Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-12-18
REVIVINC ANCIENT TONGUE
Story Of the Gaelic Leagu, of Ireland snc
It's Remarkable Work.
Or. DOUGLAS HYDE AS A MISSIONARY
Committee Named by Irish CItiEeus of
Omaha 20 Arrange for Coming of
Distinguished President of
Gaelic League.

the east. will be invited to deliver a lecture
in Omaha.
number OF Omaha and South Omaha
citizens met Sunday afternoon in the par
Tors ~ the Paxton hotel to make the pre-
lininary arrangements for the appearance
81 DR.. Hyde, who will speak here during !
tn" latter part Of January or first of Feb
ruary. DR.. Douglas arrived in this coun- /
try November Il and IL making a tour to |
lay before the American people the philos- !
ophy and working of the league and its |
hopes for the future.
The following citizens OF Omaha and |
South Omaha were selected yesterday TO !
act an executive committee in making |
arrangements for DIT. Hydes coming: C. !
!. Smyth u. J. O'Donahoe. George Holmes !
p. G. Heafey. Or. McCrsnn Or. Crowley, !
Peter O'Malley. John Ahern. Frank Mort
arty. =. j. Lenahan. Joseph Hayden, T. J.
Mahonoy, Thomas Swift. jr, T. j. Fitz-
morris c. Sheean. John Rush, William
Bushman. Father Aherne, j. A. C. Ken
nedy d. J. Riley. Thomas +. Dunn, Daniel
Stafford and Thomas Kane.
Another meeting will he held soon, when
more committees will be appointed and
other matters taken up.
G. ]. Smyth presided at yesterdays meet
ing. while ID. J. O'Donnhoc acted sec
Rotary.
In a circular sent out by the Gaelic
league of ireland It is stated that the
league recognizes in every Irishman a
brother regardless OF his religious po-
ltical beliefs. The league hopes to raise
from the dust the language. music. games.
traditions industries and ancient glory OF
Ireland
Significance OF Hyde's Visit.
Dr. Hyde represents one of the most re.
betterment OF the Irish race at home IT Ia
racial and intellectual revival with tho
Irish language as a basis of union. The es
of It is to educate the people and
trust to time and the new "old Irish" to do
the rest. Ireland" says DR.. Hyde. has
, been a poor imitation county of the English
nation. It is a race a nation, a people Of
its own and the Gaelic league is rapidly
forcing a recognition of this fact upon the
people. We awakening individuality
and self-reliance.
1--WE have witnessed in the last three
years n striking intellectual revolution. Ire
land is come to be Ireland and not a poor
imitation of county of a nearby state.
fish is spoken In many homes; It is taught
in more than 5000 schools; schoolmasters
II ceive premiums for every child who passes
in Gaelic; more than $4,000 books and
pamphlets were issued by the Gaelic league
last year alone, and men and women who
would, without the encouragement we have
given thcm have remained inert all their
lives have come to the front and spend
ing their lives in the revival OF our ancient
and beautiful language.
Pushed to the Front.
we have more than forty recognized
writer's In Gaelic now. novelists, play
wrights, philosophers and compilers of text
books. number OF women have come to
Tho front in Gaelic scholarship. ---.'-.
The Gaelic league Is only ten years old
and only seven years have we worked out
in the public light" he continued. I've
have appealed TO old Irish people-to the
Mes and the O's. to the Irish masses who
had never been appealed to since the battle
of the Boyne-and for the first time in 300
years the old Irish spirit has been evoked
and has become a power in Irish life"
one OF the chief aims of the league DR.
Hyde says. Ia to check emigration. our
people leave our shores because they don't
know our country he went on; because
they have no interest in the history the
races, classes and traditions of the country,
but most OF all. because there Is no indus
try there to interest them. Through our
work the industries have also taken a big
leap.
Not very long ago only those things
in Ireland. That is changed now. and orr
( people, that il. all affiliated with the Irish
y Gaelic league, buy nothing except what 1.
- made In Ireland"
When the Gaelic league was established
in 1898 II found the Irish nation really de-
generating into West British province
The number OF schools today in which the
Irish language is taught is more than 30cc
and the number of children studying 1,
over 100000. 1t has prevailed upon the
Board of intermediate Education to place
Irish in certain cases upon an equal footing
with other modern languages.
- DIR. Hyde's scnoIsrship.
DIR. Hyde Is the youngest son of Rev
Arthur Hyde, a Protestant clergyman. II,
Is Gaelic scholar noted for his learnin,
and his enthusiasm for the literature and
language OF his native land lie Is d mem
her of one of those fine old academic fami
lies, possessed OF pride Ia all the honora
BILE traditions and Ideals OF their race, anC
eager TO save from decay the customs anC
language in which they have found ex
preston. Like Burke, Goldsmith an,
many other renowned Irish literary men
Douglas Hyde wss educated at Trinity col
lege, Dublin, where he took the degree o
bachelor OF arts. with the first senior mod
eratorship and large sold medal This wa
In 1884. His college career was excep
tionally brilliant, and undergraduate
he first honors In modern literature
German, French, italian and Celtic. Il
1887 he became LII. u. and later success
fully passed the examination for the de
gree of doctor Of divinity. although he ha
never been active in religious orders. Fror
the first he manifested a great Interest Il
all pertaining TO the old Irish language
and instead OF the usual tour affected b
young men of his position on the continen
OF Europe, after graduation, he travele
extensively in his native province maxim
study OF the ancient Irish tales, sons
and folklore OF Counacht. At this time h
came in close touch with the Irish peas
antry. and was more than ever iTnpresse
by the mystic appeal, emotional color an
wealth OF tenderness contained in the Ian
suage OF the past. His tour and Studio
bore fruit in a book consisting of tales /
Irish. with notes published in 1889 undo
the name, "Leabhar Sgueluigheachta
This won for him recognition from the Gel
tieists, and followed by other book
Il dealing with the songs, tales and folklor