The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
IRELAND'S GAELIC REVIVAL.
BENEFICIAL EFFECTS SEEN IN
MANY DIRECTIONS.

Old Customs and Industries Revived with
the Use Of the Ancient TonGue-Bettes
Feeling Between Landlord and Tenant
! English Interest IN the Movement
When George Moore and W. B. Yeats pro-
, duced their play. .Grania and Darmuid.
at the Irish Literary Theatre in Dublin q
few years ago. they hesitated for a long
time whether 1t should be played in Eng
lish or Gaelic. ...
1t was founded on an old Gaelic legend
and was Gaelic in spirit and construction
As artists they felt that 1t ought to be played
in Gaelic. But could Dublin supply an
audience that understood Gaelic3 They
decided It could not, and turned the play
into English.
more people in this city. said Mr.. Moore.
would understand Greek than Gaelic
Within few months he had to take back
his words. Other plays were produced in
Gaelic at the same theatre. and were ap-
plauded by large audiences who understood
them.
Gaelic songs and Gaelic books became
fashionable, and teachers OF the ancient
tongue in Dublin soon outnumbered all the
professors Of French, German, Latin and
Greek put together.
THE common use OF the Gaelic tongue,
which will awaken old customs, and indus
tries and tenant ownership said an Irish
Catholic Bishop short time before the
revival Of Gaelic, ARE the two things we
now need to make a new Ireland
The Irish Land bill, now before Parlia-
melt. which has for its object the lending
of $500 600 900 to the Irish tenants for the
purpose Of buying out their landlords.
promises one OF the two things named
by the Bishop az essential to the creation of
a new and better Ireland
The second factor, the Gaelic revival, is
one Of the most remarkable features OF Irish
life. Never before has the dying tongue
Of a people been resuscitated so quickly.
The desire to learn Gaelic has attacked
everybody. from the duke to the laborer.
II man canot speak the ancient language
he Ia of small account in any society in Ire
land to-day.
Until few years ago, the landed gentry
and nobility of Ireland, almost without ex-
c,ption. took pride in not knowing the
language Of their own country. Now they
nearly all speak Gaelic and heartily support
the revival Of old Irish customs and in
dustries.
In a word. Ireland has led her conquer
ors captive. The Anglo-Saxon garrison,
the PLANTERS are as much in sympathy
with the new movement as any descendant
Of the ancient kings could be. Having
learned Gaelic. and read the old poems and
legends, they find Ireland too interesting to
leave. They no longer care 10 be absentee
landlords.
This new crusade OF Irish nationalism has
enlisted In its ranks the greatest of the
Unionist nobility. II has no more enthusi-
astic advocate than the Countess Of Dudley,
the wife Of the Lord Lieutenant OF Ireland.
Her hobby In England was to ransack
toy shops for the benefit Of poor children In
hospitals. orphanages and convaleecent
homes. She would call at a hospital incog-
nito and ask the matron for list of names
Of the boys and girls under her charge.
Having got this, she would 60 TO the nearest
toy shop and buy a handsome present for
each of them.
When she accompanied her husband to
Ireland. Lady Dudley succumbed at once to
the contagion Of the Gaelic movement. In
a few weeks she was taking regular lessons
in the ancient tongue. organizing competi-
tons In Gaelic poetry. reviving the old
Irish sports and customs, and doing her
best to develop the ancient Irish industries
such a. Limerick lace making.
number Of Irish women. headed by the
Countess Of Dudley and other peereeses,
have organized q society to teach poor Irish
girls how to mako lace aftsr the beautiful