
the shy glance and the modest sweet
ness Of the Irish colleen have been a
theme for painters hand and poets
tongue from time immemorial; but